If you’re in a high paying/successful career, do you work over your hours?

[Bilingualistic]

I worked way over my hours before I had my DD, now I’m doing drop offs and pick ups (she’s 3) and I just don’t have the spare time to give. I’m in a well paid (for my area) job, earning 50k but I can see that eyes follow me when I leave the office on time (I work 8:30-4:30). I think it’s going to get worse when she starts school.

I worry that if I want to progress further I need to start giving more of my time (which I really don’t have alongside doing a postgrad in my spare time).

In my experience, senior leaders work well above their contracted hours as standard. Do I need to sacrifice time with DD to get there? What’s your experience?

Absolutely not. We are strongly advised not to exceed contracted hours.

Even my senior manager who earns over £100k registers his hours in our shared calendars. I think this practice is common in legal sector.

He also freely registers if he’s leaving early for School Open Evening, or Sports Day. We all do.

I am too cynical to work for free. The only time I did it was when I was a teacher, and sixty hour weeks were considered the norm. I left before it killed me.

Yes. There's more work than I can fit into the time allocated and no one to do it but me.

Yes. I had asked for condensed hours but was told no because of the expectation to do extra hours.

No, not now. I don't work for free. I did my time in the NHS. Now I work my hours even with DC grown. I might flex my hours if needed, I'm not recording every minute I do, but I don't work more than my contract.

I'm currently sitting in front of my computer at my home office working. So that's a yes

Yes, I think this is true of a lot of professions professional jobs. Above a certain grade contracts tend to say X hours a week or whatever is needed - it's not that your employer can ask you to work insane hours or constant overtime (although clearly people do), but they can, I think, expect you do to a certain amount over your standard week.

I work over mine without being in a high paying successful career!! Thank you social work 😂

I earn over £100k and only work my hours. I wouldn't work anywhere that expected me to do more. I have a contract to work a certain number of hours and that's what I do, end of story.

Ah I’m sorry @Jayinthetub I phrased it wrong perhaps - I just meant high flyers. I think those that do social work were sent from above!

Thanks everyone - I just know I’m at a pinch point between putting my feet up and staying comfortable for the next few years or pushing on, and I’m unsure if I did what the expectations would be. We only have one DD and I want to soak up every minute I can.

Yes, if the business requires it. We’re a global company with entities in multiple jurisdictions, so my 9-5 isn’t always everyone else’s 9-5. I don’t really count my hours, but ultimately it’s swings and roundabouts: I have a great deal of flexibility and many quieter periods where I can leave my desk for the afternoon if I want to.

Could have written this myself. Some days I’m on meeting calls till 9pm, other days I don’t start work till 11am and take a bit of time to people watch at a nice cafe somewhere when it’s quiet. Most days I’m answering emails before breakfast and around bedtime. I basically work when I need to to get the job done.

I often work additional hours but by my own choice. So I may log on in the evening if I want to take some time to focus on something without interruptions.

However, I do make it clear to others that I am only available 9-5, and would rarely accept meetings, reply to messages or emails outside of these hours so others might not be aware if I’m working additional hours. If my manager needs me for something (which is rare) then I make the time for her. We’re fortunate enough to have a coaching service for working parents so I’ve learnt to be more assertive and unapologetic about this.

I do however work in a fully remote team which means there’s already a level of trust that flexibility won’t compromise productivity.

I work over my hours from time to time now DC are grown up, but I wouldn't expect it from anyone with childcare responsibilities. I've been there and school pickup time is immoveable. To be honest I see guys working late in the office sometimes and think "wonder who's avoiding bedtime?"

There's a bit of give and take needed, don't worry about sideways looks from people who don't have after work responsibilities. Presenteeism belongs in the noughties.

I used to, and got sacked from my 75k job. Work my contracted hours now for 55k and take a lunch break most days

I earn 50k and my dh earns 70k…neither of us do overtime hours as an expectation and never for free 1.5 or 2x pay per hour for overtime depending on the time of day.

Same; I officially work 9.30-6 but usually start earlier and load my emails and do admin for 30 mins before dropping ds at school. I regularly work 50+ hours a week, and often do a couple of late evenings post ds bedtime to catch up on actual work, writing presentations, pitches etc

My day is usually spent in global meetings , team related stuff and dealing with whatever stuff has broken (work in data)

I work remotely for a global company as a senior manager; the late nights aren’t expected but I benefit as I have the autonomy to flex my days when needed for stuff like school assemblies, drs apts etc

@Zempy @Tamfs as a SW like@Jayinthetubam very interested to know what jobs you do that mean not having to work over your hours. Really need better work life balance but anything else means a pay cut from what I can tell

I am a legal advisor for a charity.

Mine is swings and roundabouts. Today I worked til 7 when contracted to finish at 5. But on Tuesday I want to take some time back in the afternoon to attend a class asssmbly and there is no problem repaying the flexibility. If the flex ever stopped working both ways then I would immediately stop working over.

I do work extra when it’s needed. I don’t clock-watch I get the job done.

Some days I’m super productive and some days I’m not. If I need to finish early or start late one day then that’s fine too.

I could hardly say to the board - sorry I can’t give you this important report because I only work 9-5 and I would have needed an extra 20 minutes to finish it.

If someone senior is working their contracted hours then they probably need to be more ruthlessly organised and efficient than me.

Yes but in return for flexibility when I need it. If the job was less flexible I wouldn’t

Yes, but I am getting paid a lot of money, so it comes with the territory.

Interested in what you are doing now? Teacher on her knees here!

I keep an eye on emails & Teams all day. From wake up til bed time. But actual work can be done anytime, and I can go for a walk , gym, school meeting anytime too.

Yes absolutely but it is well paid and flexible and I enjoy it.