Elon Musk Asks Staff to Work “Long Hours at High Intensity”

Elon Musk has recently come under fire for requiring workers to work “long hours at high intensity”. Although it is reasonable to ask staff to devote their full effort and attention to their duties at work, it is also essential that you comply with legislation relating to working hours and rest breaks in the UK. How much can you legally ask your employees to do?

According to the Working Time Regulations (1998), workers who are over the age of 18 cannot work for more than an average of 48 hours a week. If you expect your workers to work more than this then they would have to sign a Working Time Opt-Out form to give their consent to work longer hours. Work-related travel, training and mandatory overtime are all included in this 48-hour average.

Workers must also receive one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break when their working day is longer than 6 hours. There is also a requirement for 11 hours of rest between working days, and an uninterrupted period of 24 of hours rest each week, or 48 hours of rest each fortnight.

In conclusion, whilst it is normal to expect commitment from your staff, you need to be mindful and compliant regarding the hours that you are expecting them to work.