ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 22/03/2021
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 23/03/2021
Question: Many people are working longer and longer hours. What are the reasons and effects?
(IELTS Academic – 20/03/2021)
ANSWER:
Working longer hours is a growing tendency in society nowadays. The primary cause of this change is excessive workloads and the effects on one’s health and quality of life are decidedly detrimental.
The need to work additional hours often stems from increasing demand in the workplace. To keep up with competition in an increasingly globalised marketplace, employees are expected to assume a high volume of work, often with inadequate staff levels and support. This has resulted in employees having to work extra hours to compensate, which is exemplified clearly in IT-related sectors. A program developer in Vietnam generally spends an average of 10 hours at work per day integrating complicated software systems, which would not be necessary if he was accompanied by a colleague.
Extra office hours can adversely affect workers’ health, as well as their personal lives. First of all, working overtime can lead to a lack of sufficient rest, decrease in energy and eventually health conditions in extreme cases. This is illustrated in research conducted in Japanese white-collars workers, who have to sit in their offices for up to 14 hours, resulting in spinal injuries, arthritis and increased risk of strokes. In addition, as more time is spent at work, workers necessarily have less time for their loved ones, which can weaken bonds between family members and friends. As a result, this can generate a feeling of general dissatisfaction in individuals, potentially becoming a catalyst for stress and depression in the long run.
In conclusion, extended working hours are associated with increasing demands in the workplace, preventing employees from leading a healthy and balanced life. Therefore, I believe governments should enact laws that impose weekly overtime standards for corporations.
WORD LIST:
ENGLISH |
TIẾNG VIỆT |
| Become a catalyst for stress and depression | Trở thành chất xúc tác cho căng thẳng và trầm cảm |
| Excessive workloads | Khối lượng công việc quá lớn |
| Stem from increasing demand in the workplace | Xuất phát từ nhu cầu ngày càng tăng tại nơi làm việc |
| Assume a high volume of work | Đảm nhận khối lượng công việc lớn |
| Integrate complicated software system | Tích hợp hệ thống phần mềm phức tạp |
| An increasingly globalised marketplace | Thị trường ngày càng toàn cầu hóa |
| Lack of sufficient rest | Thiếu sự nghỉ ngơi đầy đủ |
| Spinal injuries | Chấn thương cột sống |
| Arthritis | Viêm khớp |
| Increased risk of strokes | Tăng nguy cơ đột quỵ |
| Weaken bonds between family members | Làm suy yếu mối quan hệ giữa các thành viên trong gia đình |
| A feeling of general dissatisfaction in individuals | Cảm giác không hài lòng chung ở các cá nhân |
| Lead a healthy and balanced life | Sống một cuộc sống lành mạnh và cân bằng |
| Weekly overtime standards for corporations | Tiêu chuẩn làm thêm giờ hàng tuần cho các công ty |
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