The Hidden Costs of Overwork
Swapna Gopinathan
Fractional CHRO | People & Culture Solutions | Certified POSH Trainer | External IC Member | Learning & Development Facilitator
The culture of overwork has long been glorified in high-stakes industries. Hustle, long hours, and constant availability are often seen as necessary sacrifices for success. If spirituality and inner strength would have been the answer then we would not have Leo Lukenas- a veteran soldiers in his 30’s paying the price
Work-Life Balance Isn’t a Luxury, It’s a Necessity Companies that foster a culture of constant work, no matter the cost, often experience high turnover rates, lower morale, and diminished creativity.
?Overwork Isn’t a Badge of Honor, It’s a Crisis We keep seeing professionals regularly working 80+ hour weeks, often sacrificing their health, family, and mental well-being. Leo Lukenas worked nearly 100 hours a week before his death, and insiders still remain sceptical about whether real cultural change is happening. Anna’s tragedy has shown how young professionals are pushed to their limits, working late into the night—even on weekends—until the pressure becomes unbearable.
A Call for Change—Starting with Leadership It’s time to move beyond superficial fixes like capping hours or tracking workloads. Real change starts with leadership—acknowledging that a healthier work environment is not a luxury, but a necessity. The real question is: Will leaders step up to create sustainable workplaces, or will these tragedies become the norm?
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Let’s stop glorifying overwork and start valuing the well-being of the people behind the roles. It’s not just about getting ahead; it’s about staying well enough to lead.
#Overwork #Burnout #Leadership #MentalHealth #Banking #SustainableWork #CorporateCulture
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Founder | Fractional CMO | Transformational Strategic Marketing Leader | Commercial Excellence expert| Data driven professional | Impactful People Manager
6 个月Fully agree, there needs to be end to glorifying over working .Companies and leaders need to foster a culture of flexibilities of time ,work life balance which are directly proportional to productivity and employee satisfaction index. Also at same time even employees need to come out of practice of extending their working days just to grab attention and some brownies. I have always believed if you can't manage your working day of 8 hrs it reflects bad time management and not reflecting hard work !