It's about time

People in the UK work the longest hours in Europe. Here's why:

• the law that protects against very long hours is weaker in the UK
• most people don't know about the laws we do have, and they're not enforced
• more and more people do the kind of white collar jobs where overtime is not paid
• and we've just got into the habit where employers expect, and staff are prepared to work, very long hours. It's the dreaded 'long hours culture'.

Long hours are not good for us; they cause stress; they're bad for our health; they wreck relationships; they make caring for children or dependents more difficult; and tired, burnt-out staff are bad for business.

It doesn't mean that we should turn into a nation of clock-watchers. Most people enjoy their jobs and find them fulfilling. But there's a need for give and take at work. Putting in some extra hours when there's an emergency or a sudden increase in orders is one thing. The problem is when it turns to all take. Long hours become the norm, not the exception, and even longer hours are needed when a real crisis comes along.

• The law in a nut shell
• Check how much you're losing with our unpaid overtime calculator
• How to opt back into working time protection

Further reading:

• workSMART's detailed Q&A's on working time issues
• The TUC's campaign to end the opt out
• Work life balance case studies from the TUC
• The DTI on work life balance