Aren most long-hours workers happy with their situation? Do they really want to work less?
• Several different surveys show that the majority of long-hours workers have a preference for working less hours: • The ABS Working Arrangements Survey (2003) reported that 59% of full-time employees working 50+ hours would prefer fewer hours. • The Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (2003) indicates that 68% of employees believe that too many people are working long hours in Australia today (Appendix Exhibit 90) • The same survey shows that 50% of employees believe that long working hours are an individual’s choice (Appendix Exhibit 91). However, 45% of employees whose employer expects long hours do not have a choice about working those long hours (Slide 93). • The HILDA survey (2001) shows that 52% of the workforce (not just employees) working 45+ hours would prefer to work fewer hours (Appendix Exhibit 100) and 59% of those working 50+ hours would prefer fewer (Appendix Exhibit 99).
