Burning out: A third of transport staff working unpaid overtime

Almost a third (32%) of UK employees in the transport and logistics sector are working beyond their contracted hours and doing some form of unpaid overtime each week, a new study has found.

Over one in five (21%) employees say they work between one and five hours extra, in overtime, each week.

Almost a quarter (24%) of employees say they work beyond their contracted hours due to increased workloads.

Previous research from Claro Wellbeing found 15% of employees in the sector have experienced burnout – a state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by work stress – in six months, and employees regularly working overtime are at increased risk of poor wellbeing.

The poll of 1000 UK-based employees by Claro Wellbeing was published in its Wellbeing Washing – The True Cost report, which seeks to uncover the disparity between organisations’ public displays of support for mental health initiatives and actual support for mental wellbeing.

“The number of employees in the transport and logistics sector working unpaid overtime each week is concerning due to the impact it can have on their personal wellbeing,” said Stacey Lowman, Claro Wellbeing.

“While companies are facing tough trading conditions as they continue to feel instability following the pandemic and Brexit, the cost of neglecting staff wellbeing could be significant,” she warned.

“Continued overworking is likely to lead to poor wellbeing, burnout, an increased chance of mental health issues and staff taking sickness absence. Employers are also likely to see a higher staff turnover rate as employees leave for a better working environment. This is an issue already facing the sector with many companies experiencing difficulties in recruitment.”

“It’s clear there’s much more to be done to prevent burnout,” Lowman concluded.