Impact of work hours on Australia's health

An unhealthy obsession? The impact of work hours and workplace culture on Australia's health is a new report from the Australia Institute.  According to authors Denniss and Baker, Australians work some of the longest hours in the developed world.  For many of us, our work-related stress is due more to the mismatch between desired and actual hours at work, rather than the number of hours worked.  Australian workers would also be happier if there was more flexibility in their work arrangements, and this is true for workers across the earning spectrum. 

More than 3.2 million Australians report that their working conditions are a cause of stress and anxiety, 2.9 million have experienced a loss of sleep as a result of their working arrangements and 2.2 million Australians report that their work has an adverse impact on their personal relationships.