One-third of staffers work overtime for seven hours or above

Over 30 percent of staff work overtime for more than seven hours each week, according to a survey.

The survey was conducted by Tung Wah College and the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. It studied Hongkongers’ mental health in the workplace, and interviewed over 200 workers from two corporations in the first round of interview.

Results showed that one-third of respondents have 48.4 working hours per week on average, while their contracts stated they have to work 41 hours per week on average.

The data marked an increase over 20 percent, meaning staffers have to work overtime for more than seven hours per week.

The survey also found about 60 percent of respondents developed symptoms of overwork after assessments, like getting tired easily and losing interest in their lives.

The survey saw 27 percent of respondents being extremely anxious and depressed, and 24 percent of them suffered from medium to high pressure in the workplace.

Lawrence Lam Tak-ming, vice president of the college, said they are still recruiting corporations to participate in the study and the recruitment process is expected to end in July.

Lam estimated a complete report on the mental health of the city’s labour force to be published near the end of this year or early months of next year. He stressed that these are only primary data.
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