Many evangelicals are working long hours and struggling to balance their work and personal lives, according to the latest research by the Evangelical Alliance.
The 'Working Faithfully?' report reveals that over a third (37 per cent) of them work more than 40 hours per week – rising to over 50 per cent among men. A diligent seven per cent are working more than 60 hours.
Only 59 per cent said they were achieving a good balance between work and personal life - a lower rate than among civil servants (67 per cent) - while over a third (35 per cent) said they regularly bring work home with them.
The percentage who said their workload was acceptable was also lower than among civil servants (53 per cent compared to 61 per cent).
However, they are more likely to feel valued for the work they do (84 per cent compared to 59 per cent of civil servants). They also enjoy their work, with 93 per cent saying they are interested in it and only 11 per cent saying they often get bored and fed up at work.
The report suggests evangelicals are very committed to their jobs, with 47 per cent having been in their job for more than 10 years and 27 per cent of these for more than 20 years. Some 62 per cent have never been made redundant or lost their job.
When it comes to choosing a job, evangelicals put values and calling before money. Only 22 per cent said a good rate of pay was very important to them when looking for a job, while over two-thirds (69 per cent) feel a strong sense of calling to the work they do. Over half (59 per cent) said an opportunity to serve and help others in their work was very important to them.
When it comes to work for others, 82 per cent of evangelicals want the government to do more to ensure there are enough decent jobs for those who want to work, while three-quarters expressed support for a change in the law to ensure people are paid a living wage. Forty per cent of evangelicals say their church offers practical support to unemployed people in the community.
