At what salary would you consider unpaid overtime acceptable?

[glowingstars]

I’ve recently noticed my colleagues (in office-based, annual salary type roles) are now being much stricter about leaving on time i.e. only working their contracted hours. And if they do end up working late in order to meet a particular deadline, they’re much more likely to ask for time off in lieu at a later point, and managers are agreeing to this.

Obviously this is no bad thing! But it’s a noticeable shift from 2-3 years ago when unpaid overtime was seen as an expected part of the role.

All of these people earn above average salaries, I would guess between 35k and 75k.

It got me thinking, is there a salary point at which you’d consider a) some or b) a lot of unpaid overtime is acceptable? So for example some unpaid overtime should be expected at 50k and a lot at 100k?

Obviously I know this won’t bear much resemblance to how it actually works in the real world (for example I know that teachers do a lot of unpaid overtime and don’t earn high salaries) but I just thought it would be interesting to hear thoughts!

It depends on the type of job, the culture, the available progression etc.

you’re writing it like a job is just a job, but for many it’s a career and a path. So working set hours is not Really a thing.

Above a certain grade at my work (education) and above, there's no time off in lieu and an expectation that you work the 'hours required'. There's more annual leave than the lower grades though. I think lowest salary in this grade is about £32k.

I'd have to be the company owner to do unpaid overtime.

Any salary - I expect to be paid commensurately to the hours that I've worked (and I am).

It suits some companies to foster a regressive culture where overtime is the norm.

Yea depends if it’s a career or a job. Mine is a career and I’ve always done the hours needed and progressed fast. I probably wouldn’t have done for something that was just a job with no good progression prospects.

There isn't a salary level that would trigger my sense of accepting overtime to be unpaid, but a seniority and responsibility level.

I am a senior manager and an example that immediately,springs to mind is when I am occasionally responsible for locking up etc. It is my responsibility to ensure all jobs are done, windows shut etc and all other staff out of the building before I lock up and set the alarm. This can be 30 mins or more outside of my contracted hours.

I sometimes have to do work in eves and weekends, which I don't expect TOIL for.

At what salary would you consider unpaid overtime acceptable?

Any salary. I work in civil service and as far as I’m aware all staff, regardless of their seniority, need to fill out a flexi sheet declaring the hours you have worked. If you work less hours, you’re in a deficit and essentially owe the company hours. If you work more than your contracted hours, you can bank that time to take off another day.

I left the workforce 15 years ago, but I used to work on average an extra hour a day and wasn't paid overtime. However the employer was great, I had fab job progression, and when needed they could be very flexible. So I felt it was win-win. (Electronics industry).

But there are some careers where you earn relatively low salaries, even at more senior grades. Does that not make a difference?

Not about salary and about ambition for me. Want to move up? You put your all in.

For many people, that's going to end up a one sided deal. I definitely wouldn't go for that unless my manager was telling me that the effort would yield results. A maybe, or let's see, wouldn't cut it.

I’m a middle earner and expectation is we would offer 10% of hours if the job needs it, which on occasion I do if needed but I try and make sure to get all my work done so I don’t have to do it! Doing it gives me flexibility for when I need to leave early, DC appts, so I don’t have to take annual leave and I don’t feel bad for requesting time off. All my bosses have been great, they are prepared to give back if they see you putting in.

I actually used to be a civil servant and at my department flexi time was only available up to a certain grade (grade 7, I think?) Certainly there seemed to be an expectation that SCS would just work all the hours required. Appreciate that may have changed/vary between departments though!

I did at least 90 mins unpaid overtime every day for 2.5 years in my last job. Salary was £23k net, and it was assumed you stayed as late as you could (the job was never ending, nobody was ever 'done' for the day).

I left a year ago and will never, ever be that sort of mug again.

I used to do a lot of unpaid overtime on 27k. On 43k I'm stricter about taking my time back.

I’m in a senior National role. Contracted for 35 hours a week but probably do 45 on an average weeks. Policy doesn’t allow claim back during the week but I can claim hours for weekends, and if I travel out of hours during the week.

I’ve usually got about 30 hours banked in addition to my leave.

Surely that depends how much/how quickly you want to reach the top of your path, whatever that is? I probably wouldn’t have bothered in a job that paid £30k at the top limit but then I would count that as a job rather than a career as there’s then little progression.

It’s difficult to say because my job doesn’t have any contracted hours.

My work is interesting and what I'm asked to do is largely achievable and appreciated.

My employer lets me know I'm doing a good job and is flexible within reason when I ask them to be.

I do fairly regular unpaid overtime when I need to finish something because of all the above. I'm reasonably paid (not higher rate taxpayer) but that's not why I do it.

10mins…maybe but in my job if you stay you get the overtime and the same for my dh. Neither of us are management but earn 54k and 60k

Solicitor. Every contract I’ve had has a clause saying you are expected to work such hours over and above as required to fulfil your role. No paid overtime. I had to do this even as a trainee on £17k.

I am well paid for my role. I have done 'overtime' as required since my PA / EA days but there was always flex. So quieter times finish early, take a day in lieu, start late. Sometimes pull an all nighter. I do overtime now, had a couple of recent midnight finishes recently but it's the nature of the job and working across different time zones.

If I was paid by the hour not a chance.

I earn 46k I don’t regularly work over my hours but happy to on occasion, it balances out either the occasional day where I know I’m not working at my best or I get embroiled in a personal discussion for longer than intended.

I have often done a bit over the years as and when business needed it, never been expected to and it wouldn't have gone against me if I didn't. But putting extra effort in helped me progress to a much higher salary and allows me to expect flexibility back for when I may need it (childcare issue etc). If I logged out on the dot every day, I wouldn't be so keen to say I am nipping out to parents evening or whatever

There’s no salary (or indeed seniority) level that would make me consider working unpaid overtime and I’d actively avoid working for any company where this was the culture/expectation.