Want to reduce the number of hours you have to put in to the office? Then ditch your cell phone!
Okay, so the answer may not be that easy but technology – such as cell phones, smart phones and WiFI – are all adding up to longer working hours for Aussies. The 38-hour week no longer exists for some two million Australians who are working more than 50 hours a week, according to the Australian Council of Trade Unions. This shift towards an unhealthy workload has been blamed on several things: John Howard’s Work Choices, fear of redundancy, efforts to boost retirement savings and modern technology which makes workers available at all times of the day and night. Thanks to WiFi technology and smart phones the office is never too far away and the temptation to check emails or finish up a project in the evening or at weekends is strong for many. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 60 per cent of families have at least one parent who will work after 7pm at some point in the month.