Very long hours in IT & holiday suspended for someone (update)

zazou

I’m about six months into a new role in IT. The work comes in somewhat unpredictable waves as the business environment is very competitive and deadlines are tight.
The past 2 weeks have been horrible. I am leaving for home at 9, 10 even 11 in the evening and tomorrow will be my tenth full day working in a row. I am going to ride this storm out this time but afterwards I will have a chat with my manager.

Obviously I am not happy with this as this time (apart from weekends) is unpaid and you are expected to stay longer when the business demands it.
There are quite a few people there that habitually stay very late in the evenings to meet deadlines. A third of my department doesn’t really leave until 7-7:30 every night.
The business is growing very fast and I fear that if I’m going to be a part of it I will have to participate in this unhealthy environment.

Apart from this, it is a lovely place to work with plenty of opportunities to learn while on the job, something that is extremely important in my line of work. I have advanced tremendously knowledge-wise and am learning new things every month (which I can confidently add to my CV!). This company has a very low turnover in staff and people tend to stay there 10+ years.

If I were to single out what I felt was worst it would be not knowing if the evening will belong to me or work. Meaning that effectively I can’t make any plans.

I’d like to hear from people that have found themselves in similar situations and how they did go about coping etc.

Thank you for reading.

sniggings

do you want to cope or do you want a life...sounds to me the latter, either ask your manager for the hours you want, if they won't do that, look for a new job.

It's not nice not knowing when you will be finished for the day, as you say you can't make any plans or even hold on a bit longer as you know at 5pm you will be finished.

shortcrust

I had a similar job a few years back and ended up leaving after a year. I could see a really good future for myself there but simply couldn't hack the level of work they required. There was no way I could have spoken to anyone about it because the attitude was that you do what it takes. I'd have been sidelined. I had endless stress dreams and starting drinking way more than is normal for me. In the end I figured that there's no point having a bank account full of cash if you don't have any opportunities to spend it! I retrained and will probably never earn as much again, but I've no regrets. I love my new career and don't feel sick around 6pm on Sundays!:)

john539

zazou wrote: »

I’m about six months into a new role in IT. The work comes in somewhat unpredictable waves as the business environment is very competitive and deadlines are tight.
The past 2 weeks have been horrible. I am leaving for home at 9, 10 even 11 in the evening and tomorrow will be my tenth full day working in a row. I am going to ride this storm out this time but afterwards I will have a chat with my manager.

Obviously I am not happy with this as this time (apart from weekends) is unpaid and you are expected to stay longer when the business demands it.
There are quite a few people there that habitually stay very late in the evenings to meet deadlines. A third of my department doesn’t really leave until 7-7:30 every night.
The business is growing very fast and I fear that if I’m going to be a part of it I will have to participate in this unhealthy environment.

Apart from this, it is a lovely place to work with plenty of opportunities to learn while on the job, something that is extremely important in my line of work. I have advanced tremendously knowledge-wise and am learning new things every month (which I can confidently add to my CV!). This company has a very low turnover in staff and people tend to stay there 10+ years.

If I were to single out what I felt was worst it would be not knowing if the evening will belong to me or work. Meaning that effectively I can’t make any plans.

I’d like to hear from people that have found themselves in similar situations and how they did go about coping etc.

Thank you for reading.

What is this environment to explain why this is happening ?

Print_Screen

shortcrust wrote: »

I had a similar job a few years back and ended up leaving after a year. I could see a really good future for myself there but simply couldn't hack the level of work they required. There was no way I could have spoken to anyone about it because the attitude was that you do what it takes. I'd have been sidelined. I had endless stress dreams and starting drinking way more than is normal for me. In the end I figured that there's no point having a bank account full of cash if you don't have any opportunities to spend it! I retrained and will probably never earn as much again, but I've no regrets. I love my new career and don't feel sick around 6pm on Sundays!:)

^
This

There is no point having a nice bank account if you can never spend it or have to spend it on psychologists to get through the day!
And drinking more nothing is worth that!:eek:

Work life balance! I work in IT and used to work in an environment where it was frowned upon to leave on time. Overtime was also unpaid, needs of the business and such BS.

I left after a few months as it is not worth having a million pounds in the bank and a 1 in a million chance of actually spending it!
(Didn't earn that much just an example) I learnt the hard way that constant stress and depression about going to work everyday are not worth any amount of money! I earn less now in IT but am far more relaxed which means I am more inclined to learn in the evening when I came back from work to get better qualifications.

[Deleted User]

It seems to be the norm now in this industry/ climate that you have to put up with it and work the long hours just to keep your job/ get the job done with fewer people on the team than before. As you mentioned, the work is unpredictable, and as such in a few months time things may have quietened down and you may be chipping off at 4. In reality though, if a large section of the team regularly stays late it may just be a part of the company culture and probably should have been mentioned when you got the job (I asked about hours during my interview and was told hours on contract are 9-5 but in reality 8-6 and longer if business require, but I went into it with my eyes open and also opted into the 48hr week to ensure I wouldn't get totally stuffed with 16 hour working days). I'm not in the position where I have kids and sacrifice family time for work so it doesn't bother me so much, but its really up to you to decide.. If it really is an issue talk to the boss and make it clear you aren't prepared to do the hours or negotiate new hours. Otherwise, may be a case of looking for a new job, and making it crystal clear, and being crystal clear on what hours you are expected to work, from the beginning.

I have always worked in an environment where you get the work done however long it takes (been stuck in office at midnight through no fault of my own) but I knew the risk, understood that to say no would stop me from getting promotion, and am very lucky to have got a fairly decent wage. Previously I was driven to the edge of a breakdown by a bullying colleague combined with family illness and 16 hour days, quit and worried I had thrown my life away and would never find another job...but recently started a similar role with the most laid back boss and an environment where the office is empty at 559! I made it very clear upfront in the interview that I wanted honestly on the hours expected and culture and I wouldn't be pushed to risk my health/ sanity by working excessive hours!!!

A good boss would not expect anyone to have to work more than the "standard" hours to get the work done- if you are it's usually down to bad management or not hiring correct number of staff for the task!

Lakeuk

I've done a 4 month stretch working 7 days a week probable working over the time directive in the process, luckily I got overtime but it was only after completing the project that you realise how much the constant working affects yourself. Over the years I've seen many burn themselves out, some have heart attacks, I would have no issue doing it again but being older and wiser I do it differently and make sure I have the breaks to switch off. I do regularly have spats when I'm doing unexpected long days but luckily every few week, usually it's through my own choice which I get back through flexi, if it's requests then I do it through overtime mainly as I feel the extra rate validates that the additional hours are required (hate agreeing to do OT to then not be fully utilized, want to free I've earned it)

We have team members who work late and others on more normal schedules, it doesn't create a perception that some feel they maybe being seen as not pulling their weigh but when you look at everyone's working patterns their start/end times, lunch lengths, breaks - it comes out pretty much even between everyone. Depend on grade some will have in their contract that they don't get overtime and are expected to work the hours the job requires to which their package is better to take account - they do the extra hours when needed but most are sensible and won't be taken advantage of.

Two things you need to figure out is, working late - is it expects or just a perception. How has you putting in all the hours under the sun come about - unrealistic deadlines, under estimating, lack of experience, lack of resources. The world of IT tends be the business dictates the deadline and budget then the firefighting from IT begins trying to meet those goals while attempting to get out of the business what it is they actually want - lifes a Dilbert cartoon :rotfl:

Southend1

What does your contract actually say about hours of work?

You say some people leave at 7 and others stay until 10. Why do some stay later? Are they choosing to do so or are they part of a different team?

zazou

Thank you for your answers, very useful. Someone in my team was going on a 3 week holiday tomorrow. It was cancelled!

Southend1 wrote: »

What does your contract actually say about hours of work?

You say some people leave at 7 and others stay until 10. Why do some stay later? Are they choosing to do so or are they part of a different team?

The contract states 9-5:30 but there is a clause about flexibility

Flexibility - from time to time, due to fluctuations in the level of business or due to emergencies...

I sympatise up to a level that there are important deadlines to be met and as stated in my post, I will do my best for now. However it is my view that working like this should be rewarded handsomely or equal time back - unless you were an owner!
I intend to put that point forward when all this is over but I fear that I'll be competing with people that don't ask for 'that much' so I am not optimistic



The people who tend to stay long are doing roughly the same job as I, just different technologies.

This whole thing sort of crept up from behind in a nasty way.

Southend1

So the answer is in your contract. Next time you have a one to one with your manager explain that you have recently been working a lot of overtime and were happy to do so due to whatever project/deadline, however you intend to revert to normal contracted hours now. Of course you are happy to flex this in exceptional circumstances e.g. During the final stages of a project in order to meet a deadline - if your manager feels this is necessary at any particular time perhaps he could flag it up to you so that you can come to a reasonable arrangement.

And begin working your contracted hours.

Southend1

On and they shouldn't be cancelling a three week holiday one day before it is due to begin.

You and your colleagues really should join your union!