In a recent study by TimesJobs over 80% of working professionals surveyed admitted that they are overworked with nearly 60% claiming that the workload has worsened compared to last year.

The study highlights many issues in the workplace that mostly go unmentioned, practices that are leading to stress resulting in several health and performance issues for working professionals. These not just hamper the physical wellbeing of employees but are also emotionally taxing, creating an invisible drain on motivation levels and productivity.

Overworked over time drains employees

Having desired skill sets alone cannot make an employee productive - a positive and conducive work regime is a critical factor that affects performance. Nearly 700 respondents surveyed for the study reveal that close to 80% of them feel they are overworked, with a further 60% claiming their workloads had worsened compared to last year.

The TimesJobs study further reveals that of the almost 700 respondents, nearly 70% of them said they work very long hours (overtime). However, almost 80% of these working professionals who put in extra hours, do not think it helps increases their productivity in any way.

Lack of job and role clarity reduce productivity

The TimesJobs study also reveals a very crucial insight with 70% of employees surveyed claiming they feel less productivity in their current job. Unclear employer expectations is the key factor that hampers employees’ productivity at workplace, say 40% of the surveyed professionals. This problem is further intensified by 35% of them who also say they don’t have clear job responsibilities.

"Being able to see the larger picture and how one's role contributes to realizing the organization's vision is a critical element in ensuring a productive and motivated employee. An all-inclusive employee engagement strategy helps create a sense of ownership, participation and involvement that are critical to ensure that employees are performing at their best and contributing the maximum to the organization," says Nilanjan Roy. Head of Strategy, Times Business Solutions.

Environmental issues lower performance

Work environments are created by many factors. Many employers tend to ignore these factors, which in turn hinder employee performance and their success at the workplace. Employees also reveal to TimesJobs that approval bottlenecks (35%), lack of regular and useful feedback (30%), not having time to innovate/ideate (28%), not having flexibility options (25%), lack of training programs (15%), rigid policies and systems (10%), also plague them at their workplaces.

Paradigm Shift in the Ecosystem

“There has been a paradigm shift from an Industrial Economy to a Knowledge Economy, where today mental acuity, skill and creativity are of far great value, than before. It’s no secret that happy employees are more creative, innovative and productive. Helping employees with setting their work priorities, providing them with regular feedback, being accessible, and offering necessary training to build competencies and upgrade skills, are critical to ensuring success in this knowledge driven ecosystem," adds Roy.