AIBU to not regularly work evenings and weekends?

[theressomethingaboutmarie]

Is my workplace unusual in that all staff are fully expected to regularly work in the evening and be available at the weekend? We're a software company (so it's not like we're saving lives). I work 7:30am - 4:30pm and am based in our UK office. We have an NY office so our colleagues work from the early afternoon UK time to late evening UK but seem to expect that the UK staff do too. I value my work and am committed but definitely not to the extent of sacrificing my personal life. I was off over Christmas and was even getting bugged then. Is this normal and am I being unreasonable?

What does your contract say?

Yep - I work in IT and have to be available 24*7 (generally includes holidays as well). Get phone calls overnight or at the weekend several times a month - only once over Christmas though

Totally normal from what I understand (brother is a software programmer)

Presumably you knew the hours when you took the job?

I work shit shifts inc nights and weekends, not nice but I knew before I applied what the hours were.

Yep, you must have had set hours when you started the job.....if those hours are included in your contract/you knew what they would be when you started the job then yes, YABU not to want to work them now!

My contract says 7:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday. We are not contractually obliged to work longer hours but my point is that my company has this expectation and when we have our annual reviews, our rating for 'commitment' is, to all intents and purposes, based on how many hours you work outside of your contracted hours.

Well if those are your contracted hours then they cannot force you to work the other hours. However, in my business, those who dont partake in the overtime etc get overlooked........so, it depends really on whether you just want to earn your wages and then go home or whether you want to go further in that particular company and forge a long term career there.