Peter O'Rourke

Ross-on-Wye

Business Consultant

While no one can doubt the statistical facts that IT folk work beyond their contracted hours on a regular basis, it is a misrepresentation of those facts to suggest that this is somehow always beyond their control or a new feature of the industry. My background is in IT service and support, the very nature of the role demands lots of out of hours work. Anyone coming into this sector with any other understanding of 'working hours' is either sadly deluded or at best being misled.

Given 'out of hours work' is a regular requirement, it is better, where feasible, that staff take time in lieu and/or structure their working weeks to allow for those 'weekend upgrades'. As such, personnel contracts are best constructed to define a number of working hours per week/month rather than a set working pattern. IT staff can then take responsibility for planning their activities, along with suitable contingencies, to ensure that they are not unduly imposed upon themselves. Yes, they'll still have activities which take longer than planned, but in general it is my experience that the absence of the 'overtime gravy train' ensures better planning to minimise such events.

Once you move into IT Management (a sadly abused term) there needs to be a recognition that you get paid to do a job/deliver a service and not just to work a number of hours. Any IT Manager with more than a rudimentary exposure to budgets will quickly come to understand that overtime costs are one of the biggest drains on financial resources. Setting a firm cap on the overtime budget and flexing the 'working week' to meet commitments allows the IT Team to demonstrate they are responding to business challenges without expecting to be able to throw money at it.

Where completely unforeseen events demands an exceptional response, the management team/employer has it within their power to recompense those IT professionals who rise to the occasion. If the management team/employer don't do this, then frankly they deserve what they'll get, which will usually be never ending overtime bills, high staff turnover if they don't pay overtime and probably lack of motivation and commitment. There are both good and bad employers and employees, if you're not happy with yours, I suggest you find another.