It is argued that any country, where a long average working time is implemented to drive growth and create prosperity, probably undergo negative social impacts. I tend to agree with this statement to a certain extent that longer working hours do not automatically mean higher company profits and economic development, and could even pave the way for serious social problems ahead.
Initially, it is uncertain that excessive average labour hours prompt commercial success. This idea has been studied by a host of economic researchers, who postulate that overworking can decrease productivity because longer labour hours mean less time to rest adequately, in terms of physical and mental health. Additional time to work is often considered a major cause of exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and eventually, insomnia as a chronic disease, which makes the body physically weak. These symptoms make it much harder to focus attention on every task, leading to taking more hours to accomplish comparable results. Another factor to be analyzed is a decline in mental functions, which results from insufficient time to participate in recreation due to working too hard. Indeed, a shortage of opportunities to do hobbies and leisure activities is likely to cause brain burn-out and limit cognitive development, generating depression and ill feelings that hinder motivation and creativity in work. Consequently, raising the standard working hours can cause physical and mental functions to deteriorate over time and possibly prevent economic expansion for countries.
Moreover, long hours and heavy workloads may give rise to serious social issues, including work dissatisfaction and work-life imbalance. Employees do not just target finance and status in their jobs, but their final goal is to achieve fulfillment at work. Some people are indeed willing to toil all hours to reap the best results, and from that, they can get more promotions. However, this idea is not applied to all individuals, thus a stringent regulation of long average working time in workplaces keeps exploiting employees who ultimately endure fatigue and emptiness, bringing about negative feelings and thoughts. Such symptoms can be diagnosed as a cause of emotional disorder, in which patients regularly feel sad and hopeless, and lack energy. One more consequence to be ascertained is work-life imbalance. In other words, extended work shifts every day can violate free time, in which employees spend far too much time working and just a little time relaxing, self-caring, and socializing. This action may cause missing crucial family events such as anniversaries, birthdays, or special family times with loved ones. Such poor family connections are likely to worsen mindfulness, a rich source of high engagement in a company that can drive flourishing productivity. As a result, the extended average working time is not encouraged in developed countries because of the unhealthy work-life balance that does not guarantee a happy life for citizens.
In conclusion, I share the perspective that countries with long average working hours not only may impede economic growth, in terms of physical and psychological well-being, but also cause serious social issues among employees, such as work unfulfillment and poor work-life balance.