Workers pressured by bosses to take on extra work

-

Many British employees are finding themselves performing tasks for their bosses that fall outside of their job description, according to budgeting account provider thinkmoney.

Their research showed that 70 percent of workers are regularly taking on extra tasks at work, with 32 percent of people saying they undertake tasks that are their boss’s responsibility and 20 percent reporting that they lie in order to cover up for their boss.

Ian Williams of thinkmoney said:

“In these uncertain times, it’s understandable that workers often feel under pressure to do more to keep their boss happy. It’s all well and good to do an extra job or two to help your employer but, when those extra jobs start to become expected and workers feel that they have no choice, it can cause stress and potentially lead to bigger problems down the line.”

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

When asked why they take on extra duties at work more than half (55%) of employees said that they were happy to do it. However, 39 percent of respondents said that they felt they had no choice.

Younger workers between the ages of 25 and 34 are more likely to add extra tasks to their to do lists in order to impress their boss (11%) and over half of that age group reported feeling pressured to take on more work.

Things workers do to help out the boss                          

Buy their lunch                                    36%

Give them a lift                                    36%

Go to the Post Office                          34%

Do their work for them                        32%

Do shopping for them                          30%

Buy their coffee                                   28%

Make travel or dinner reservations     20%

Lie for them                                          20%

Walk their dog                                     13%

Pick-up their dry cleaning                   13%

Steff joined the HRreview editorial team in November 2014. A former event coordinator and manager, Steff has spent several years working in online journalism. She is a graduate of Middlessex University with a BA in Television Production and will complete a Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Westminster in the summer of 2015.

Latest news

Personalising the Benefits Experience: Why Employees Need More Than Just Information

This article explores how organisations can move beyond passive, one-size-fits-all communication to deliver relevant, timely, and simplified benefits experiences that reflect employee needs and life stages.

Grant Wyatt: When the love dies – when staying is riskier than quitting

When people fall out of love with their employer, or feel their employer has fallen out of love with them, what follows is rarely a clean exit.

£30bn pension savings window opens for employers ahead of 2029 reforms

UK employers could unlock billions in National Insurance savings by expanding pension salary sacrifice schemes before new limits take effect in 2029.

Expat jobs ‘fail early as costs hit $79,000 per worker’

International assignments are ending early due to family strain, isolation and poor preparation, as rising costs increase pressure on employers.
- Advertisement -

The Great Employer Divide: What the evidence shows about employers that back parents and carers — and those that don’t

Understand the growing divide between organisations that effectively support working parents and carers — and those that don’t. This session shows how to turn employee experience data into a clear business case, linking care-related pressures to performance, retention and workforce stability.

Scott Mills exit puts spotlight on risk of ‘news vacuum’ in high-profile dismissals

Sudden departure of a long-serving BBC presenter raises questions about how employers manage high-profile dismissals and limit speculation.

Must read

Erika Bannerman: Staff satisfaction isn’t enough to maintain a stable workforce

After years of stagnation, businesses are now focusing on...

Jock Chalmers: Negative has an impact

It’s that time of year, between late winter and...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you