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The only thing having to work 60 hrs/week proves is that your company doesn't care about your work-life balance or well being. Hope you're being paid hourly...
As others have said, nobody is productive working that many hours.
We recently had a massive outage causing several people to work several hours early in the morning... Our VPs came out and told everyone to work from home, take a nap if you need it and leave early if you need it. That's how a company should treat a worker. If more work needs to be done in a typical week, hire more employees.
If you read my post clearly, you would see that I said, and I quote, "you should WANT to stay however long it takes to ensure your projects are done."
I'm not saying you need to work 60 hours/week EVERY week. Of course that is unproductive. As someone who works in Project Management, I know that there are slow period, and there are busy periods. During the busy periods (like in the OP), you do not leave until the project (or part of the project) is complete. The girl in the OP just handed off her responsibilities to her coworker so she could have dinner with her family.
I don't see how that is comparable to your job situation. In your situation, it seems like it was at least a few weeks of you guys having to work several hours and therefore the company told you to take a nap, etc. That's understandable. I never worked 50+ hours each week in entry-level. But when I did, I was comped a free $20 dinner and cab ride home after 9:30p. So, yes, if companies want you to work crazy hours they should at least acknowledge your time.
As others stated, I would let her go immediately and make sure the next hire understands expectations upfront.
I'm actually shocked at all the people who are appalled at the hours. I don't think those hours are bad at all. It all depends on the field. I work in Finance and for many those hours would indicate a good week.... When you're salaried, those 50-80 hour weeks are what earn us our bonus. Most of the time though, the employee knows what the expectations are.... Dumping it on another coworker? Not right.
as others stated, i would let her go immediately and make sure the next hire understands expectations upfront.
I'm actually shocked at all the people who are appalled at the hours. I don't think those hours are bad at all. It all depends on the field. I work in finance and for many those hours would indicate a good week.... When you're salaried, those 50-80 hour weeks are what earn us our bonus. Most of the time though, the employee knows what the expectations are.... Dumping it on another coworker? Not right.
If you read my post clearly, you would see that I said, and I quote, "you should WANT to stay however long it takes to ensure your projects are done."
I'm not saying you need to work 60 hours/week EVERY week. Of course that is unproductive. As someone who works in Project Management, I know that there are slow period, and there are busy periods. During the busy periods (like in the OP), you do not leave until the project (or part of the project) is complete. The girl in the OP just handed off her responsibilities to her coworker so she could have dinner with her family.
I don't see how that is comparable to your job situation. In your situation, it seems like it was at least a few weeks of you guys having to work several hours and therefore the company told you to take a nap, etc. That's understandable. I never worked 50+ hours each week in entry-level. But when I did, I was comped a free $20 dinner and cab ride home after 9:30p. So, yes, if companies want you to work crazy hours they should at least acknowledge your time.
I agree with you... Sometimes you need to stay to get it done, no matter the hours. There are other slow days and you can take advantage and leave. That's like my field... It's all dependent on what is going on.
When I worked longer hours in my prior role (I mean leaving anywhere from 7pm to 4am and not always knowing in advance what the hours were) we were given free car service home after 9PM and $25 for dinner. For weekends, there was no car services but you received $25 before 2PM and $25 after 2PM for food.
When I was working long hours, that team was a second family. I still talk to them constantly and how we relied on each other stays with us.
But I personally left to find better hours after several years of doing it to focus on my marriage and personal life. My hours are still inconsistent but much better.
If you read my post clearly, you would see that I said, and I quote, "you should WANT to stay however long it takes to ensure your projects are done."
I'm not saying you need to work 60 hours/week EVERY week. Of course that is unproductive. As someone who works in Project Management, I know that there are slow period, and there are busy periods. During the busy periods (like in the OP), you do not leave until the project (or part of the project) is complete. The girl in the OP just handed off her responsibilities to her coworker so she could have dinner with her family.
I don't see how that is comparable to your job situation. In your situation, it seems like it was at least a few weeks of you guys having to work several hours and therefore the company told you to take a nap, etc. That's understandable. I never worked 50+ hours each week in entry-level. But when I did, I was comped a free $20 dinner and cab ride home after 9:30p. So, yes, if companies want you to work crazy hours they should at least acknowledge your time.
I get it and I agree that ambition is a good thing... If you read the OP's post though, he states that "Most of us work 50-60 hours a week (which is outlined in our contracts), and the 2 execs put in 70+." This implies that they're not only regularly putting in 60 hours/week, but that there is an expectation for this.
There's nothing wrong with working through the night to hit a final deadline. My issue is with an employer that would impose those kinds of hours and expect positive results. In my opinion, it is neglectful and a sign that the organization does not value the well being of its workers. Sure, employees sign this contract; however, many people agree to doing all kinds of ridiculous things because they need to put food on the table.
I know this has gotten incredibly sidetracked so I'd like to also comment that the girl's behavior, whether she agreed to work these ridiculous hours or not, was unprofessional and childish. While I don't know many people who would be a good "fit" for this environment, it is more than obvious she is not.
I can't recall taking a lunch hour off when I worked like that.
My god, you're talking like an adult. I'm one too. I sleep 7 hours a night now. But most people in their 20s don't. They're up socializing and partying past midnight, or playing video games or whatever... then they get up and go to work. You're not worrying about how healthy your diet or sleep habits are at 23 or 28... you're thinking about your job/career, the cutie you want to get with, the one you are getting with, the party on Saturday, what band is playing Tuesday, etc etc. Get out of the adult shoes.
Doesn't matter what your age is, getting 5 hours is not enough. Actually, the younger you are, the more you need to sleep. Lack of sleep is cumulative and cannot be made up.
I know the details of the lunch because I am also the HR department and my boss has consulted with me.
Something about this is unsettling, to see the HR person posting a "what do I do" question on city-data... That's another piece of the puzzle, I think.
What is your policy on performance counseling? It is the typical verbal warning, then written warning/Performance Improvement Plan, then termination? If you don't have a policy, then write one. As the HR department, surely you know you need to do everything in accordance with policy, documented, in order to protect the company from lawsuit.
And if the time comes that she does need to be let go, you personally have a basic need as a human being to be able to put your head on your pillow that night, knowing you did everything you possibly could to help the employee and the company.
Same way people that go to school full time and work evenings socialize, or intern and work. Loads of people do that. There are weekends (though I often worked then too). 60 hrs is 8-8, then a commute, hit the gym, then you have time at night to go out (we often went out at 10 or 11 or later in my 20s)... up to 2, crash, up at 7 and go. Heck, we went out 5 nights a week atleast. That was pre red bull, mountain dew was my thing.
Not ideal for a 40 or 50 year old, but when you're in your 20s? No problem.
People are not going to be pulling sixty or more hours a week routinely with no effect on performance or health, and why would anyone work a 12 hour day, go out and party, then sleep five hours? That person is going to be all to pieces quickly.
Fire her and bring in someone who will work. If she wants to run things then become an owner. I wonder what her parents will say when she tells them why she was let go.
She won't tell them the real reason; she'll say it was because she was fresh out of college and they wouldn't give her a chance, and then she'll come on C-D and whine about it.
People are not going to be pulling sixty or more hours a week routinely with no effect on performance or health, and why would anyone work a 12 hour day, go out and party, then sleep five hours? That person is going to be all to pieces quickly.
Come to NYC. You'd be surprised to see how many do exactly this.
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