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?

I don’t disagree re 0.8 being worst of both worlds for the employee! I think it’s great for my company and great for the kids, it’s just me it screws 😂

I did look at compressed hours but it would mean to get to my full 35 hours in (factoring a commute twice a week) I’d have two days of not seeing the kids at all which I’m not wild about.

Anyhow, not sure company would agree to it as they are presumably fully aware they’re getting full time hours from me 20% cheaper 🙈😩

I work to the needs of my job so one day I may work less hours but another I’ll work according to what’s needed. I think flexibility is absolutely key to anyone’s life work balance. I know I work extremely hard I give my job 100% and above but then I also manage a high performing team so I think leading by example is needed. I’m very relaxed with anyone’s needs to pick kids up, attend appointments or look after pets, care for the elderly or just log off early every now and then because they feel jaded or are going on a night out and want to get ready in the comforts or home. It’s all about balance. If you treat staff how you wish to be treated they will be far more accommodating when you really need them to be.

Sorry yes it’s harder when having to consider a commute.

I work in tech - it’s flexible provided we get the job done. To offset school runs I usually start an hour earlier and finish an hour later. Occasionally I might work longer if there’s a school event too.

London City here - both me and my husband. We work over our hours, depends of the business needs. He works more hours than me, and always on emails even on the weekend or holidays… it comes with the job and senior position 🤷🏼‍♀️ The business is global and it never stop.. different time zones, different public holidays etc come into play.

Generally yes, a lot more if there’s a crisis but day to day not too bad, but i’ll always log on at home after if needed. But i’ve had years of having to leave on time before work phones / laptops and does stifle your career

I start answering the overnight emails and chats at 6am. I get to work at 8am. I work until 6 most days, and answer emails until I go to bed at 10. I work weekends when required, including flying time. Not got any weekend work this week, yay! My contracted hours are 9-5. I am very successful and very unhappy.

Senior civil servant, I generally work 8.30am-7.00pm or so.

Of course we do. We don’t just clock off after the prescribed hours. It’s a well paid salaried job not a per hour job. I don’t know anyone in a senior position that only works 37.5 hours a week. And it’s part of being paid well unfortunately.

My FT salary equivalent would be circa £100k (I only work 3 days per week), and I’ve never worked over my 22.5 contracted hours per week, nor is it ever expected that I will. Very much depends on the company culture IME.

My boss used to take calls from the swimming pool!

Easier said than done but perhaps you can identify one day when you can be a bit more flexible (WFH or start later or finish earlier). You dont have to be flexible every day!
and your DH can do the same.
we have 3 kids, and two demanding FT jobs (including one in the city). We make it work by identifying whats important for the kids and by sharing the load (i can be flexible most tuesday mornings, he can be flexible any afternoons once or twice every half term roughly). And when we are flexible, we try to be fully there, make it count, double it as something nice: a GP appointment? Lets pop to the book shop not far to pick up a new book. An open evening for a 6th form that starts at bloody 4pm? Lets have fish and chips or a kebab after that. An “invite your dad” morning at pre-school? Lets make breakfast a bit special for everyone today! Someone’s ill? Work out a way of communicating in case they need you while you are in the next room on a video call, and every break be present.
Also use each 5 days of annual leave separately. Family hols are better but actually a holiday just with mum or just with dad is quite nice. The rest of A/L can be used as family time.

it is hard, theres lots of guilt but it can work. You need to get used to the dirty looks, be confident, dont leave early everyday of the weeks, the looks will stop. Make it clear to everyone which times of wjich day you need to be flexible. It will be ok.

I work around 2 - 3 hours extra a day. I have at times done a lot more than that. I work in Banking and I have survived a lot of redundancies/ cuts and think I have partly survived by putting in the hours. My job is also flexible so it’s a bit give and take too.

I try not to. But seeing as 38 jobs rest on my leadership, and things go south on occasion, I do end up doing more hours. But my kids are now adults, so a very different stage of life.

That’s terrible!!!

Never. I value quality of life above everything.

Try not to but sometimes do work over my hours. However, I usually take it back by going early one day! No-one should be working over their contracted hours.

I think it’s ok to work outside of contracted hours…as long as you are adequately compensated. I get 1.5 or 2x overtime and then my annual bonus and pay increase. I also have flexi time so it works both ways.

I'm trying to get another job but I have a six month notice period so it's quite hard.

Yes when it’s my turn for pick up I regularly log back in after bedtime. I’m paid a salary though to get a job done - not an hourly rate. When I’m quieter I finish at 5/take a long lunch etc. I earn 6 figures FTE though and it’s just part of the deal
if there is a client need.

6 months! That’s a long notice period.

I recently turned down a high paying job because they made it very clear at interview that it would be considerably more than contracted hours. I emailed and told them that although I was prepared to work more occasionally if needed, I wasn’t prepared to “live” at the company as the current incumbent said he did, and they replied saying sorry to hear that, but it was a requirement of the role!

I couldn’t do my job in the hours. Just not possible.

Weekend work is the killer - it gives no time to step away from the desk.
When I send mails at the weekend I sent them delayed send.

In which case that is an employer's problem?

Yes this