Canadians are logging more work hours without getting paid, according to a recent survey. Data from ADP Research shows more than one in three Canadian workers, or 36 per cent, put in six or more unpaid hours each week, closely tracking the global average of 38 per cent. That’s roughly an extra full workday that goes unpaid and largely unaccounted for. “I feel like it doesn’t really shock me, unfortunately. I feel like a lot of people have gotten into that culture of you have to work more to prove yourself,” says Halifax resident Mysha Rajan. The study also found Millennials aged 27 to 39 are the most impacted, with 19 per cent reporting extreme unpaid hours. “The really interesting part about the study is that they’re engaged. These people, Millennials, are engaged by their work, but yet they’re still excited because they’re being overworked,” says Susan Power, a Halifax-based leadership development coach. But extra doesn’t necessarily mean better work. According to the study, effort is increasing but productivity isn’t. “They’re working this extra time, but they’re not being more productive. It’s so counterintuitive. You think week after week you do an extra six hours, you’re going to get through more output. But if that’s not the case, are you working on the right things?” says Power. She believes employers have a responsibility to offer realistic expectations to their staff. “My team is very effective at logging off at the end of their workday, and I encourage them to do so,” she says. “I think leadership effectiveness really drives a lot of this. What are our values? What are the expectations? Do employees feel safe to push back? Do employees feel safe to say, ‘Hey, I am working an extra six hours a week and it’s not sustainable?’”
