Article: Why Overwork Kills Productivity Wednesday 23 May 2018 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email Behavioural Psychologists Reveal Confirm That Being Busy is Not a Marker of Productivity and Explain Why The tendency to overwork is rife. Long days and endless out-of-office emails have become the norm: in January, CMI research showed stressed-out managers were working an extra 44 days a year thanks to an always-on culture that sees them over-commit to their roles, and take on too much work. However, this is not a marker of productivity. Read more:The quality for working life study Having Too Much Work Damages Productivity However, working hard does not mean working efficiently. One study found that those who are busy tend to work quickly and confuse this for working efficiently on self-report measures. Therefore, self-confessed busy employees often miss more deadlines that they think and take on too much. Fatigue Damages Productivity In addition, having too much work leads to fatigue which damages output. Studies put the maximum number of hours for an optimal work rate at 40 hours, broadly in line with the UK working week. Errors are said to increase by 50% when humans suffer from fatigue. Accidental Managers Damage Productivity Effective allocation of work is the responsibility of management and CMI has long made the case that ‘accidental managers’ contribute to the relatively low levels of UK productivity. In its Management Manifesto, published in the run up to the 2017 general election, CMI found that organisations with effective management and leadership development programmes have on average 23% better results and are 32% more productive. This means managers should receive training to delegate effectively and assess productivity. Read more: The Management Manifesto Solutions for Productivity In this insights report we looked at 12 ways to improve productivity, which focused on day-to-day organisational skills. The productivity hacks include psychological goal-setting, as recommended by John Lewis chairman, Sir Charlie Mayfield CCMI. He told us: “Productivity starts with simple things such as setting targets, thinking about what success looks like, identifying what contribution people can make towards achieving that success, and then helping them understand the extent to which they’ve achieved it. It includes praising good performance, coaching and encouraging. It also means dealing with underperformance.” Managers, it’s time. Want to investigate CMI qualifications and training programmes? Find out more here. Like this article? Why not share it. Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email Topic: Personal Development “Chartered status sets you apart from others” Andrew Collins started out as a bricklayer. Now he helps young people lay the foundations for their own construction careers Read article Article Topic: Consultancy Flexible resourcing: how can management consultants adapt to a spike in demand? Using flexible resourcing when your core team is maxed out is an opportunity to deepen relationships with trusted partners Read article Article Topic: Six tips for managing in uncertain times, from Baroness Minouche Shafik The new chair of the Victoria & Albert Museum shared her thoughts on navigating crises with CMI chief executive Ann Francke Read article Article Topic: Employability From football to fashion: “It proves you’ve got a blend of creativity and strategic awareness” Adam Barthram shares how the CMI Dual Accredited BA (Hons) Fashion Management course helped him to merge his passions Read article Article Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.