Today, I have the pleasure of hosting my blogger friend, Rahul Bhatia, on my blog. Rahul has been a navy man and has practically traveled around the globe. He is simple, down to earth and blogs about issues of relevance to all of us. I especially enjoy his travelogues. He blogs at Rahul’s blogs and collections. Over to him
The boss is staying back till 10 PM. I also have to stay even though I don’t have anything that can’t wait till tomorrow. How many of us face this situation regularly?
I am sure this dilemma is faced by most Indians in their work environment no matter where they work. Each of us is reluctant to leave the office at the designated hour, lest it may be construed as not caring enough for work or not working enough! In my long years of work, this is one thing I noticed irrespective of the place of work.
Many years back, I worked in the Navy, and the kind of work we did was totally different and so was the work environment. One thing I can safely say is that in those places, whether in the field or at office, the seniors always stayed with the team and did not delegate the work to the junior to be done individually. If we were sailing on the high seas, the Captain would be perched on the bridge the entire day, and sleep in a cabin adjacent to the bridge. He continued to drop in at odd hours on the bridge while the rest of the team slogged in the engine room and manned other vital equipment.
During the training period too, the officers accompanied the trainees in the tedious exercises involving a lot of manual effort. The beauty of the time spent and the experiences gained in serving at different places and working odd hours is very difficult to express. While serving in Goa, for a period of six months, our timings changed from 5.45 AM to 12.45 PM in view of the runway extension being undertaken at the airport! So, I would reach the Briefing Room in the wee hours to brief the pilots flying assorted aircraft during the day. On board the ship, it was almost a 24X7 routine during the sailing period of the ship.
Once I came to the Headquarters in Delhi, the routine was more like normal office hours! To my utter surprise, some of my counterparts preferred to stay back after working hours; whereas, I would pack up and leave unless there was a reason to stay back or an important meeting. The seniors would be busy in the meetings during the day, so they would catch up with their own work in the later hours. What prompted the sycophants to stay on is anyone’s guess. This prompts me to remember the famous Peter’s Principle that, “People rise in the organization to their level of incompetence.”
When visiting many public offices, I found people merrily chatting and indulging in gossip instead of attending to the customer. Some women even brought their knitting to their work desks. Callous as it is, “public servants” care two hoots, as their jobs are secure.
I got an opportunity to rub shoulders with professionals globally and never found the phenomenon of sycophancy afflicting the large populace! Most of the people left the office as soon as they had finished the day’s work at the appointed hour! In Europe, it would be strange to find people in offices beyond lunch hour on Fridays as most leave to enjoy the weekend with their families and beloved. It is much the same in other countries in the USA, Gulf, Middle East, and SE Asia.
It is not as if the productivity increases by sticking around in the office beyond work hours for no apparent reason. This practice actually lowers productivity levels. Another crucial factor to remember is that a work-life balance is needed to keep the employee at optimum performance levels. If an employee is unhappy and unable to contribute time for home duties, the unhappiness and fatigue will likely spill over to the work performed. We should strive to fill in more work in the productive time.
I am reminded of C Northcote Parkinson who very aptly said, “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”
Do you find yourself being pushed to spending long hours at work? Do you really think you are more productive when you work long hours?
Pic courtesy: Freedigitalphotos.net
I would like to share a recent post by a fellow blogger making a similar point –
http://jambudweepam.blogspot.in/2012/10/office-busyness.html
The IT industry is the biggest victim of this syndrome. More often than not, unrealistic deadlines are agreed upon, because well, customer is the king and employees are labors.
Otherwise, in normal circumstances, I don’t think people stay back at office to ‘work’ everyday. The stay back to enjoy free dinners for people staying late, free internet and air conditioned environment and for the lack of anything better to do!
Thanks Akanksha, for sharing the post! Every industry is afflicted by this syndrome. There are no free lunches or dinners in life and the price we pay is devoting lesser time for our own homes and family by staying late!
I have had both type of experiences. Our sign off time at office was 5.30 pm and this boss, would come to our cubicles by 5.45 pm and shoo us away, if we were found to be lurking at our workstations. Of course during product launches and important meetings, we were allowed to stay late. 😀
And then had a lady boss, who had clearly laid the rules that you can’t leave office till she left. That was another matter that she was unmarried and stayed at Virar (Mumbai) and going late suited her well.
Its ok to stay back late if the work demands, but staying late to please somebody is terrible and pathetic!
There are all kinds of people in the world and one does come across sensible people who value other things in life too, Shilpa!
I know what you mean, Rahul. It is a fashionable thing to work late after dawdling during the day when one could easily have completed the work. Deadline bound work is understandable or when one has to work with overseas partners whose time zones are different, but when the normal babu does ‘overtime’ it is usually for the extra money earned for it 🙂
Unfortunately Zephyr, the people who dwadle around during the productive time do not realize the value of the most important resource called ‘Time’ which in India is stretchable! By the time they realize its value,it is too late:)
Wohoooooooo Rahul sir!!! AWESOME Post the examples, the language the quotes everything is just so perfect for a Gues Post Fantastic one Rahul sir 😉 pssst I want to send it to my 🙂 (you know whom) lol
A big thanks Ramya, for liking the post! I know whom you want to send this:)
Very pertinent topic Rahul…a lot depends on the work culture and the top boss. Qualitative work is more important than qualitative work. No such hassles for me…I am a Freebird.
Thanks Alka! Even a freebird like you could relate to this post, makes my day:)
I work with Japan and over there leaving before your manager is sacrilege !
People stay on in office even till mid night but never ever leave before their manager .. even if they have no work !
We have a long road to travel before we reach anywhere near Japan in terms of basic honesty at heart and work! What they practice is to make a better world and not for just their own selfish end, Ruchira!
It will depend very much on your level/ position in the organisation.
When I was reporting to a Sr manager in the co I worked with,I used to leave soon as I would finish work,which would be almost at sign off time.
But,as I grew in the organisation,I was reporting to the CMD directly.Yes,during those days I was expected to stay on while the Boss was in the office.Reasons were genuine,being in the Sr position,one could be needed at any time during the meeting Boss has been having….And of course,it’s always good to be in Boss’ good books .
BK, the perks of holding a Senior position warrants staying back as required! However, in a Lala culture company, most people are staying back just to grind their own axe!In MNCs it is mostly a functional hierarchy and not bureaucratic one!
Every working individual can relate to it to the core. India has a bad work culture and I don’t know why its considered good when you spend extra time in office though you may be doing nothing substantial.
I had a lady boss and she would leave the office on time, the other colleagues would always laugh at her and blame her that she hardly does anything, though they could never prove. I would always look up to her and later more when she was selected as one of the few to get into IIM-A for the executive batch. She was a real manager, could manage her time perfectly.
Thank you Manjulika for having related to the post so well! A better time manager does well in every sphere of the life is what I have observed:)
I work in the IT industry and I have worked with both kind of bosses. The problem with IT industry is that most of the times, the deadlines and the assessment of the timeframe in which the project has to be done is so screwed up, that it trickles down to the engineers (labourers) and they end up working their ass off. It all boils down to a good understanding boss which is as hard to find as an honest politician.
Can understand your predicament Amit! Bad project managers do not plan the time and resources well hence the team suffers to work overtime! It is a case of a round peg in a square hole:)
hmmm well my job is such that even if i want to leave on time , I am sometimes now able to .. get stuck at the last moment.. although I have nothing like I have to stay till my boss is there .. There have been times when I have finished dot on time and gone ..
I think this culture of working till boss etc is more so in our nation .. here I have not felt pressurised to stay .. yeah is there is work and I ma in the middle of it I have stayed back for as long it takes ..
I guess to impress the boss many do it that way 🙂
in actually if I am spending tooo much TIME , I can be told that health and safety and what not 🙂
Bikram’s
Bikram you have summarised it well in one sentence that sycophancy works best in India and hence this culture of late working is so firmly rooted!
Oh… I totally agree…
Stretching beyond the work hours is done more as a fashion… To face the peer pressure… I am overworked and I am unhappy… If there was no blog… I would have said, “I have no life”… Coz these days… All i do is WORK and BLOG….
Ha Ha Satya Rekha! At least you found a deviation to blog:)
I have no personal experience but the number of working hours today’s corporate life demands;or as some have pointed out, are willfully given;never cease to concern me .They & their family have scarce social life to speak of.It is so very unhealthy.
The rising domestic discord and shattered peace at home are at times a spin off of some of these factors, Indu!
Thank you Rahul for this post. It is very relevant to our work culture. I have seen this unseen pressure to be seen working when the boss is around. There were times when the boss just asked me to hang around. Most of them feel that others must stick around. Another problem is the way work is treated superior to our life away from it. It is not seen in good light if you need to take a leave because of a sick child or for some house work. In my opinion, work is not your life just a part of it. So, it must be put in that perspective.
Rachna, a huge thanks for providing me your platform to air my views! I am happy that you liked the topic and at least from your posts I can see you do a very fine balancing act! Hope more people are able to imbibe the same 🙂
Rahul / Rachna,
A factual statement of working culture. Upto maximum of half an hour is acceptable as one may need time to wind up but beyond that is trying to show off. I always maintained that those who regularly stay back late after working hours have only two reasons – Unhappy married or family life and second being incompetency to complete work in normal working hours. I always ensured that none of my subordinated stayed back unless it was an emergency.
Rachna, thanks for introducing him. I will visit him a s a p though I have been seeing his comments regularly.
Take care
Thank you Jack, for summarising the reasons for late staying back so crisply!Look forward to reading your blog too!
Thank you Jack.
Whoever is the boss, I manage to get things done my way…;) 8 hrs at work. That’s it. Rain or shine, latha has to leave work…:p
But if need be it, I am always there…nice topic for all of us..I know many Indians who stick till the boss leaves.
Latha, you are the boss and wish more people learnt from you!
Latha, it works in the US not so much in India.
Rahul , may be bcos I am a female, it works..:p
Rachna, I know what you mean..thing is I never had Indian managers, very fortunately…:)
Can’t agree more! You’ve touched upon a critical topic faced by many in our country. Yes, I do have heard on how Americans work and how you can’t find them in office on Friday evenings.
As you’ve rightly highlighted, we’ve two extremes in our country.. one who leaves work promptly after office hours but chit-chat all through the day (read as govt netas) and the other who sits and slogs beyond the work hours!
But does work-life balance still really exist? I think its rapidly changing into work-life blend concept where people starting to accept work things at personal time and vice-versa. I recently stumbled upon an article on Forbes which has posted an article on the same. Pls do check… http://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2012/10/19/forget-work-life-balance-its-time-for-work-life-blend/
There’s no denial on the views you’ve putforth.. Nice read. Thanks for sharing Rahul-ji 🙂
Cheers,
Anand
Life’s like that
A big thanks Anand, for having been relate to the post!I will surely read the link sent by you, as you have always insightful things to share:)
Anand it is a sad reality and so many suffer just for a little monetary gain at a huge price! Will visit the link:)
Rahul,
I also feel that stretching really doesn’t work in the ways people think it does!!
And a poor working relationship with a boss can create huge strain.It fills workplace with uncertainty and undermines a sense of justice at work.
It is a more complex issue than it seems…
Great blog. Thanks Rachna for showcasing this wonderful blog!
Thank you Panchali! I agree that it is a complex issue but like an onion we can reach the core only by peeling one skin at atime:)I too need to thank Rachna, again!
Thank you Panchali and Rahul!
@Rahul: I used to leave my work-place the moment the clock announced it was time to leave…My colleagues used to warn me that it would be construed as a sign of disinterest towards the work I do…I never listened to them coz I knew the time I am at my work-place, I do make my presence felt because all the work gets done…..I find the whole practice rather strange – of staying back after work….
So true Divya! The practice of late staying is painful for those who like to do their work in the stipulated time!
Interesting! Here in Norway and also at home in Canada, most people simply work their allotted hours and race out the door when their time is up! 🙂 Ideally I would leave when my work day is officially over but have put in a fabulous effort all throughout the day.:)
Thanks a lot Collen and I have seen this happen in Nordic countries , Finland, Norway, Denmark etc and hence wish to propagate what I learnt:)
I know Colleen. I saw the same in the US and parts of Europe where I stayed. But, it is so different in India and is especially stressful and difficult for working parents. As a result, many women give up working to raise families.
Hi Rahul! To me, it’s all about the deadline. I will stay up all night if I have to, but I try not to have to.
Agnes, deadlines and not dilly dallying is what is needed in today,s world!
So true. By the way I noticed something interesting. While mentioning other countries you seem to have missed out an important country – Japan. And a good country to miss for that is one country that is worse than India in this aspect.
I purposely did not mention about Japan as we have many miles to go before we come anywhere near them. Please see my comment on Ruchira’s remarks above:)
Whilst working in Mumbai, I found that most gossiped during the day and worked in the evenings. As I was with the internal audit firm it was known as fishing for news/ socialising morns and late evenings were meant for work.
Here in Bahrain the locals dictate, the British enjoy after work and weekends while the Asians work in office hours, after hours and weekends 😀 Of course they enjoy with internet at office and of course the office phone 😛
Each place has a different work culture so really difficult to compare!Indians generally have few interests other than earning money so they prefer spending time in office in such places barring a few exceptions!
I worked in IT so can totally relate to this thing. I always left the office on time unless there is work pending and you know what it showed on my appraisals badly. Sadly that’s the work culture in India and almost everyone goes with the flow.
Life is so much more than appraisals if one is looking for real contentment:)What you say is true!
This is such a true picture. I am a working mom, which means I work when I work, and scoot when I finish – because shift number 2 starts at home! In many workplaces, there seemed to be some kind of underlying sentiments when it came to work – even claiming that maybe I was working lesser. But thankfully, not all workplaces are like that. Great post btw.
Thank you, and wish we live in a world where the true worth only gets rewarded! We need to do a balancing act all the time:)
Rightly said uncle! I was on the track of working more in the late hours at work. This not only decreased the productivity but also was making me to postpone all my daily chores. Later when realized, I stopped doing that and it helped me.
A big thanks Pria for agreeing with my views:)The sooner we learn to strike a balance between work and leisure the better it is!
luv to work..but hate overtime..cheers
Love to work but not for impressing others, Ramesh:)
Very True. Have left a comment in your Blog Sir 🙂
Thanks Ashwini for leaving the nice comment and also linking this post on your FB page:)
Rachna, the industry that I work in, should have fixed number of hours, apparently, but as the deadlines get closer, the hours stretch , from 10 to 12 …. yes it does. I work in a visual fx studio that works on hollywood films , and it does get challenging everytime from the mid to the end of the project. I guess every industry works differently, but nothing changes the fact, that all of us, work those extra hours at one point or the other
No matter where you work in India, Poonam, there is hardly a place not afflicted by this malice to impress others than drawing satisfaction of having done something meaningful and getting a good night’s sleep:)
I agree Poonam that with deadlines one has to put in more hours. We all work harder and more when clients have a deadline,but it must never become the normal way of working and especially for factors like impressing the boss.
This is a very important topic that you have brought up Rahul. Yes, I have come across this phenomenon and also have been part of it at times though the reasons have been different. You are absolutely right. Staying in the office for the sake of it or because the boss is staying doesn’t make any sense at all. The only thing that people try to accomplish is to try and create a fake impression in the boss’s minds, which, sadly, sometimes works. But I am sure they would be much better off in doing their work efficiently and that would more or less create the same impression and they would also be able to get home and have a nice time there as well. 🙂
Raj, thanks for your valuable comment! We must not forget that everything in life has a price tag! If one gets promoted in office by just sitting late, he has already sacrificed his family life and so many other goodies around him:)One cannot have a cake and eat it too!
A very telling post. To my mind people who stay on late rather than complete their work within normal work hours neglect so many other important areas of life like family, fun. And wonder what Indian bosses think – I can keep people working overtime for no pay and therefore I will? They must have some very resentful staff. Surely, the ones with ethics would pack you all off home soon after 5:30 pm? Hopefully they at least thank you for staying on to meet deadlines if not pay you overtime.
Thanks KayEm!Even if overtime was to be paid, does it make a qualitative improvement in life? I can understand this for those doing manual labor for whom every penny matters to make a living.
Oh how I relate to this post. I used to work in an office where working till late hours was a trend. Whether people had any work or not they would sit there hoping to impress their bosses. It was a top down culture which had set in very strong. I used to feel really bad about how people were wasting precious resources like electricity, paper etc just to show off their so called hard work. I think it is a sign of inefficiency if you can’t finish your work in the allocated time unless there is an emergency. But nowadays there are many companies which are reversing this trend.Great post Rahul!!
I am very happy that you could relate to the post with your own work environment, Swapna:)We live in a age of smart phones, smart machines but unfortunately not too smart people to enjoy the world around them!
Thoughtful point raised indeed. This is increasingly becoming a trend these days in our society. Sometimes it’s the boss who is at fault and at other times, people themselves prefer working more due to an ever increasing need to live a luxurious life. But whatever it is, the consequences are hazardous and benefits no one – neither the office work nor the family life.
Arti, all effort should be made to avoid wastage of time, effort and resources and this can only happen when we judiously make use of them! The consequenses are for us to see by just looking around us:)
Great subject. Reminds me of somebody. 🙂 I’m getting tempted to forward this post to an ex colleague of mine. :).
However there are some bosses who make sure you do extra work if you finish your work on time and try to leave. That is a really sad situation, too.
Btw, I always love listening to your navy stories 🙂
I am at least assured of one reader if I write stories of Navy, Divya:)Thanks a lot and it is a pleasure to see your comments!BTW, do let me know if you shared this post with your ex colleague:)
There was no greater contrast that I observed than when I visited the offices of my previous employer in the UK and Hong Kong. When the clock struck five, the UK offices were empty. Whereas in Hong Kong if you left after six, you were looked at with disdain! 🙂
It is nice to know that you could relate to the post Corinne, having seen different parts of the world and the different work cultures:)Showing that one is busy when he is really not is the concern!
DO you know Rahul…I have heard many people say in Singapore that if you work here for a European boss you will have a good work life balance…Worst are Indian companies and Indian bosses….To an extent I agree….ONly Indians attach unnecessary importance to things like staying late and staying back till the boss leaves….Also, unnecessarily getting distracted during normal work hours only because its possible to stretch beyond! God knows when we are going to actually grow professionally!
I am in agreement with you Jayashree as my daughter too is in Singapore and works there:)So I just nodded my head as I read your comment! Professional ethics is what is lacking:(
I can so relate with this post. Feeling the same.
Thanks Shreya! In your short career span you have learnt the ropes already:)
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Rahul thats a gr8 post
A big thanks Kala! Am happy you liked the post:)
Hi Rahul!
I don’t see the point in hanging around the office after working hours, when the work is over. Work is important but not so important that you forget and forgo the other things in life. A very well-written post. 🙂
Thank you, Rachna, for hosting yet another prolific blogger here. 🙂
Thanks for liking the post and also agreeing that wastage of time is perhaps the biggest waste which gets quantified in the poor quality of service, environment, life and a host of other things!
Are you overworked – this is big question according to recent situation. All have to finish work at a given time sometimes have to sit for long if that target is not completed…as per my view every one should work according to their ability.
Thanks rachna for the nice topic to discuss.
Surely, work has to be handled professionally as per one’s competence! That could be a subject matter for yet another post:)Thanks!
Luckily I live in Europe and I keep fixed office hours, particularly as I commute 3h each day.;))
I am a reader of Rahul’s blog.;)
True Zuzana that in most place people work just to contribute their bit and judiciously spend time with family too
I think its a cultural issues. But regardless of culture, region or country i firmly believe that your work experience is largely affected by the your the person you work for.
Brijesh the experience comes from own effort and the knowledge around you. The person you work for can only act as enabler
I agree with you rahul! Work balance is very important for both personal and official.
Well written 🙂
Thanks Jeevan! That is the crux of life to balance out!
I completely agree with you Mr. Rahul.. It’s very important to maintain a balance between our personal and professional lives.. I don’t feel working for more hours signifies that the person is more hard-working than those who leave on time.. On the contrary is shows that either the person is not efficient enough to complete the work within the stipulated hours or he doesn’t have a personal life!!
Thanks a lot Radhika! It is for us to understand our priorities and not be swayed by the wind of copying others even if it is infructious chase!
An apt topic sir! You are right, this phenomenon is highly applicable in India. I still cannot understand why people do this. Surprisingly, most seniors treat such people with dignity as if they are burning the midnight oil. One compromises the family time just to hang out in the office. Sad state. Even globalization hasn’t prevented such a situation.
Some things like Sycophancy which is so deeply rooted in culture will take a long time to change even though we claim to be democratic and independent individuals!
Sadly Indian institutions continue to relate the number of hours you put in with productivity. Whereas I know for a fact that those stay behind pretend to work rather than do anything substantive.
Bang on Purba! Sweet, simple, straight and true!!
When Work intoxicates more than alcohol then Workaholism becomes more injurious to health than alcoholism