Step away from the desk
Houston clocks in as No. 2 most overworked city in the nation
A new study on work-life balance proves Houstonians work harder than almost anyone else in the country.
Mobile technology company Kisi set out to determine which major U.S. cities offer the best work-life balance, and which ones could use an adjustment, by examining work intensity, society and institutions, and livability. Overall, the Bayou City ranks fourth-worst for work-life balance (No. 37 out of 40), but even more sobering is how overworked our residents are.
According to the study, Houston is the second-most overworked city in the nation, behind only Washington, D.C. Fifteen percent of Houston workers work at least 48 hours a week, the highest figure in the study, and, on average, the Houston workforce stays on the clock 43.7 hours a week. While local workers arrive at work later than most Americans (9:56 am), they are on the road much earlier, commuting about 30 minutes just one way, the study says.
The Bayou City also falls to the bottom of the list — No. 39 — for institutional and societal support. Houston ranks low across the board, from healthcare and access to mental health to LGBT and gender equality.
Houston redeems itself — somewhat — at No. 20 for livability, which takes into account overall happiness, safety, and access to wellness and leisure. This allowed Kisi to determine "whether their residents can enjoy their environment after office hours," the study says.
Houston is by far the most overworked market in Texas, but the Lone Star State could stand to improve its work-life balance. Dallas and San Antonio also rank in the bottom 10, Nos. 32 and 31, respectively, and while Austin comes in at No. 18 overall, 15 percent of its workers are on the clock 48 hours or more a week, too.
Those who want to "work smarter rather than harder," says Kisi, should consider San Diego, California, which boasts the best work-life balance in the nation. Globally, that honor goes to Helsinki, Finland, which scores a perfect 100 in the report.
