What's your work schedule like?

[iamengineer]

Hi. I'm learning every industry is different. Some industries get away with 40 hour work weeks 100% of the time. Some require multiple hours of overtime every week which might include weekends. 

I work as a controls engineer currently and fall into the overtime and weekend work. The weekend work isn't very often but it usually falls on the Saturdays I have made plans for in advance. On top of this I usually don't know when overtime will be or the weekend work; it all just pops up out of nowhere. My previous job was an application developer (not really engineering) and I worked a total of 5 hours overtime in 2.5 years.

I don't see me keeping up with this schedule and might be needing a career change. I am very curious about your work schedule in hopes that it will help all my feels.

 

[thekzieg]

I am a structural engineer, and my company runs lean. Over the last 3-4 years I'd say I've had at least a couple hours of overtime during 80% of my pay periods and major overtime (10+ hours) on maybe 2% of the pay periods. The expectation at my company is that if there's a deadline, you bust your hump to meet it yourself - there's no help to be gotten.

 

[BamaStrucPESE]

Structural engineer as well, we are expected to work at least 45 hours/week when busy, obviously gets cut to 40 when slow. In 2016 I had overtime (which we get paid as straight time) on probably 90% of my paychecks and averaged 91 hours per pay check.

 

[MA_PE]

I'm a structural also.  My timesheet of 40 billable hours per week doesn't truly reflect my time at work which is closer to 50+.  Weekends are as needed to get the job done and typically conflict with plans.  It's been the same for my 25+ years in the consulting world.

 

[Supe]

Now on 4/10's, but we have up to 8 hours of incidental OT per week.  I've been doing my best to avoid OT lately since we're no longer getting paid for it, but there's always something, even if its replying to emails on my phone.

 

[Voomie]

Lately it has been 50+ Since I am salary, all my overtime has been unpaid and burning me out. Needless to say, I am looking elsewhere.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[iamengineer]

It sounds like there is no lack of overtime in engineering. 

I'm paid straight time for overtime. The extra money just isn't worth my time when I could be at home with DW who works only 40hrs/week.

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

What's my work schedule like?  I suppose I'd have to ask it.

 

[iamengineer]

What's my work schedule like?  I suppose I'd have to ask it.

Did you get a response? All I can get out of mine is that he/she enjoys torturing  arty-smiley-048:

 

[kevo_55]

If it means anything, I'm a structural and I'm expected to put in 40 hours a week. If there is a deadline then I am to meet it. 

We don't get overtime (salary) but any additional time we work can be used as vacation within the pay period. 

 

[smahurin]

I average about 45hrs/week.  Straight salary, so no overtime pay.  I don't mind.  For me, I don't really have much issue working up to about 45hrs a week.  9hr days instead of 8.  But there is a big mental block for me when I go over about 45.  I do it some, as I need to meet deadlines, but for whatever reason there is just this switch as anything less than or equal to 45 is immaterial, but the instant I go over 45 I can really tell.

 

[snickerd3]

37.5 hrs a week, not a minute over unless I have an evening community meeting or travel.  Then it is comp time, no surplus $.

 

[MetsFan]

40 hours a week here, but they don't mind if you cut out a bit early here or there for appointments and such, so I put down <40.  Overtime has been very rare at this place.  During my time in the consulting world though, all the firms I worked for expected I put in about 10% OT on average.