In today’s competitive job landscape, the concept of "hustle and grind" culture has taken a firm hold among workforces.
This mindset is often rooted in the belief that success is directly proportional to the amount of hard work one puts in. On top of choosing overtime over self-care, hustle culture often leads to a cycle of relentlessly pursuing professional achievements at the cost of personal wellbeing.
To make matters worse, social media is awash with content encouraging this level of productivity and glorifying the non-stop work mentality. And with 60% of Americans currently living paycheck to paycheck and experiencing financial stress, it's not hard to see why people are turning to the hustle culture mindset, with 44% of Americans viewing their side hustle as necessary for providing essential income.
Let's take a deep dive into the mentality behind this “grindset” so we can better identify when hard work becomes toxic productivity.
Hustle Culture: The Key to Success or a Ticket to Burnout?
Some might argue that a workplace culture built on hustling leads to increased productivity and professional development, but research says otherwise.
The Journal of Occupational Health found that the risk of work-related burnout doubles when employees move from a 40- to a 60-hour work week. Meanwhile, over 80% of employees are already at risk of burnout, with Gen Z employees feeling the most stress.
How Hustle Culture Leads to Toxic Productivity
With its relentless emphasis on constant productivity, hustle culture casts a long shadow on employee wellbeing. It also perpetuates a myth that an “always on” grindset will help a person climb the corporate ladder.
Instead, hustling not only elevates stress and anxiety, but also paves the way for a host of mental, emotional, and physical health issues. Toxic productivity takes root when workers are expected to sacrifice their personal lives to work toward unrealistic expectations and professional goals. This can also lead to performative workaholism, where the appearance of hard work is more valuable than the actual output or quality itself.
When hustle culture reaches this toxic level, it no longer just impacts the individual, but the wider work culture as a whole. So, how can employers tell if this hustle mentality has snuck its way into their work environment?
How To Tell When Hard Work Becomes a Hustle Mentality
- People Work Excessively Long Hours: One of the hallmarks of grind culture is the normalization of extended work hours. In these contexts, there can almost be a competition to see who can or has worked the longest hours, often leading to dire consequences. For instance, the World Health Organization reported 745,000 deaths in a single year from stroke and heart disease as a result of overworking. But even in less severe cases, the CDC has linked these nonstandard schedules to increased work-related fatigue, leading to burnout.
- Constant Availability is an Expectation: Beyond working hours, a toxic hustle culture encroaches on workers’ personal time by demanding their availability at all hours. Praising immediate responsiveness regardless of the hour fosters an environment where employees feel pressured to be accessible whenever and wherever, contributing to chronic stress and anxiety and diminishing work-life balance.
- There’s A Stigma Around Taking Breaks: In addition to having a personal life, taking breaks is also seen as taboo in work cultures where everyone is hustling. Despite evidence suggesting regular breaks can enhance productivity and creativity while pulling employees out of the spiral of burnout, many workers feel discouraged from stepping away from their desks during work hours. This is partly due to the misconception that breaks are a sign of laziness or lack of drive, when they’re actually an essential part of preventing employee burnout.
How Employers Can Break Free of Burnout Culture
Looking for ways to keep toxic grindsets at bay? Here are 5 ways to avoid creating a toxic workplace culture:
- Model Healthy Working Behaviors: Leadership plays a crucial role in setting the tone for any work environment. When leaders embody healthy working behaviors—like respecting their own and other’s work-life balance, taking regular breaks, and openly discussing mental health—it sends a powerful message. This approach fosters a positive work environment that encourages everyone to follow suit, leading by example to create a more balanced and healthy workplace.
- Establish Reasonable Working Hours: Setting reasonable working hours is essential in combating hustle culture. Prolonged work hours can lead to decreased productivity, heightened stress levels, and an increased risk of physical and mental health issues. Companies can establish clear policies that define work hours and discourage overtime unless absolutely necessary. For instance, a standard 40-hour work week (or less) should be the target to ensure employees have enough time for rest, recreation, relaxation, and personal responsibilities.
- Encourage Breaks and Time Off: Regular breaks throughout the workday and time off from work are crucial for employee wellbeing and productivity. Not only can short breaks improve mental acuity and employee engagement, but extended vacations can reduce stress and prevent burnout. Employers should create and promote a culture where taking breaks is encouraged and taking time off is seen as a necessity rather than a luxury.
- Prioritize Efficiency Over Hours Worked: While taking down the toxic hustle mentality will require careful boundaries in time, employers themselves will also need to change their mindset around how they track performance. Emphasizing output over hours spent encourages a more productive work ethic that sets the stage for work-life integration and demonstrates the value of smart work over hard work. This not only boosts morale, but it also fosters a more flexible, results-oriented culture.
- Create a Supportive, Understanding Environment: A supportive and understanding work environment is key to mitigating the pressures of hustling to get by. Employers must recognize the signs of stress and burnout and offer support through open communication, access to mental health resources, and a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing. By cultivating an atmosphere where employees feel valued and heard, companies can enhance engagement, loyalty, and overall job satisfaction.
From Hustle Culture to Holistic Wellness
Making the transition from hustle culture to holistic wellness can seem like a giant leap, but the grass is so much greener on the other side. Discover how WellRight’s comprehensive wellness program can help your organization make the move toward work-life balance. Request a demo today!