overwork

Overwork is the situation in which workers perform more hours or face greater workloads than is sustainable for health and well-being. It often involves extended hours, high pace, and insufficient opportunities for rest, and can result from organizational demands, staffing shortages, or economic pressure.

Core drivers include competitive expectations, understaffing, tight deadlines, automation and outsourcing, and the blending of work and personal time, especially with remote or gig work.

Health and safety impacts include fatigue, sleep disruption, burnout, and cardiovascular or mental health problems; productivity and safety can decline due to higher error rates, accidents, and presenteeism; social life and recovery time are also compromised.

There is no universal threshold for overwork. Some countries regulate maximum weekly hours and mandatory rest periods; international bodies recommend limiting long shifts and ensuring recovery time. Organizations may measure overwork by hours worked, consecutive days, and workload intensity.

Mitigation strategies include reasonable workload planning, adequate staffing, enforced rest breaks, flexible scheduling, fatigue risk management, supportive leadership, and access to health or employee-assistance resources. Building a culture that values health can reduce overwork without harming productivity.