Are you working too many hours?

Social care staff are putting in too many hours for too few returns, according to a survey published today.

The Chartered Institute of Management study finds that 87 per cent of managers in the social care sector regularly work over their contracted hours.

The average manager works 1 hour 18 minutes over contract each day – equivalent to roughly 40 days per year, the institute says.

Not surprisingly, only 1 in 5 work excess hours by choice.  Most in social care do so to meet deadlines or because of the volume of work they face.

And 38 per cent in the social care sector believe that the UK’s long hours culture affects their productivity and the same proportion also argue that working excessively hits morale.

The survey was directed at managers but it seems unlikely that the same issues do not affect frontline social workers with their heavy caseloads.

Community Care wants to know whether you are working too many hours and what impact it is having on your job and personal life. Fill in the poll below and email your thoughts to simeon.brody@rbi.co.uk