ITHACA N.Y. Employers who cut back on workers’ hours during the current economic downtown run the risk of increasing employee dissatisfaction and turnover, according to a Cornell University report.
The study, called “Forty Hours Doesn’t Work for Everyone: Examining Employee Preferences for Work Hours,” found that “hours mismatch,” or assigning employees more or less than their desired hours, can raise stress and lead to less satisfaction.
Researchers Lindsey Zahn, a senior at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, and Michael Sturman, an associate professor at the school, studied the responses to questions about the work hours of more than 1,000 workers across multiple industries.
While those who worked more hours than they wanted often felt stressed, those who worked fewer hours were concerned about not making enough money and were more likely to consider leaving their jobs, Sturman said.
As economic conditions force employers to try to reduce labor costs, managers should still strive to accommodate employees’ preferences, but when they cannot, they should be prepared for the negative consequences, the study concluded.