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Abstract: This article provides organizational leaders seeking to disrupt entrenched cultures of overwork with practical strategies drawn from academic literature and consulting experiences. It explores key drivers of overwork at both the organizational level, such as a lack of boundaries between work and personal time, perceptions of overwork as a requirement, pressure from leadership, and lack of alternative policies, and at the societal level. Concrete steps are then outlined for establishing sustainable change, like setting clear boundaries on availability and working hours, empowering employees with flexible arrangements, disconnecting from technology after hours, shifting perceptions of productivity away from face time, increasing transparency from leadership, and building in recovery periods. Case studies from Buffer and Mailchimp demonstrate success. The article advocates a holistic, systems-level approach led by committed executives to alter cultural norms and mindsets over the long run through fostering autonomy, flexibility and trust in order to enhance both performance and well-being. Leaders are encouraged to customize strategies to their contexts while continuously measuring impact and refining approaches, with the ultimate goal of empowering employees to bring their full selves each day.
As senior leadership consultants and organizational development experts, we have had a front-row seat to witness how the overwork culture has taken hold in so many industries and companies. While the blurred lines between work and personal time introduced by technology have afforded flexibility for some, they have also enabled a "always on" mentality that leads many to be constantly checking emails and feeling like they must respond immediately. Over the past several decades, the 40-hour workweek concept has given way to expectations of excessive overtime without additional compensation as the norm. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated issues of overwork as teams adjusted to remote environments with increased workload pressures.
As researchers who study workplace culture and well-being, we know this level of overwork takes an immense toll on individuals and teams that leads to burnout, reduced productivity, and higher turnover. However, making meaningful change to embedded cultural norms can seem daunting for leaders. In this brief, we aim to provide practical, research-backed strategies companies can adopt to end a culture of overwork and instead foster sustainability.
Today we will explore the organizational and individual factors that have driven overwork, practical steps leadership can take to change expectations and behaviors, and real-world examples of companies that have successfully made the shift. Our goal is to equip you with actionable insights and a roadmap for creating lasting, positive change within your own organization.
Origins and Drivers of an Overwork Culture
The normalization of excessive overtime is no accident - various organizational and societal forces have combined to drive expectations of overwork over time. At the organizational level, a few key factors have contributed to an overwork culture taking hold:
Lack of Boundaries between Work and Personal Time - As technology enables constant connectivity, the barriers between work and non-work have eroded. This has given rise to the expectation that employees should be available around the clock.
Perceptions of Overwork as a Job Requirement - Cultural norms have developed where overwork is seen as a sign of commitment, productivity and ambition. This creates peer pressure where those who do not overwork feel less committed (Sullivan, 2020).
Pressure from Leadership - In many companies, overwork has become tied to perceptions of leadership. Those higher in the org chart are expected to work the longest hours, setting the tone for others. Excessive hours worked by managers and executives signal to others that overwork is rewarded (Deloitte, 2021).
Lack of Alternatives - Companies have not always provided attractive alternatives to overwork such as flexible work arrangements or opportunities for meaningful work outside traditional hours. This leaves overwork as the path of least resistance (Golden & Gebreselassie, 2007).
At a societal level, forces like the gig economy, global competition, and “hustle culture” promote a narrative that overwork and constant availability are requirements for career success (Weinberger, 2021). However, research shows this level of overwork takes more than it gives for both individuals and companies in the long-run. Fortunately, leadership has the power to counter these forces and establish a healthier culture.
Practical Strategies for Ending Overwork
With an understanding of the organizational and societal drivers behind overwork, we will now explore concrete steps leaders can take to build a culture where employees can thrive with sustainable workloads. These strategies are research-driven yet practical - focused on changing mindsets, policies and practices in a way that supports both business goals and well-being.
Set Clear Boundaries and Enforce Them - Establish company-wide policies around working hours, availability outside normal hours, and time off requirements. Enforce these consistently to extinguish norms of constant work (Carnevale & Hatak, 2020).
Make Flexibility the Standard - Provide attractive alternatives to face time by making flexibility the expected norm. This could mean core hours requirements with flexible start/end times, work from anywhere policies, and results-only work environments (ROWEs) (Golden, 2001).
Disconnect from Technology - Role model and encourage disconnecting from devices after hours and on vacations. This establishes that downtime and recharging are as important as being always-on (DeMarco, 2020).
Shift Perceptions of Productivity - Communicate that productivity is not hours worked but rather impact, outcomes and well-being. Recognize and reward employees based on results, not face time spent in the office (Bayer & Shipmann, 2014).
Lead with Transparency - Be upfront about your own work-life practices as a leader. Share calendar transparency so others understand your availability outside core hours and adherence to time off requirements (Schawbel, 2019).
Empower Autonomy - Give employees autonomy to structure their own schedules in line with clear goals and accountability. This reduces overwork driven by perfectionism and micromanagement (Gregoire, 2021).
Build in Recovery Time - Establish meeting-free periods each day, limit back-to-back meetings, and encourage employees to schedule recovery breaks each week (Uchida et al., 2014).
These interlocking strategies form a systems-level approach that addresses overwork drivers at their roots by changing the deeper workplace culture and norms over time. But leadership buy-in and follow-through is key.
Case Studies: Companies that Have Succeeded
While changing embedded cultural norms takes time and persistence, some companies have demonstrated success in their efforts to counter overwork. Here are two case studies that exemplify best practices:
Buffer - This social media management software company made flexibility a cornerstone by eliminating fixed schedules and core hours requirements. Employees can work wherever and whenever needed as long as they hit shared company goals (Konnikova, 2016). Leadership clearly modeled the flexibility they espoused around balancing work and life. Employee surveys showed reduced stress levels and higher work satisfaction after the shift.
Mailchimp - The email marketing platform took transparency one step further, making senior leadership calendars public so employees could see exactly when executives were available or in meetings. There are also limits on internal emails after hours and on weekends to curb a culture of always-being-on. Employees report valuing the emphasis on work-life integration modeled from the top (Friedman, 2014).
Both companies show it is possible to reap the benefits of flexibility without sacrificing productivity by emphasizing empowerment, accountability and leadership through clear example-setting. Their successes illustrate that ending a culture of overwork improves business outcomes as much as it enhances well-being.
Toward Sustainable Change
I hope this brief has provided practical, evidence-based strategies for leadership looking to disrupt an ingrained culture of overwork within their organizations. Changing norms deeply embedded in an industry or company requires persistence, role modeling the change desired and making employee wellness a clear strategic priority rather than an afterthought. Successful efforts also emphasize autonomy, flexibility and shifting perceptions of what true performance and productivity look like.
By taking a holistic, systems-level approach encompassing policies, managerial practices and communication of new priorities, companies stand the best chance of achieving sustainable change over the long run. Doing so will benefit both businesses and their people at a time when work-life integration has never been more important for individual and societal well-being. We encourage leaders to select strategies that resonate most within their unique contexts, start small with pilots, measure impact, and continually refine their approaches based on learnings over time. Most importantly, we hope this serves as a call to action for humanizing work cultures and tapping into the enormous potential that comes from empowering people to bring their whole selves to their jobs each day.
References
Bayer, A. D., & Shipmann, A. (2014, May). Ditch the timesheet: A flexible scheduler for the knowledge economy. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2014/05/ditch-the-timesheet-a-flexible-scheduler-for-the-knowledge-economy
Carnevale, J. B., & Hatak, I. (2020). Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management. Journal of Business Research, 116, 183–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.05.037
DeMarco, D. (2020, March 12). How to unplug from technology on vacation (and why it's important). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/03/how-to-unplug-from-technology-on-vacation-and-why-its-important
Deloitte. (2021). Unlock your potential: Culture of well-being. https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/unlock-your-potential.html
Friedman, T. L. (2014, January 9). How to get a job at MailChimp. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-mailchimp.html
Golden, T. D. (2001). Flexible work schedules: Which workers get them? The American Behavioral Scientist, 44(7), 1157–1178. https://doi.org/10.1177/00027640121956729
Golden, L., & Gebreselassie, T. (2007). Overemployment mismatches: The preference for fewer hours. Monthly Labor Review, 130(4), 11.
Gregoire, C. (2021, January 12). How to empower your employees with autonomy. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90578550/how-to-empower-your-employees-with-autonomy
Konnikova, M. (2016, March 3). The open-plan office is a huge mistake. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/opens-plan-offices-are-a-huge-mistake-2016-3
Schawbel, D. (2019). The power of transparency: Why open communication is vital. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2019/03/12/the-power-of-transparency-why-open-communication-is-vital/?sh=3b5ee30d11f0
Sullivan, C. (2020, June 30). Why overwork has become the new normal. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2020/06/30/why-overwork-has-become-the-new-normal/?sh=5fed9da24f4c
Uchida, Y., Stillman, T. F., Teymoori, A., & Schimmack, U. (2014). The well-being questionnaire: A test for burnout. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1008. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01008
Weinberger, M. (2021, April 29). When ‘hustle culture’ goes too far: Inside the rise and fall of WeWork. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/micahweinberger/2021/04/29/when-hustle-culture-goes-too-far-inside-the-rise-and-fall-of-wework/?sh=72d56d0c6c8b
Additional Reading
Westover, J. H. (2024). Optimizing Organizations: Reinvention through People, Adapted Mindsets, and the Dynamics of Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.3
Westover, J. H. (2024). Reinventing Leadership: People-Centered Strategies for Empowering Organizational Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.4
Westover, J. H. (2024). Cultivating Engagement: Mastering Inclusive Leadership, Culture Change, and Data-Informed Decision Making. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.5
Westover, J. H. (2024). Energizing Innovation: Inspiring Peak Performance through Talent, Culture, and Growth. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.6
Westover, J. H. (2024). Championing Performance: Aligning Organizational and Employee Trust, Purpose, and Well-Being. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.7
Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Workforce Evolution: Strategies for Adapting to Changing Human Capital Needs. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.8
Westover, J. H. (2024). Navigating Change: Keys to Organizational Agility, Innovation, and Impact. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.11
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Rethinking the Overwork Culture: Practical Strategies for Creating Sustainable Change. Human Capital Leadership Review, 14). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.14.2.14
