[Closed] Working for free. At work.

I've always been at "it's 5, I'm finished" guy

Work to live, don't live to work

Yup, fairly strict on it here too, daft not to on a low wage.

In a job interview when asked how I would fit it in as we had just had a child, I may have said "if you can't get everything done by 5pm you're not doing it right" Didn't get the job.

I haven't had a lunch hour for 8yrs but I get a lot of opportunities to take 5 minutes. I generally always leave at 5 as well unless there's something very important needs doing. I'll not stay to do stuff that can wait until tomorrow.

Yeah I'm willing to work late now and then but when it becomes routine I'm out of there. I had a job where everyone kept saying "that's what evenings and weekends are for" when I said there wasn't enough time to do something, I was the only person who left at 5.30 and didn't send emails starting with "I was working on this late last night/early this morning"

I've always tried to strike the balance between not being a clockwatcher, and not having the piss taken. Sometimes it's quite hard.

The "work for free" mentality is a weird one though. My last job in the bank had a manager who tried to get us all to work for free, 15 minutes at either end of every day and short lunches sort of thing- insisting that the 10 minutes it took to set up to start dealing with customers or to make the place secure at teh end of the day, wasn't work. Stuff like that. So most of us told her to get to ****, essentially.

But one lady, Bridget, ended up working probably an hour for free, every day, without fail and when we said "Why do you do that" said "Everyone else does it". We were the everyone else she was talking about, she just wouldn't be told that we were all claiming overtime or toil or just downing tools at 5pm precisely. Bizarre.

My current place is really reasonable, there's the right amount of give and take, if either party took the piss there'd be trouble but it all works very well because none of us are failures as human beings. This attitude would not work in the bank.

Had this very argument with my new manager a few weeks ago. The shop shuts at 8pm, I get paid up to 8pm, they then want me to tidy up and do a few admin bits and bobs before I go home. They expect me to do this without pay. Once or twice maybe but every day? I think not. Told him I don't work for free and if it's to be a regular thing then I want paying to 8:15/8:30pm. That's not unreasonable is it.?

...never got me anywhere with Pets at Home.

I don't bother taking a lunch break, or 'tea' breaks, but I finish work at 3.30pm instead of 4.00pm, and if I work on for any reason, I get paid for it.

Yeah, I knocked that little gem on the head a long time ago.

I'm fortunate enough to have a good degree of flexibility at work, so I'm quite happy to do a bit extra safe in the knowledge that if I need to take time out for whatever reason, I can do. If the door didn't swing both ways though, it wouldn't swing at all.

I subscribe fully to the opinion that's it's important for an employer to value the employee, particularly in monetary terms. If you are simply expected to work for free, rather than being considered an "affordable expense", then there is a lack of mutual respect and no common value of assets.

[i]In hourly rate jobs? I spent years "staying late" "doing extra" at work, before deciding I have other things to do and am not working for free.[/i]

Sorry but the clue is in the title - [b]hourly rate[/b] - you get paid/charge for time worked.

Salary jobs are different, as in give-and-take.

In hourly rate jobs? I spent years "staying late" "doing extra" at work, before deciding I have other things to do and am not working for free.

If it's an Hourly rate job, do you not get paid for the hours worked, I thought that's what hourly rate meant ?

I'm on a salary, so don't get extra if I work late. But any jobs I've had that were paid at an hourly rate, I got paid for what I worked.

Depends on the job, if I like the job then I'm more inclined to do a bit extra for free.
Currently I can end up doing up to 30 mins extra but that's because I like to get everything finished for the person taking over the next day, I could shut the doors and kick the clients out bang on shutting up time but that's not me. It's a charity and they make barely enough to cover costs at our location so claiming overtime would cause an impact.

The wife can add anything up to 2 hours on the end of her shifts, last night was the first time this year she came home on time. For a while she didn't put it down but then I explained how many hours it added up to and she now puts it as overtime. She works for a large organisation who can afford the overtime.

When I was in a well paid career with staff and proper responsibilities then I worked extra, usually travelling time when I was working away.

Now I'm a lowly public servant, waiting for CMD to lower the benefit cap to the level paid to those of us who are responsible for managing it for him*, I work 37 hours a week and use my flexi time to suit my family requirements.

*the ****

This very thing drives me potty. My missus works part-time, 18 hours a week. She probably does another 12 hours at home. She's technically under minimum wage, but will she listen? The whole reason she works part-time is so she can spend more time with me & the boy.

Where I work don't pay overtime. So I don't work overtime.

They do toil and flexible working hours though. I still try and avoid working more than my contracted 40hrs/week though.

I've always tried to strike the balance between not being a clockwatcher, and not having the piss taken. Sometimes it's quite hard.

It shouldn't be an expectation that you work beyond your paid hours, but if you are seeking a pay rise, promotion or are just keen to move on up through your career is doesn't hurt to demonstrate that you are willing to do a bit extra for your mutual success. Do yourself a favour though don't set the expectation in the first place.

Neilsonwheels that is unreasonable, why not ask you to do it 15 mins before your clocking off time?

Cynic-Al do you expect it to be any different for someone who earns a six figure salary?

Managers know full well what they are doing by fostering a sort of martyr culture. 10 or 15 minutes, every staff member, every working day of the year, free labour.....saves them thousands.

When I worked in CRC the manager tried enforcing the rule that everyone should be in the building 20 minutes before the start of their shift and on the floor 5 mins before they were due to start. This had the almost instant effect of almost everyone cutting it fine and ensuring they walked on to the floor at the start of their shift.

Undeterred, he then took to coming into the kitchen/staff room 10 minutes before starting time to go over issues. Which led to people having their coffee outside or sitting in their cars until it was time to start.

Some people did make the effort, go that extra mile, start early, finish late, skip lunches etc etc in order to climb the ladder and curry favour. It got them nowhere except exploited further and trampled on. They no longer work there either.

I used to quite enjoy the occasional staying late - as long as either fit was your project that was getting finished, or "we're all in this together" and everyone was late.

Was partly a martyr culture (IT) maybe, we were all pretty young and keen, but to be fair there was recognition and the manager would often start late too; Young startup company, quite often the way.

Kind of soured of the whole thing and now work freelance - sure I'll work weekends, and late if needs be (and that's decided by me and the client) but it's all chargeable..

I had this in a new job in a local bike shop....after a week or so I was informed that instead of finishing at 5.30 everyone had to stay for an extra 15/20 mins every night as the shop was cashed up....this and being expected to sign an unfair and restrictive contract(with a threat of non-payment if I refused) had me out of the door pretty damn quick!

I always took a 'give and take' attitude - never minded staying on and getting stuff done if it needed doing, often there for an hour or more, in return I thoroughly expect flexibility if I wanted to get away early or had an appointment, or for that matter pissed about on the Internet in between calls if it was quiet.

It led to a fantastic row when my boss tried to bollock me for leaving early for an appointment one afternoon, much goodwill was lost and clock watching ensued from that day on!

Kryton57 - Member
Cynic-Al do you expect it to be any different for someone who earns a six figure salary?

Yup, and it was for me when I earned high, of course it is.

This is a very timely thread for me, I'm just contemplating (at 7.30pm) doing an hour (probably end up being 2) of work in order to catch up.

I'm the most junior, lowest paid professional in our team, but about the best performing. I'm entitled to flexi time, core hours being 9.30 - 12.00, 14.00 - 15.30 37 hours a week.

I generally take one flexi day off a month, and still carry over 10 hours over.

I've used 5 days leave so far this year.

Now I don't mind any of the above, I do a job to the best of my ability, and I don't like to leave things unfinished. I'm not scared of work, nor do I think I have it hard in comparison to a huge amount of people, albeit my job is very technical and mentally challenging.

I've done 11 site calls today, 70 miles odd, worked 8.20 - 4.50, computer system was down this afternoon, so I now have notes to go on, and another busy day tomorrow as a colleague is on leave.

So, I either have a REALLY busy day tomorrow, or work tonight, which I can claim the hours for.

Fair enough, but my colleagues all work 7.30 - 15.30 every day (but mysteriously accrue flexi hours), work the job to suit their personal life, and none of them did more than 4 calls today, probably 40 miles tops. Our manager values my input, but he's small fry in the organisation, and they have no loyalty to any front line staff.

So whilst I think it wouldn't kill me, and at least I'll have a quieter day tomorrow, and might get some recognition, I also think I'm being a mug. I'll get to where I want in the department soon enough even if I just float along, my colleagues won't get disciplined for their lack of effort, and I'm the one who'll get pissed off eventually and leave, for marginally more money, a lot more stress, and less flexible terms.

My old boss always says just to concentrate on yourself, but after a while being one of only a few triers in the organisation, it really starts to bloody grate.

I am expected to be at work 15/20mins before the start, work the first extra hour for free before overtime kicks in, and have no choice but to stay at work if I am told to do so,(this usually occurs after midnight at weekends, quite often into a day off), as I have no employment rights.
I still just about enjoy the job though.

What you need to do there is what's called "managing expectations." (-:

angylad - Member
...as I have no employment rights.

Did your boss tell you that?

If you have to do work for free then I assume there maybe understaffing and possibly an under costing if its on a contract

I did my working for nowt years ago. Not now. Too old for that stuff. If there's overtime available the youngsters will grab it.

In my view too many businesses get by on the "good will" (or fear) of employees, when in reality they should be employing more staff. Which would reduce unemployment, increase flow of money into the economy, etc etc.

Al, she did.

When I first started at the job I'm in I ended up doing about 100 hours a week for three weeks as we went live with a mahoosive project.

Now we're all outsourced and the company I'm now in is blatantly making it clear that they don't want us, they just want our knowledge. No training (then we receive "OWN your career with your training plan!" emails) and expectations that I will upgrade an important Solaris server this weekend based on a sudden email.

Fat chance. Me and the mutt are going for a nice walk. I may have a beer. 😀

@Langylad - police?

@cynic-al - If I'm right, then that would be correct, as he's not an employee.

I dont even have the first clue how many hours I'm exoected to do.

Up until the end of march i was salaried. I'd almost never be asked to work over, but occasionally would need to go to another site which required a long drive each way. In return my manager would allow time off for doctors and dentist appointments provided i made up the time. Which of course was never enforced

Mrs_d was diagnosed with cancer last june so i took a bit of time here and there for hospital appointments.
Then in February it was announced that our team of three was to be reduced to two. Guess who got the bullet ?

I'm a contractor now so i get paid by the quarter hour; if i work over, i get paid more. Haven't seen the need to do so yet...

I'm often calling in to work or doing things in my own time for work, since switching as a manager I'm also answering email and phone call regular on my days off. Thing is I have to or I'd get behind at work if I didn't. It honestly doesn't bother me as it was that ethic that helped get me the promotion.

Having had to work in places where there was a 'work for free' culture the one thing I love about now working for myself is that I'm able to work until I'm happy I've done the job to the best possible standard. If that means I work a bit longer fair enough, I'm still satisfied with what I've done and the customer is happy. Much better way to work.

If the door didn't swing both ways though, it wouldn't swing at all.

If there was an expectation that overtime was to be done without recompense, I would be less happy.

[cynic-al - Member
Kryton57 - Member
Cynic-Al do you expect it to be any different for someone who earns a six figure salary?
Yup, and it was for me when I earned high, of course it is.

Now see I don't agree. You should be paid for the value of the work you bring within the working ours you agree to. Say I work for 4 hours today, I bring a £500k deal to the table for the company, and am done by 2pm. Would you tell me to go home and work until 7pm, despite my annual salary being a fifth of the value of that one deal, or would you accept that I go home and have a beer I the garden and start again at 9am the next day?

Now, I accept that there's trust, and probably a build up to that issue which required some voluntary hard work, early starts and late nights, but I don't believe that if you paid me a six figure salary that you in any way just [i]bought[/i] the right to rule or interrupt my life beyond that of my contracted hours.

Correct Ninfan. Not moaning (well suppose i am), but it would be nice to be given the choice whether to work on or not (includes many cancelled weekends, last minute shift changes etc). Our regulations say we have to do as we are told (illegal not to), but have absolutely no mechanism to protest

Worked in a care home doing the maintance part time, manager worked all hours, came in on days off, she resigned, an old resident said sad shes gone, but a coach load of idiots will be outside soon looking for her job and doing the same shit.

He was right, next one worked herself ill trying to do to much for to little.

I stopped all that "showing commitment" unpaid overtime bullshit a few years ago - I spent a decade watching miserable old men sit on their arse all day, then make a grand gesture of staying longer than the other guys and playing the same stupid game in reverse the next morning.

When I was young I played along, it's not hard to learn how to work at a snails pace and turn 8 hours work into 12, but **** it, life is a wonderful amazing thing and throwing away huge lumps of it to impress some other dickhead who got ahead by being crap and making look like a positive is insanity.

whenever that bulkshit rears its ugly head now I firmly say that anyone who needs extra time to do their job needs to ask themselves if they're really up to it.

I was riding my bike by 1730 tonight, the sadsacks in my old office will just be getting home to their bitter partners by now.

I used to get in about an hour early, started work until the company got on my case about leaving at 5 on the dot (long way to go and the car park a nightmare to leave). From then on Still got in early but surfed the web till 9.

Unfortunately, speaking to a lot of my close family members before they recently died, none of them said they had wished that they had spent more time in work ~ paid or unpaid hours.

I have recently retired, and know the pressures that are exerted to expect unpaid "overtime", but eventually nearly everyone resents this situation.

There is a give and take, but over the years , my experience is that the employer always gets the better deal.

I've just done annual appraisals for our hourly paid guys and girls. Unsurprisingly those that gave themselves top marks for timekeeping were those that never finish on time and stay late finishing things off in their own time.

None of them seem to really comprehend why I marked them down.

I am on holiday this week
I am going in to work tomorrow for free , on my volution.

If I do not do this on Tues I will singlehandedly have to move 10T of beer. No thansks

By going tomorrow for a few hours the 2 of us can get through alot of that workload and I will not need a crane to get me in and out of my car on tues .

Its mostly becuase my oppo is on holiday next week so I'm solo at work

What size engine is your Volution? 😀

It really gets my goat how people have to "prove themselves" by working overtime, especially the younger guys. I've always been very strict about not doing it as a matter of course, although when I work abroad then I don't mind it so much, as long as I get time for dinner and a couple of beers in the evening.

The point made above about being shown respect from your employer by not being expected to do overtime routinely is a very good point that I didn't consider before

I fully understand what people are saying if its an office where the work will be there in the morning to pick up where you left off...

But if you work in an engineering role in 24/7 production you can't just say "oh its 5pm I'm off home now" if something is stopped you stay until its fixed.

But if you work in a 24/7 environment, it isn't unreasonable to expect that there is 24/7 support shared across a number of people and shifts. So in theory (maybe not totally in practice) you should be able to clock off at 5pm

In fashion/retail head offices young Grads were expected to work till late some nights. We are talking girls often working till 10pm then going home through central London. They have to do this for a couple of years then they leave. Not sure if its as bad now but one retail group in particular was bad for this. The unspoken rule was leave early, this aint for you.

I always leave on time but then I start at 7.20am every morning.

If ^^above is the Police Ive heard that occassionally Specials nay be sucked into a 12hour (unpaid) shift.

Other side of the coin - any of the clock watchers on here expect to be allowed free time off to go to doctors appointments, dentists, the odd time you need to finish early for childcare responsibilities etc?

bamboo - Member
But if you work in a 24/7 environment, it isn't unreasonable to expect that there is 24/7 support shared across a number of people and shifts. So in theory (maybe not totally in practice) you should be able to clock off at 5pm

However as I approach retirement I can say I have been there done all of the above and got nowhere 🙄
Which is a good thing imo 😆

My daughter is a primary school teacher and works silly hours 🙄 Redkons she will quit in the next 5yrs before she is 40 ❗
Son works some really daft hours but like me can survive on a few hours sleep. He currently enjoys his work 😆

But if you work in an engineering role in 24/7 production you can't just say "oh its 5pm I'm off home now" if something is stopped you stay until its fixed

agreed, but that's what overtime was invented for

Expect people to do it for free, and their goodwill soon runs out.

I recall turning in a time sheet with enough overtime to double my gross one month...

ninfan - Member
But if you work in an engineering role in 24/7 production you can't just say "oh its 5pm I'm off home now" if something is stopped you stay until its fixed
agreed, but that's what overtime was invented for

Expect people to do it for free, and their goodwill soon runs out.

Awaiting the postal ballot paper re industrial action due to rejection of 2% wage offer.

I've done loads of free overtime. In my line of work we're paid to do a job, sometimes that overruns. Partly because of that I've now got a senior job which is pretty cool, by my standards.

I recall one job where 'going the extra mile' was a popular management slogan. It meant some late finishes for many as a result of over-optimistic productivity estimates. I did not like that job. But that was less the hours and more the conditions and attitude.

I'd be reluctant to put in unpaid time if I was on an hourly rate. But I feel fortunate that, aside from one job, I have enjoyed both hourly and salaried jobs and rarely felt taken advantage of. Sure, there are times when I've grumbled about all manner of things. In the end, I do the work because it leads to more expertise and more fun. And I would move if it didn't.

MrsT is in a senior management position, she finishes on the dot and expects her staff to do the same 😆
They do work a flexi hours system which is a use it or lose it system over a month...

I'm a home worker so it's dammed easy to let things creep and suddenly you are working 12 hour days all the time, so rule at home now is switch on at 08:30 switch off at 17:15 and 16:00 on a Friday if I can, if I'm out on the road and put in silly hours in the week I'll agree with my boss to take a day off for TOIL soon after, whilst its most likely not a 100% accurate accounting against my hours I have the latitude for late starts and early finishes if needed, well with the agreement if I have to work extra I will so it works for me.

Its been mooted across industry for us that we only get day rate when we are actually on a rig

Those in industry know full well you can wait for a bit before going offshore for what ever reason.

To which i replied - £2.00 an hour. I dont think so.

It will come but on that day ill get a job driving a bus

The clue is in the title, trouble is there are way too many desperate mugs who comply and fu@k it up for everyone else.

The American unpaid internship is the future 😆 f"ck the lazy "young" they deserve it right!! yeah let-em suffer, yeah at least it's not me....would you do it, oh no, no way.

I've done it all..

The best thing for me was going onto proper hours recorded flexi time, the simplest way to manage hourly rate, mark down the hours you worked and go from there.

I was taken off to a meeting room by my boss and his boss because it appeared to them that I was working short days (contractor) and skipping out when I wanted to. I turned it round to the fact that I was completing all that was asked, not been given more work despite asking and would they rather I sat and surfed the web for another 4hrs a week? Some people can't get their head around the difference between attendance and achievement. On the flip side I worked all the hours needed when it was needed.

These days I work flexibly from home, plenty of dilemmas compared to being in the office - how do I account for the time I was waiting for the boss to respond/make a decision. If I was in the office it would be simple. Today my 10am meeting was cancelled at 9am, if I had known I'd have been away with the bike today but as it is I'm not.

I did massive amounts of unpaid overtime last year to get the biggest project we've ever done out the door. It was tough, the. We got a change in management, he apologised profusely for the hours we'd worked bit said there was nothing he could do about the companies blanket no overtime policy.

2 months later the 3 of us that had martyred ourselves got called in and presented with 20% bonuses.

I still work late when its needed :p

Scaled that is fantastic but in alot of companies your boss would get the bonus and you'd get a team meal/night out..

the odd time you need to finish early for childcare responsibilities

This can't be refused if it's unforseen (child taken ill, carers car broken down, school shut etc.)

[url= https://www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants/your-rights ]Time off For Dependants[/url]

Parental leave is slightly different but it's something that not everyone is aware of.

[url= https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave ]Parental Leave[/url]

Other side of the coin - any of the clock watchers on here expect to be allowed free time off to go to doctors appointments, dentists, the odd time you need to finish early for childcare responsibilities etc?

I'm paid hourly for being in the office, sometimes for work at home when an undisturbed train of thought is required. If I'm not at work I'm not paid. I knock off between 5 and 5:30 most nights whether it's all done or not. It will still be there tomorrow and I value my mental health. The last occupant of my chair resigned and killed himself 18 months later. That is not going to happen for me.

I work 10 hours a week (average) as a contractor.

Off for a bike ride today. Same as Monday. Brewed beer yesterday.

The American unpaid internship is the future f"ck the lazy "young" they deserve it right!

There was some recruitment 'expert' spouting about this on the Jeremy Vine show yesterday. Developing an deep hatred for JV guests normally takes longer.

I only did silly hours for ridiculous money when I was starting out in newspapers - utterly shite wage and expected to cover evening meetings a few times a week. Wouldn't contemplate it now, it's just exploitation. But internships are even worse.

Other side of the coin - any of the clock watchers on here expect to be allowed free time off to go to doctors appointments, dentists, the odd time you need to finish early for childcare responsibilities etc?

I hear you. I've been to the Doctors twice in the last two weeks. My partner works part time, I one of the only people in her company. She does the same work as the others but has to work on her phone going to and from work and on her day off to enable her to get her work done. Madness.

What I have noticed throughout my working life-there are those people who stay late. They start late, they know when their boss gets in so come in at that time then stay longer so it makes an impression that 'Bob stays until the job is done'. Whereas if you are in the office for hours unseen your time might as well not exist. An old boss of mine called it 'being a sunflower' - always turning to face the sun. Doing everything insight of your boss etc. He was the only boss who could see results/value etc and not the politics.

At one of our competitors its frowned upon to leave the office until 2hours after the official leavetime. I was told by one that they literally have to sit there looking busy even though everyone has finished. Madness.

This can't be refused if it's unforseen (child taken ill, carers car broken down, school shut etc.)

Year before last I'd carried over 18days holiday. I had to use them all up last year (still carried over 6 this year).

Here there's a split with the senior people paid a company car allowance in exchange for not being paid overtime. We had a meeting with a senior manager to discuss the number of un funded side projects we were being given to do by him and those below him. His response was that all that work was optional, but then so were lay rises and promotions.

Within 12 months the group was 20% understaffed! The rest of us realised we could book overtime to actuall funded projects and mostly ignore the crap.

Its the oil and gas industry, not a charity.

At my last company we were expected to do reasonable amounts of unpaid overtime, I used to do a lot of site work so got most of it paid, others stuck in the office would often stay until 8 or 9 most days. I was lucky that my boss was pretty flexible and could rock up up late if I had an appointment or leave early if needed.

I've done about 8 hours over thus week. I'll get something for it though perhaps not pay. The reason is because it needs doing. The project is up against it, and only I can save the day. The key point is that I want the project and my company to succeed.

I'm away from home too which makes it much easier. I'd only be spending the time riding 🙂 as it is I still get to ride the commute.

I manage a national public service and have lots of staff. I go to some lengths to try setting an example of how to balance competing demands.

There are some thoughts that guide me:

1) [b]Technology[/b]: if we want, we are constantly accessible via e-mail and phone. I strongly disagree that this makes us more productive and (although I'm as bad as everyone else) managing your inbox is not working in my experience. Personally, I feel on edge when work e-mails come through at all hours... you know, that little flicker of the red light on your phone, or the "ping" as the e-mail arrives? That's just not good for humans. I turn my e-mails off at weekends and in the evening, unless there's a crisis when I'm on-call.

2) [b]"Culture"[/b]: In office work, people can find it hard to measure effectiveness and outputs are often hard to make visible - and so people turn to those things that are more visible, like working extra hours or dressing smartly. I really, really don't buy into this and actually take quite badly to people putting in extra hours when I can't see that they are productive - which is what I value most. This is one area where personally I think working parents (often mums) have it really licked: they have a drop-dead time and therefore no time to waffle, deal with fluff and are more productive from what I can see. We often talk about having a postive working culture, but what example do we set?

3) [b]Balance[/b]: The above should all help with balancing work and life, but often don't. I work all over the country, but try to set an example by doing a drop-off and pick-up (kids) in the mid-week and not working excess hours. I do often leave the house at 5:30am, stay overnight and return after the kids' bedtimes - but I make a point in my (open) Outlook calendar of putting "work from home" days in 1-2 days per week to compensate. I don't work fewer hours than when in the office, but I can at least post a parcel / get some loo roll during the breaks / faff on Singletrack now and again.

There's a lot of unspoken pressure to work in ways that are just not healthy or good for us physically, socially, for the family - nor for business in the medium or long term.

I have not once met someone who checks e-mails / overworks / does long hours who is productive, a good role model and happy.

The key point is that I want the project and my company to succeed.

This is the sort of thing that management have "leadership skills workshops" for. Hopefully this sort of enthusiastic dedication will not go wholly unrewarded...

🙂

johndoh - Member
Other side of the coin - any of the clock watchers on here expect to be allowed free time off to go to doctors appointments, dentists, the odd time you need to finish early for childcare responsibilities etc?

This is where an element of trust comes in, especially if you are a home worker. Personally I wouldn't "expect" it, but consider it a perk of my job that I'm trusted to manage my time this way. Likewise I'm not shy of my boss knowing that when at home, twice a week my "lunch hour" might be spent on the Turbo / bike. I do this because I'm being open and honest, but also because my job often results in being away from home and working in offices / hotels once I've arrived, traveling outside my core hours and some unpaid overtime or weekend working.

I don't clock watch per se, the above to me is give and take on a trust basis. I'm allowed the flexibility so I give back when it's needed by applying myself more than I'm contracted to do. On days like today though when I have a relatively relaxed day, am at home, and the Sun is about i will work my core hours because I know that starting early or working late tonight will not impact anything I'm working on now. Moreover, my boss knows that and isn't likely to phone me at 4 and demand 3hrs more work out of me at that time for the sake of it. In the examples above where that is happening it's pretty disgraceful if you ask me, pure exploitation.

Been there, done that - won't ever do it again. The only person who wins in that game is the person you are working for.

Looking back, I do find it quite depressing there is this 'expectation' you go above & beyond. Having read some of the replies on here it's the same old story - people working late, busy doing nothing, because they don't want to be the first to leave.

It amazes me that the people in senior positions can't see this.

It amazes me that the people in senior positions can't see this

Its normally snidey middle management (who have no depth of character or have lived life themselves) who espouse 'work hard play hard'

When are you supposed to play hard say?

BTW, I own a business and I do work late on occasion, sometimes I find myself working 13+ hour days (especially before I take holidays) but we rarely ask people to stay late to complete work and when we *do* ask, we don't tell people, we ask if they can possibly put in some extra hours.

It can be disappointing at times though as they are usually very quick to ask if they can leave early for whatever reason (ie, going to a gig, wanting to catch a train etc) and never make the time back up.

and never make the time back up.

Do they ask to leave 1-2hours early on a weekly basis?