According to the 2009/2010 Towers Watson Health and Productivity Advantage Report, 21% of companies are taking actions to reduce stress due to excessive workload and long hours.

You’ve all seen it – friends, family members and colleagues working 18 hour days. Many Americans report being overworked. With long hours comes stress, which leads to absenteeism and long-term health issues. It’s important for companies to recognize when they’re overworking employees and reduce the stress, but few do. In fact, only 21% of companies take actions to reduce stress caused by excessive work.

The New York Times reports that “a British study tracking 6,000 workers for 11 years found that those who regularly worked more than 10 hours a day had a 60 percent higher risk for heart disease than those who put in 7 hours.”

It’s important for companies to recognize when they’re overworking employees before it leads to stress, health issues, and lack of passion for their work.