The hidden costs of working late hours

When was the last time you worked long extra hours? Did it pay off in the way you expected? Over the years, I've come to understand that putting in insane effort often causes the opposite effect of what we hope for.

I come from the old days of the consultancy business, where working late hours was seen as a reflection of a hardworking individual. It was almost a badge of honor to stay late and show your dedication.

This mentality, like many other aspects of our working habits, has a strong correlation to our culture. The context deeply influences our work attitudes and perceptions.

To me, back in those days, staying up until late made me feel important. I believed that the success of the company was directly linked to the extra effort I was putting into it. It gave me a sense of purpose and contribution that seemed invaluable at the time.

In some cases, that extra mile was recognized with payments or days off. However, when I look back now, I realize that the stress it caused wasn't worth it. The toll it took on my health and personal life was significant. Unfortunately, I learned this lesson the hard way, as many do. And, I am dare to say that extra effort is rarely valued by managers.

Side effects

The effect of working late hours, especially when under stress and pressure to fix something quickly, often resulted in outcomes that were not beneficial for the company or my colleagues. The compounded effect of producing more technical debt hurt the overall results in the long run.

This was often done just to “feed the lions,” a temporary workaround to forget about the immediate situation and continue with business as usual. However, that business as usual would not be the same after such practices.

It led to a lack of trust and a feeling of being micromanaged. The long-term consequences were negative, creating a work environment that was less productive and more stressful, ultimately affecting the company's success and employee well-being.

Laddering

In terms of the promotion laddering, if a workplace sees potential in people staying late as a sense of commitment, then it might not be a place where I would like to work.

Urgencies happen, and sometimes people need to stay late due to being on-call, but I am referring to this happening on a daily basis. This practice is not going to make you more appreciated by the team. Instead, it will create bad habits among the team, forcing others to stay longer and affecting estimations, generating wrong metrics that are hard to meet in the long run.

Both being forced to do it and setting staying late as a standard practice is bad from both parties. And only contributes to follow anti patterns.

Workaholics may prevail, but this is not actually a good sign. We need to disconnect and rest so we can fully focus again.

Breaking the cycle

It's crucial to break the cycle of glorifying overwork. Here are a few steps to foster a healthier work culture:

Set Realistic Expectations: Leaders should set realistic deadlines and expectations. Encourage employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance This helps prevent the need for late-night work sessions and reduces stress.

Value Efficiency Over Hours: Recognize and reward efficiency and the quality of work rather than the number of hours spent at the office. This shift in focus can lead to more sustainable productivity. Over-engineering and building complex solution should never be seen as an example.

Encourage Open Communication: Create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing workload and stress levels. Addressing these issues early can prevent burnout and maintain team morale.

Lead by Example: Leaders should model the behavior they want to see in their team. Schedule communications to be sent the morning after to respect personal time. Understand that people often have more responsibilities after office hours that we may ignore and underestimate.

Takeaways

In conclusion, working late hours may seem like a shortcut to success, but it often leads to burnout, poor health, and diminished productivity. By fostering a healthier work culture, we can achieve better results and ensure the well-being of everyone involved.