# Unpaid overtime soars since advent of COVID-19: UK employees working £4.2 billion in free labour every week Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-07-02 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: UK Workers Give Nearly 8 Hours Weekly to Employers for Free Meta Description: New study by ADP® Research Institute reveals UK workers are putting in almost 8 hours of unpaid overtime per week on average, totaling over £8,000 annually per URL: https://financedigest.com/unpaid-overtime-soars-since-advent-of-covid-19-uk-employees-working-4-2-billion-in-free-labour-every-weekhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/graphicstock-image-of-two-business-people-working-with-laptop-and-computer-late-at-night-in-their-officehilxdmo2l-1736838243420-compressed.jpg) _UK workers giving away almost 8 hours per week for free on average to employers_ _Essential workers putting in nearly 9 unpaid hours per week_ _Employers considering a ‘hybrid’ return-to-office model warned that workers combining remote and on-site working may find maintaining productivity challenging and are working over 9 hours per week in free labour_ **London, UK, 24th June 2021** – The amount of unpaid overtime that workers around the world are doing has soared in the past year; unpaid overtime in the UK has steadily risen from 6 hours in 2019 to 7 hours in 2020 in the advent of COVID-19, to a whopping almost 8 hours in 2021, [reveals a new study](https://www.financedigest.com/first-listener-wide-study-reveals-brand-impact-of-radio-livestream-and-podcasts.html "First listener-wide study reveals brand impact of Radio, Livestream, and Podcasts") by the ADP® Research Institute, _People at Work 2021: A Global Workforce View_. UK employees are currently [working an average of 7.8 hours per week without pay](https://www.financedigest.com/spain-offers-to-pay-companies-testing-a-4-day-work-week.html "Spain offers to pay companies testing a 4-day work week"), almost a full hour more than the European average of 6.7. Totalling over £8,000 annually per employee, and across the working population, £219bn a [year in free labour](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-brexit-cold-turkey-uk-tries-to-kick-25-year-imported-labour-habit.html "Analysis-Brexit cold turkey: UK tries to kick 25-year imported labour habit"). Activity can range from working over breaks and starting early/staying late to regularly putting in several [hours](https://www.financedigest.com/low-use-of-shortened-work-hours-points-to-mild-german-recession-ifo.html "Low use of shortened work hours points to mild German recession – Ifo") of extra work each day for no additional pay. One in four (26%) UK [employees are giving away more than 10 hours per week for free to their employers](https://www.financedigest.com/why-more-companies-are-asking-new-employees-to-commence-employment-before-christmas.html "Why more companies are asking new employees to commence employment BEFORE Christmas.") – up from one in five before the pandemic in 2019. Given the demanding [nature of their jobs](https://www.financedigest.com/best-paying-jobs-in-natural-gas-distribution.html "Best paying jobs in natural gas distribution"), essential workers put in more unpaid overtime than non-essential workers – at 8.9 hours per week on average, compared to 6.9 hours. Interestingly, this number rises exponentially in the younger age bracket, with 18-24-year-olds [working an average of 9.35 hours](https://www.financedigest.com/madrid-street-sweepers-death-prompts-curbs-on-heatwave-working-hours.html "Madrid street-sweeper’s death prompts curbs on heatwave working hours") unpaid. Perhaps the most shocking [figures are reported by those in the Media/Information industries](https://www.financedigest.com/poly-cotton-fabric-market-detailed-analysis-of-current-and-future-industry-figures-till-2020-2030.html "Poly Cotton Fabric Market Detailed Analysis of Current and Future Industry Figures till 2020-2030"), who reported an average of 13.5 hours per week unpaid. **WFH vs. on-site – or a mixture of both?** The effects of remote and hybrid working on productivity and unpaid overtime cannot be ignored, and as more and more businesses chart a path for returning to offices in some form. Those [working from home](https://www.financedigest.com/working-from-home-everyone-is-different.html "Working from home, everyone is different.") (WFH) estimate they are putting in more unpaid overtime than those based in the workplace or on-site, at 8.1 hours per week on average, compared to 7.1 hours. However, those taking a hybrid approach, combining home [working for part of the week and on-site working the rest of the time](https://www.financedigest.com/time-management-strategies-that-work.html "Time management strategies that work"), believe they are doing the most of all, at 9.21 hours. Interestingly, both employees working from home and those taking a [hybrid approach found maintaining productivity more challenging than those working on site or in the workplace](https://www.financedigest.com/finding-new-pathways-to-efficiency-in-a-hybrid-workplace.html "Finding New Pathways to efficiency in a Hybrid Workplace"). However, maintaining productivity was not necessarily a primary challenge for either demographic, with 13% of on site and hybrid workers [reporting productivity as their main challenge in light of COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/chinas-tencent-reports-first-revenue-drop-as-gaming-regulations-and-covid-19-bite.html "China’s Tencent reports first revenue drop as gaming regulations and COVID-19 bite"), compared to 7% of those working on site. The most common challenges for most workers were staying healthy, [balancing work](https://www.financedigest.com/homehunters-balance-life-and-work-at-carriage-court.html "Homehunters balance life and work at Carriage Court") and family needs, and stress management. The full report explores the effects of the pandemic that have [impacted employees’](https://www.financedigest.com/3-impactful-ways-that-leaders-can-contribute-to-the-independent-development-of-their-employees.html "3 Impactful Ways that Leaders Can Contribute to the Independent Development of Their Employees") attitudes towards the current world of work and what they expect and hope for from the future workplace. Jeff Phipps, [Managing Director](https://www.financedigest.com/anya-libova-joins-apester-as-uk-managing-director.html "Anya Libova joins Apester as UK Managing Director"), ADP UK, commented: _“Stagnating productivity is a huge challenge in the UK, yet employers are still fostering a culture of long hours and presenteeism, despite evidence that it doesn’t work._ _Due to the pandemic, unpaid overtime has risen to eight [hours this year](https://www.financedigest.com/most-uk-smes-spent-600-hours-over-the-last-year-preparing-for-new-gdpr-legislation.html "Most UK SMEs spent 600 hours over the last year preparing for new GDPR legislation") alone. That’s two hours more compared to 2019. We [know that employees](https://www.financedigest.com/5-key-things-you-need-to-know-before-hiring-your-first-employee.html "5 Key Things You Need to Know Before Hiring Your First Employee") perform well when they are engaged, healthy and motivated, with fair and transparent compensation for their efforts. Contrary to the high levels of unpaid overtime, which will only leave [employees at risk of burnout](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-manage-burnout-and-how-leaders-should-support-employee-wellbeing-tom-keya.html "How to manage burnout and how leaders should support employee wellbeing | Tom Keya"), with negative long-term impacts for both productivity and performance._ _It’s the role of leaders and managers to adapt to the ever-changing work landscape and set realistic objectives for [employees while ensuring they have the resources and support](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-support-your-employees-during-the-cost-of-living-crisis.html "5 ways to support your employees during the cost of living crisis ") to reach them within contracted hours,” continues Phipps. Action is needed to shift the focus from quantity of hours [worked to quality](https://www.financedigest.com/voice-quality-matters-quarter-of-employees-working-from-home-still-experiencing-regular-connectivity-issues.html "Voice Quality Matters: Quarter of Employees Working From Home Still Experiencing Regular Connectivity Issues") of output while giving staff sufficient downtime to recharge and spend time with their families. And if overtime is essential, [employers must](https://www.financedigest.com/why-employers-rocked-by-the-great-resignation-must-keep-working-mothers-on-board.html "Why employers rocked by the Great Resignation must keep working mothers on board ") ensure that the additional hours are both rewarded and recognised effectively.”_ --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---