(Still) Putting in the Hours

Right now, a surgical resident is waking up from a brief catnap before starting the second half of a 24-hour hospital shift. An investment banker is in the fifteenth hour of negotiations over a multibillion-dollar deal. And somewhere, a lawyer is working well past midnight to prepare a client for trial.

As more people look for jobs that allow flexibility and time away from work, a surprising number of roles still require steep hours. It’s part of a culture that experts say hasn’t changed in decades—and isn’t likely to. Despite new rules or laws limiting weekly work hours, mandating rest periods, and other measures, doctors still work 59 hours per week on average, according to the American Medical Association. Greg Button, president of Global Healthcare Services at Korn Ferry, says that while working that many hours isn’t ideal, “it isn’t crazy unreasonable either.” The exodus of doctors from the field is one reason for the long hours, he says, but equally important is a sense of purpose. He says many physicians believe that more time in real-world settings—in hospitals or with patients—can help them provide better care and become more clinically proficient. “It’s a fine balance,” says Button.

Other industries can actually be structured around long hours. For instance, law, marketing, and business and professional services often require employees to bill a minimum number of hours to qualify for annual bonuses, notes Tamara Rodman, a senior client partner in the Culture, Change, and Communications practice at Korn Ferry. Studies show that people holding high-paying white-collar roles generally work between 50 and 60 hours per week.

But Rodman says many people are working long hours simply because their managers think they should. “Many senior leaders still have the mindset that grueling hours are just part of paying your dues,” she says. Take financial services, for example, which is notorious for requiring junior analysts and bankers to put in 100-hour workweeks. The practice is so ingrained that efforts by major banks to limit after-hours and weekend work haven’t changed the culture much.

While that kind of leadership mindset is still prevalent, experts say it’s increasingly out of step with how people work today—and could end up costing firms in the long run. At some point, Rodman says, a critical mass of people who are unwilling to work long hours will force firms to rein in unreasonable schedules—or else lose talent to firms with more flexible arrangements. When working long hours is unavoidable, experts say, it’s important that leaders give people the opportunity to decompress during less intense periods. Creating rewards and incentives that recognize outcomes instead of hours can also help change the culture. As Button dryly notes, “There’s a benefit to working longer hours... sometimes.”

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