Sometimes we all have to pitch in at work and do more than our regular duties, but new research shows just how often it’s happening to some employees. A new survey of 2-thousand employed adults across the country finds they say they’re doing three jobs at once in their current role, which is bad enough, but more than half of them haven’t gotten a raise or promotion for all that hard work.
According to the poll, over three-quarters (78%) of workers have been “voluntold” to do extra work they didn’t ask for or agree to in the last year, and they were expected to do it. And 12% have been “voluntold” to do additional work in just the last day.
- Every year, employees say nine new tasks are added to their plates, on average.
- The most common reason given for all the extra responsibilities? A basic lack of staffing is the top reason across all industries (37%).
- For 28%, the increase in work happened without a discussion with management, and 17% say the new responsibilities were framed as temporary, but became permanent.
- But 53% of those who got stuck with extra work they didn’t want never got a raise or promotion to go with it.
- Service (56%) and healthcare (55%) workers are the least likely to be recognized and rewarded for taking on new duties.
- Overall, 91% of those who’ve been “voluntold” to do more work in recent years say the new tasks are beyond their original job description and 55% don’t feel qualified to do them.
- That extra work is taking a toll on workers' productivity, with 74% admitting the additional assignments keep them from doing their job to the best of their abilities.
- All of this has 41% of workers suffering from burnout at work, 54% feeling dissatisfied with their job, 46% reporting worsened mental health, and a third wondering how well they can even do their job.
- Over the last three years, 40% admit they’ve considered leaving their job because of the extras added to their workload without proper support.
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