New research has revealed that shop owners work an average of 74 hours per week, the highest of any profession. The study* analysed over 330 jobs to highlight those with the most demanding work-to-reward ratio. Shop owners ranked first, working an average of 74 hours a week for an hourly pay of just £12.
“It’s always been a hardworking profession, but you do it for the love of the product and the customers”, says Nanette Chaplais, owner of Maison Chaplais, Deli and Bistro in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
“We’ve been in business for over 40 years, and there have always been stresses, but these escalated with Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. It’s not just ingredients and products that have gone up in price, but our rent, energy bills, national insurance contributions and employees’ wages. Most of our outgoings have more than doubled, but our prices haven’t.”
“Staff is the highest rising cost. I’ve lost staff and I’ve not been replacing them to save on costs. It’s meant that I’m taking on the workload where possible.”
“You have to manage yourself in case you break. I’m in survival mode most of the time, both mentally and physically, and my work doesn’t finish when I leave site. I’m thinking about the rota, wages, marketing, admin, and other business needs all the time. It’s hard to switch the hyperfocus off.”
Coming in at number two on the list, garage managers were found to work an average of 68 hours per week, with an average hourly pay of £11. These roles that demand exceptionally long hours for a modest hourly wage have raised significant concerns about workplace wellbeing, stress, and long-term health.
Third on the ranking are construction workers, who work an average of 64 hours per week for an average hourly pay of just £8. This group includes foundational roles that are vital to the construction industry, often undertaking intense physical work in unfit working conditions, extreme heat, and for long hours.
Others making the top 10 list included hotel managers, who work long hours due to the demanding nature of the hospitality industry that operates 24/7.
The top 10 list includes:
- Shop owners
- Garage managers
- Elementary construction workers
- Hotel and accommodation managers
- Quarry workers
- Farm workers
- Crane drivers
- Health care practice managers
- Forestry workers
- Managers in forestry, fishing and related services
Managing Director of RRC International, Richard Stockley, comments: “Our analysis has revealed an alarming trend that those working the most hours for the least pay are in roles that are physically demanding and have a potential risk to human life.”
Most of the professions highlighted in the study, such as construction contractors, quarry workers, crane drivers, and forestry workers, are all directly tied to industries with naturally high health and safety risks. This includes dangers like operating heavy machinery, working at height, exposure to dust and chemicals, and handling dangerous equipment or materials – all of which are made even more serious threat when tired or exhausted.
Richard continues: “But it’s not just jobs that have obvious physical hazards that put people at risk. We know how long hours, and demanding work can lead to physical and mental fatigue. That’s when health and safety mistakes all too easily creep in. That’s why we encourage all those working long hours to take regular breaks where possible and seek out further training to make sure they are best equipped to spot the danger signs and handle risks in the workplace.”
collated by RRC International
