It depends, but I would generally say yes. Right or wrong, it creates the impression of committing equal resources to the company task and builds a certain level of esprit de corps. If you feel that it's considerably unjustified, you should have some method of solidifying your work relationships outside of late hours in the office. Otherwise, your current employer may not be a good cultural fit for you.
I do not feel time = productivity. I can do more work in less time than most of the people I work with. I work six hours at full speed, go home and rest, then start again at home. I don't have to "pace myself" because I know I have to be at work for 8 to 10 hours and then go home and do work.
Only stay if you are productive. Logging long hours solely for appearance sake is wasteful. Do not worry about your colleagues. Emphasize, instead, the quality of your work and have a positive attitude. A good boss will recognize the difference.
Staying late for the sake of it makes little sense, but as a manager or as a team member it's important not to leave other members of your group to get things done after hours. Either the whole group or the group responsible for the task gets it done together or it should be left for another day.
Delegating should not be used as a means of hazing.
I agree with Jim. If you don't stay late - because of the culture at work, you will not get promoted/raises as fast as the others. By leaving early, in the end you will hurt your family as your income won't keep up with the finances you'll need as your kids get older. If you want to leave early, find a company that values a balanced lifestyle.
No; come early and work hard. Staying late is rarely as effective and your work ethic and always first in the office presence will yield you much higher returns.
I believe 'hype' rules our country. The hype of the New England Patriots winning the Superbowl by 14 points; the hype of the $4 Starbucks cappuccino; the hype of a pending recession that is not happening; the hype that the Democratic Party serves up to ill-suspecting followers- it's all the same thing! Apple has mastered this hype. It is marketing, and Apple is so good at it they have convinced you to purchase a song for $1.00 apiece. Apple hypes up a new product (iPhone to choose one out of many)release it at it's peak of hype value ($600 apiece) and then reduces the price three weeks later to maximize sales.
I love the adds for Apple where they pit the cool (naive) Apple user against the nerdy PC user. Who are they kidding? How are they attempting to form your own self perception? Who wants to be the nerd?
I agree with this quote and in the upcoming years you will see similar pop-up as this sentiment will continue to grow among frustrated Apple users.
When you stay late at the office it has to be for reasons that are personal; mounds of paper work that just can't wait another minute, or because of the peace of mind you simply can't find at home. In other words, you only stay late for reasons that will benefit you personally of professionally. Your colleagues may just want to impress the boss and not because there's work to be done.
Hire someone that looks and thinks like you. Pay them half of your salry to be your assistant. Have them start two hours after everyone else, includeing you. Discuss the buisness at hand and Go home. Your little protoge' will be there long after everyone else and your the hero - Work smarter!
Maybe a question you need to think about is...
What are the costs of not staying late?
Promotions [Do only people who work 12 hour days get promoted?]
Competitive spirit [Does your level of competitiveness look low?]
Strong work ethic [Will people perceive you as a slacker for not putting in tons of late night hours?]
Team player [Will you be perceived as not being part of the team?]
If your level of effectiveness is high and known [there are low costs to leaving earlier than others because you are a top performer]there is little reason to put on a pony show by staying late.
It can be complicated; staying late when there's no real desire means you'll be less productive and it also affects your personal happiness. on the other hand, going home when everybody is staying behind makes you look less like a team player and might give the impression you're not as committed.
Its better to make sure your contributions are outstanding.
What about the opposite problem? You come in early and work late and everyone else is on banker's hours(9-5). Do you wonder am I in the right place, why work this hard why not just bail at 5 everyday.
I probably have a different take on this than most people. Staying late at the office (translation: working too many hours) should be the rare exception rather than the rule. Let's face it, we are ALL expendable at work. When we die our boss will replace us and our company will go on just fine without us. The opposite is true at home. We CAN'T be replaced at home and if we're guilty of putting in too many hours it should be at home, not at work. It's an easy principle to quote, but a hard one to follow. I'm still learning! :)
Get in a little before and stay a little after. If you are lucky, your competition comes in late and leaves early. If not, make up time by shortening your lunch as I do. The others take an hour plus so I leave after and get back before them..They think I don't eat! By the way, I work in a bank and get here before 8 am and leave after 5 pm, so much for bankers hours!
If your motivation is to get ahead, and your management values staying late, then that may be a thing to do.
If work output quality is what's valued, you should make sure you're exceeding goals and then leave when you must.
No. Heck, you should not even be working in a centralized office in this digital day and age.
If the company will not let you telecommute, which sounds doubtful in a place full of such workaholics, then I suggest you quit and find employment that is more conducive to your health, sanity, and lifestyle.
If others want to compete in such ways to climb the corporate ladder, let them stay in that rat race. They will later find the ladder to be leaning against the wrong wall -- or to have toppled over.
I would suggest to do it when you need to provided it's not too often... If it is often, you might want to start looking for another place to work :)
People do notice if you are there because you need to be or just because your peers are doing it. I know a could of people that come in super early and have to tell everyone what hard workers they are, meanwhile they think that no one noticed that she spent the first 2 hours of the day in the gym.
Bottom line is, I would not do it to impress anyone.
37 Total
April 3, 2008 at 9:32am by Jim Rogers
It depends, but I would generally say yes. Right or wrong, it creates the impression of committing equal resources to the company task and builds a certain level of esprit de corps. If you feel that it's considerably unjustified, you should have some method of solidifying your work relationships outside of late hours in the office. Otherwise, your current employer may not be a good cultural fit for you.
April 3, 2008 at 9:48am by Synthia Stanosheck
I do not feel time = productivity. I can do more work in less time than most of the people I work with. I work six hours at full speed, go home and rest, then start again at home. I don't have to "pace myself" because I know I have to be at work for 8 to 10 hours and then go home and do work.
April 3, 2008 at 10:37am by Kofi Akyea
No. If you dont have any work to do, go out and do something life-enhancing. Life is short...dont live it shackled to your office PC.
Caveat: ensure your work is done , to the best of your ability, before you rip of the tie and run off.
April 3, 2008 at 10:55am by Steven Heath
Only stay if you are productive. Logging long hours solely for appearance sake is wasteful. Do not worry about your colleagues. Emphasize, instead, the quality of your work and have a positive attitude. A good boss will recognize the difference.
April 3, 2008 at 12:07pm by David-Henry Oliver
Staying late for the sake of it makes little sense, but as a manager or as a team member it's important not to leave other members of your group to get things done after hours. Either the whole group or the group responsible for the task gets it done together or it should be left for another day.
Delegating should not be used as a means of hazing.
April 3, 2008 at 12:53pm by Kenneth Hammond-Aryee
no do stay online if it is worth your while
April 3, 2008 at 1:09pm by Greg Palusa
No.
April 3, 2008 at 2:55pm by bryan house
tell your colleagues to work smarter
April 3, 2008 at 4:10pm by Douglas Hope
Office doesn't mean work any more. Work means office + mobility + home in order to get the job done. Measuring time in the office is passe.
April 3, 2008 at 4:12pm by Jeff Atwood
That depends on if they are truly working and being productive or are they just casually socializing.
If work is being done..then by all means - be a team player (worker)!
But if you have family obligations, then work better, smarter while you ARE there and then call it a day.
We work to live, NOT live to work!!!
April 3, 2008 at 4:14pm by Norwood Wilson Jr
No. You have to consider why these colleagues are staying. If you have a family, they will be the ones that suffer.
April 3, 2008 at 4:34pm by Steve Coppola
Not if you're kicking butt at your job. In fact, try leaving early once in a while; people will marvel at your efficiency.
April 3, 2008 at 4:37pm by Jonathan Bruck
No.
April 3, 2008 at 4:45pm by Frank Maker
Depends how political your colleagues are.
April 3, 2008 at 5:43pm by Thomas Weber
Put in your day. Work hard. Work Smart. Do a good job diligently, and go home when you need to.
April 3, 2008 at 6:48pm by John Ikeda
I agree with Jim. If you don't stay late - because of the culture at work, you will not get promoted/raises as fast as the others. By leaving early, in the end you will hurt your family as your income won't keep up with the finances you'll need as your kids get older. If you want to leave early, find a company that values a balanced lifestyle.
April 3, 2008 at 6:50pm by Russell Fisher
No; come early and work hard. Staying late is rarely as effective and your work ethic and always first in the office presence will yield you much higher returns.
April 4, 2008 at 12:29am by anthony graziano
Finally someone tells the truth!!!
I believe 'hype' rules our country. The hype of the New England Patriots winning the Superbowl by 14 points; the hype of the $4 Starbucks cappuccino; the hype of a pending recession that is not happening; the hype that the Democratic Party serves up to ill-suspecting followers- it's all the same thing! Apple has mastered this hype. It is marketing, and Apple is so good at it they have convinced you to purchase a song for $1.00 apiece. Apple hypes up a new product (iPhone to choose one out of many)release it at it's peak of hype value ($600 apiece) and then reduces the price three weeks later to maximize sales.
I love the adds for Apple where they pit the cool (naive) Apple user against the nerdy PC user. Who are they kidding? How are they attempting to form your own self perception? Who wants to be the nerd?
I agree with this quote and in the upcoming years you will see similar pop-up as this sentiment will continue to grow among frustrated Apple users.
April 4, 2008 at 12:59am by Dominique Stone
When you stay late at the office it has to be for reasons that are personal; mounds of paper work that just can't wait another minute, or because of the peace of mind you simply can't find at home. In other words, you only stay late for reasons that will benefit you personally of professionally. Your colleagues may just want to impress the boss and not because there's work to be done.
April 4, 2008 at 1:00am by Carolyn Dorsey
As an employee, no. It would depend on the reason to stay. If I had important plans, no, but if for a good reason to stay i would.
April 4, 2008 at 1:02am by Carolyn Dorsey
As an employee, no. It would depend on the reason to stay. If I had important plans, no, but if for a good reason to stay i would.
April 4, 2008 at 3:01am by David Sherwin
No, and especially if you're working smart. There is no reward for staying late because of inefficiency.
April 4, 2008 at 5:46am by Sai Krishna T
Hey there, It entirely depnds on the reason of your stay or the importance of the task u would do by staying late in office...
Come early, work smart {not hard ;-)}, Finish your work !!
After all, work is only a part of life ..
April 4, 2008 at 7:23am by Rosie Palmer
Hire someone that looks and thinks like you. Pay them half of your salry to be your assistant. Have them start two hours after everyone else, includeing you. Discuss the buisness at hand and Go home. Your little protoge' will be there long after everyone else and your the hero - Work smarter!
April 4, 2008 at 8:37am by Wendy Weber
Work late not because your coworkers do, but because you like your job. If you don't like it: quit!
April 4, 2008 at 8:51am by David Damore
Maybe a question you need to think about is...
What are the costs of not staying late?
Promotions [Do only people who work 12 hour days get promoted?]
Competitive spirit [Does your level of competitiveness look low?]
Strong work ethic [Will people perceive you as a slacker for not putting in tons of late night hours?]
Team player [Will you be perceived as not being part of the team?]
If your level of effectiveness is high and known [there are low costs to leaving earlier than others because you are a top performer]there is little reason to put on a pony show by staying late.
April 4, 2008 at 1:24pm by James Belle
It can be complicated; staying late when there's no real desire means you'll be less productive and it also affects your personal happiness. on the other hand, going home when everybody is staying behind makes you look less like a team player and might give the impression you're not as committed.
Its better to make sure your contributions are outstanding.
April 4, 2008 at 3:25pm by Akash Pathak
What about the opposite problem? You come in early and work late and everyone else is on banker's hours(9-5). Do you wonder am I in the right place, why work this hard why not just bail at 5 everyday.
April 5, 2008 at 12:06am by Larry Warren
I probably have a different take on this than most people. Staying late at the office (translation: working too many hours) should be the rare exception rather than the rule. Let's face it, we are ALL expendable at work. When we die our boss will replace us and our company will go on just fine without us. The opposite is true at home. We CAN'T be replaced at home and if we're guilty of putting in too many hours it should be at home, not at work. It's an easy principle to quote, but a hard one to follow. I'm still learning! :)
April 5, 2008 at 6:23am by Jon N
No - if you do your job well and deliver good results, you shouldn't have to do things like this.
April 5, 2008 at 10:47am by Tim Tymchyshyn
only if you are stupid
April 5, 2008 at 5:00pm by Ken Roth
Get in a little before and stay a little after. If you are lucky, your competition comes in late and leaves early. If not, make up time by shortening your lunch as I do. The others take an hour plus so I leave after and get back before them..They think I don't eat! By the way, I work in a bank and get here before 8 am and leave after 5 pm, so much for bankers hours!
April 6, 2008 at 12:07pm by Howard Greenstein
If your motivation is to get ahead, and your management values staying late, then that may be a thing to do.
If work output quality is what's valued, you should make sure you're exceeding goals and then leave when you must.
April 6, 2008 at 2:09pm by Frank Feather
No. Heck, you should not even be working in a centralized office in this digital day and age.
If the company will not let you telecommute, which sounds doubtful in a place full of such workaholics, then I suggest you quit and find employment that is more conducive to your health, sanity, and lifestyle.
If others want to compete in such ways to climb the corporate ladder, let them stay in that rat race. They will later find the ladder to be leaning against the wrong wall -- or to have toppled over.
Cheers! Frank Feather
April 9, 2008 at 5:13am by Nisit Panitwatanyoo
it depends what kind of norm u treat. Productivity (Output) or social manners (Social acceptance).
April 14, 2008 at 7:20am by john rubia
no you have to obey fixed office time.i think that is the better option.
April 28, 2008 at 1:13pm by Tom Mustac
I would suggest to do it when you need to provided it's not too often... If it is often, you might want to start looking for another place to work :)
People do notice if you are there because you need to be or just because your peers are doing it. I know a could of people that come in super early and have to tell everyone what hard workers they are, meanwhile they think that no one noticed that she spent the first 2 hours of the day in the gym.
Bottom line is, I would not do it to impress anyone.