Emerald Management Review:
Long work hours: a social identity perspective on meta-analysis data

Abstract:

Purpose - To identify the factors that contribute to employees working longer hours and to examine the relationships between hours worked, job performance and employee well-being.

Design/methodology/approach - Reports how workers in the US work the longest hours in the developed world; adopting social identity theory provides a theoretical framework for exploring how individuals' identities influence the number of hours employees work. Provides a synthesis of previous research on the relationships between work, organizational and occupational identity and family identity. Proposes, among other things, that job security, organizational support, job autonomy and opportunities for learning will be positively related to employees' hours worked; explores how gender, age and job complexity might moderate the relationships. Describes the meta-analysis undertaken of articles published in 2006 or before (199 articles).

Findings - Puts forward how long work hours were positively related to job autonomy and opportunities for learning, salary, promotions and career satisfaction. Highlights how long hours worked to not necessary result in significant gains in productivity.

Research limitations/implications - Number of work hours did not adequately measure the quality of work produced; suggests areas for future study.

Originality/value - Discovers evidence that employees working hours does not necessarily translate into increased productivity.

Keywords:

Article Type:

Research paper

Reference:

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