Burnt-out Brits are collectively working 66 million overtime hours each week, for free, according to a new report

It's all work and no play  for us Brits, apparently. The majority of UK-based employees now work an extra day (8.73 hours) each week, on top of their contracted hours (70%), for which almost half are not paid (43%) .    ·          

OnePulse, the UK opinion app, has revealed that UK employees are working an additional 66 million hours of overtime each week, without pay or time back.     

The Work it Out Report, commissioned by OnePulse and published as part of the National Work Life Week (October 3 to 7) asked 2,000 UK-based employees for their honest opinion on their work/life balance, which has presented some harsh realities.    

The research shows that half of employees feel stressed and tired at work, with only a quarter stating they feel happy and valued in the workplace.     Employees who took part in the research claimed overtime includes working through their lunch break (71%) and after hours (79%).

More than a third of UK-based employees say they are not able to take 100% of their annual leave entitlement, due to excessive workload (37%).  A large majority of those who took part (93%) said they would prefer to work longer days for four days a week (10.5 hours) and have a three-day weekend. The majority of UK-based employees say their weekend is spent recuperating from their busy working week, leaving little energy to undertake out-of-work activities and hobbies (66%).    

So, how are employees being compensated for working overtime? More than a quarter of workers are paid for their extra effort  (28%), while 13% are offered time off in lieu, and another 13% offered flexitime.   

Nick Walter, OnePulse's Chief Marketing Officer, commented on the findings: “As both an employer and an employee, work/life balance is always an interesting debate.

"The real issue here is the taboo nature of working overtime today. Since the start of the UK financial crisis in 2008, there was a nervousness amongst employees, who were urged to up their game to keep their jobs – and this is the hangover – who is going to speak out?     

“Simultaneously, the rise of ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) into the workplace, innovations in digital technology, and improved access to high-speed internet, means that 'work’ is no longer only possible in the office – work is everywhere we turn.    

 “We created OnePulse for this reason entirely – a chance for the nation to speak out on issues that are not acceptable around the water cooler.”