The Super-Sized Worker

Most businesses today are operating with a reduced workforce.  And, while there are signs of life in the jobs market, today’s workers are doing far more than their job descriptions.  Businesses of all sizes have doled out added responsibilities to all workers – frequently asking them to perform tasks outside of their core competencies.

The motivation behind this trend, according to some workplace experts, is management’s need to make the workplace more cost efficient.  Simply put, more output from less people keeps costs down and productivity up.  The experts also believe as business demands change, more flexibility from employees will become a permanent business practice.   A Spherion Staffing survey showed 53 percent of workers reported taking on new roles at work, most without extra pay.

While taking on new responsibilities can round out and bolster one’s skill set and resume, it can also boost stress levels.

While super-sized jobs are here for the foreseeable future as businesses look to increase productivity, they need to take a holistic view of their business and identify other ways to manage costs.  Super-sized office space that is not adaptable means companies are not optimizing their workplace.  Management needs to understand that the expectation of flexibility also needs to apply to the infrastructure that helps them run their business.  It’s well worth examining all cost-cutting measures before you burn out your staff.