Work life balance has been a hot topic for some time now, but there is little sense that there is really any resolution in sight.  There remains a feeling that putting in long shifts is seen as the way to get ahead, and indeed, a recent study highlighted how many people are faking long hours to impress peers.

There are no shortage of studies highlighting the perils of burn-out, lack of sleep and the various other symptoms of doing too much work, yet it seems one of those facets of working life that will be difficult to shift.

Accountancy firm PwC are taking an interesting approach to the matter by ‘crowdsourcing’ overtime.  I say crowdsourcing, but in essence they’re asking members of their 120 strong team of R&D tax specialists to volunteer to process claims outside of normal office hours in return for a cash bonus.

“Some people don’t want to do it; others think it’s great,” PwC say.

Now, of course, PwC say that the scheme is purely voluntary, but I wonder whether in reality this is regarded by staff as something they have to partake in or be branded as work shy or lacking in dedication?

There are undoubted advantages to this from the PwC perspective in the sense that they can meet fluctuating demand with a more variable workforce, and indeed the initial results are positive.

In the April peak for filing R&D rebate claims, PwC was turning around claims in two hours. “That’s a phenomenal rate compared to where we were a few years ago,” PwC say.

Whilst I can certainly support the potential for flexibility in workforce management, it would appear important that the culture underpinning such changes is such that people won’t be ‘punished’ for not putting in the extra time.  That discretionary really does mean discretionary.

After all, many workplaces are such that employees would think twice before revealing possible mental illnesses to their boss for fear of how it would effect their careers.

Hopefully PwC have a more enlightened culture that doesn’t predicate the need to flog oneself more and more for the good of the team.  As with most things, time will tell.