OVERWORKING: Its Impacts on The Modern-day Mankind and The Call for Work-life Balance

In the 1987 film ‘Wall Street’, there was a quote “At least as a rich man, when I have to face my problems, I show up in the back of a limo, wearing a 2000 dollar suit and a 40000 gold watch,” The movie – an encapsulation of our present working culture – depicted workaholics obsessed with high pay and having ambitions painstakingly working for long hours to boost their wages and live a luxurious life, at the expense of other areas such as their health. Essentially, it echoed a strong message to us: more work, more rewards, more enjoyment.

Similarly, overworking has been a common experience for many in Singapore, a highly fast-paced society. It is the activity of working beyond the maximum capabilities of an individual, leading to frequent episodes of burnout and mental stress, which cause overworked people to be inundated with persistent negative thoughts.

Overworking Culture in the 21st Century

Today, the overworking culture has expanded into more sectors and professions, highlighting how the idea of working long hours is becoming normalized. According to the journal Environmental International, 488 million people worldwide had 55 working hours or more per week in 2016. Another study conducted by the United States-based ADP Research highlighted a rise in the additional working hours of the average worker, from 7.3 hours before the COVID-19 pandemic to 9.2 hours in 2021.

Some see overworking as a necessary 'evil'. For example, one of the most overworked countries in the world, Japan, sees it as a metric of productivity. This is evident in its efforts to rebuild itself after the devastation of World War II. It saw rapid industrialisation, and even became the first country to have a highly efficient high-speed train network, the Shinkansen, since 1964, when steam trains were still being used in other countries such as the United Kingdom (UK). Japan also saw its post-war economic boom, which led to its belief that hard work is seen as the key to national and personal success. Japan’s collectivist culture also led to many Japanese corporations having the power to ignore their employees’ rights, particularly when it comes to their working hours. As Japan has a culture of seniority, Japanese workers are expected to attend nomikais, or company drinking parties, to keep good ties with their fellow employees after long hours of work, further contributing to work-related stress. These, coupled with the deeply-rooted Japanese mindset to “messhi hoko”, or ‘self-sacrifice for the public good’, are reasons why till now, many Japanese companies have an overworking culture, and cases of “karoshi”, which translates to ‘death by overwork’, are rampant in Japanese society. China, which boasts the 2nd largest economy in the world, has seen a wide implementation of the “996 culture”, which means working from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, in many of its local technology companies. This is a major contributing factor to her booming economy these past decades, which helped promote her reputation as a global technological hub.

We could perhaps relate more to Singapore’s pressure-cooker environment, high cost of living and the insecure job market. All of these reasons have influenced Singaporeans to overwork themselves in their pursuit of climbing the corporate ladder at all costs. In 2024, an average full-time teacher in Singapore worked a total of 47.3 hours a week, more than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 41 hours.

The Dangers and Adverse Effects of Overworking on Society

The dangers and effects associated with overworking are countless.

First, on a societal level, overworking leads to a burgeoning mental health crisis sparked by widespread cases of depression and self-harm. Overworking increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and greatly affects one’s emotional and mental state. The physical and mental strain of overworked people ranges from fatigue and a sedentary lifestyle to an increased frequency of impaired sleep. According to Environmental International, more than 745 000 people died in 2016 from heart disease and stroke related to working more than 55 hours per week, highlighting the societal dangers of overworking. Due to social stigma of having such mental health issues, workers under immense stress prohibit themselves from disclosing their dissatisfaction to their employers, out of fear that it would affect their job positions. A study, jointly published by global professional services firm Aon and health technology service provider Telus Health in September 2022, found that around two in three respondents were concerned that their career would be affected if their bosses knew of their mental health issues.

Additionally, instead of improving productivity, overworking reduces work performance and results in productivity loss due to illnesses, injuries, and even job dissatisfaction. A study conducted in 2022 found that in Singapore, overworking culture left 73% of Singaporean employees unhappy, and 62% feeling burnt out. Therefore, on the economy, this vicious cycle would reduce workforce size and thus productivity, undermining the nation’s economic growth, wages and living standards while putting a strain on scarce healthcare services.

The Approach: Work-Life Balance

We need to reduce our emphasis on overworking in order for workers to balance making a living with having time for leisure activities. In Japan, the legislation has pushed for major reforms, such as the 2018 Work-Style Reform Law, to enhance the well-being of workers. In countries such as Singapore, which has the longest average working hours per week at 45 in the Asia-Pacific, many have called for better work-life balance practices. The annual survey conducted by the recruitment agency Randstad found that more employees are prioritising work-life balance over salary, with a whopping 95 per cent of Singapore workers saying that work-life balance is important to them in their current and future jobs, compared to 90 per cent who said that pay is important.

Companies worldwide have implemented measures such as Work From Home (WFH) to achieve a more flexible working arrangement for their employees. Moreover, many have also promoted conversations among employees on their feelings to ensure regular check-ups on their mental wellbeing. For example, Google promotes a positive workplace culture by offering flexible arrangements and various employee benefits, including on-site wellness programs and access to modern facilities designed to help staff unwind and recharge. These initiatives contribute to employees feeling supported and aligned with the company’s values, which can enhance engagement and overall performance. The shorter working hours did not harm the productivity of Google’s employees, as some would expect. Instead, it had the opposite effect of bolstering employees’ productivity. In fact, Google became the fourth most profitable company in the world, with a US$100.1 billion in annual net income reported in 2024.

Ultimately, addressing the overworking culture is a shared responsibility. While companies play a crucial role in creating policies and fostering working environments that support a healthy work-life balance, individuals must also be mindful not to inflict excessive pressure on themselves. Ambition and drive are not inherently dangerous. However, when long working hours are constantly equated with success, overworking becomes normalised and burnout is inevitable. Fortunately, this paradigm is beginning to shift, as societies, individuals and companies realise that long-term progress requires balance, not burnout.