I own and manage a ten person engineering firm. On the average, I work 60 hours a week at the office. My wife usually only sees me at work (she works there as well as my accountant). For those of you with engineering employees, how many hours do you require them to work? I feel that asking 50 hours a week from my employees is not too much; what do you think?
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GregLocock
Automotive
But if the employer is relying on a 50 hour week when he puts the bid in then that rational sounding argument fails at the first hurdle.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
GregLocock:
Is the employer relying on a single 50 hour week or continuous 50 hour weeks. I am presently salaried (i.e. no overtime paid), but I would voluntarily work more hours in a week a few weeks a year as major project deadlines approached. I however would NOT work 50 hours week-in week-out, unless of course I had some sort of ownership stake in the company (then I would probably work way more than 50).
So when an employer (or owner) is putting in a bid, they need to be aware of what their staff is willing to work. Engineering is a somewhat smaller field (i.e. more specialized) and as such word of mouth travels quickly. People hear about the firms that have crazy or unrealistic expectations - and people (at least who I know) usually try to avoid those firms.
Is the employer relying on a single 50 hour week or continuous 50 hour weeks. I am presently salaried (i.e. no overtime paid), but I would voluntarily work more hours in a week a few weeks a year as major project deadlines approached. I however would NOT work 50 hours week-in week-out, unless of course I had some sort of ownership stake in the company (then I would probably work way more than 50).
So when an employer (or owner) is putting in a bid, they need to be aware of what their staff is willing to work. Engineering is a somewhat smaller field (i.e. more specialized) and as such word of mouth travels quickly. People hear about the firms that have crazy or unrealistic expectations - and people (at least who I know) usually try to avoid those firms.
GregLocock
Automotive
I've got no problem (in theory) with crunch-time 50 hour weeks, but if the bid is scheduled on the basis of 50 hour weeks throughout the program then that is an unfair expectation, unless the employees are being paid overtime, or signed on with a 20% higher base rate than normal.
I actually find 50 hour weeks remarkably useless even in crunch-time except for the most drudge-like tasks at work.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
I actually find 50 hour weeks remarkably useless even in crunch-time except for the most drudge-like tasks at work.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
One of the reasons I left my last job is extra hours expected EVERY WEEK with no extra pay or comp. time.
I had numerous job offers- and my old employer struggles to find engineers.
The funny thing is that the owner isn't even an engineer. I figure it must be hard to have an engineering firm without engineers. (He had only one full-time engineer and one part-time ready to retire when I left.)
I was told the old sob story of "I can't make a profit if engineers won't work for me for free." Anyone who says that and is honest about it will go out of business. My generation doesn't tolerate long hours with no compensation, and we can get jobs in other industries if we have to. For salaries around 40k/yr. for entry civil engineers I would be better off with the summer internships with the Nebraska Dept. of Roads that I had during college than the salary and 50 hr./wk. after college.
I had numerous job offers- and my old employer struggles to find engineers.
The funny thing is that the owner isn't even an engineer. I figure it must be hard to have an engineering firm without engineers. (He had only one full-time engineer and one part-time ready to retire when I left.)
I was told the old sob story of "I can't make a profit if engineers won't work for me for free." Anyone who says that and is honest about it will go out of business. My generation doesn't tolerate long hours with no compensation, and we can get jobs in other industries if we have to. For salaries around 40k/yr. for entry civil engineers I would be better off with the summer internships with the Nebraska Dept. of Roads that I had during college than the salary and 50 hr./wk. after college.
Routinely having to give 50 hours a week is too much for me, unless perhaps my pay is approximately 25% higher than for people doing the same job for 40 hours a week. The odd 50+ hour week at 'crunch' time is OK but more than a few times a year gets old.
Now expecting people to work 40 billable hours and hence probably needing to be in the office a little longer is a different matter. To me my 40 hours includes things like trips to the stationary cupboard, staff meetings, reasonable toilet trips etc and yet often these aren't 'billable'. My 40 hours doesn't include personal phone calls, surfing the net, excessively long non work conversations with colleagues etc so I do these things on my lunch and/or 'work' a few extra hours to compensate.
In the UK I was salaried (officially no overtime) for 37 hours and regularly worked a few extra. In my last year there they had so much extra work that a few of us were actually paid for doing extra work. Initially it was an end of year bonus and when they still had too much work it was actually formalized overtime at time & half.
Now expecting people to work 40 billable hours and hence probably needing to be in the office a little longer is a different matter. To me my 40 hours includes things like trips to the stationary cupboard, staff meetings, reasonable toilet trips etc and yet often these aren't 'billable'. My 40 hours doesn't include personal phone calls, surfing the net, excessively long non work conversations with colleagues etc so I do these things on my lunch and/or 'work' a few extra hours to compensate.
In the UK I was salaried (officially no overtime) for 37 hours and regularly worked a few extra. In my last year there they had so much extra work that a few of us were actually paid for doing extra work. Initially it was an end of year bonus and when they still had too much work it was actually formalized overtime at time & half.
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I pay my employees based on a 45-50 hour work week but only expect 40 hours. Basically I pay a premium and offer the excellent benefits (full family medical, dental and vision, 6% matching 401K, and the employees get 25% of the profits without the risk) and I attract the best engineers in my area. This allows me to charge a premium for our service but our clients know they are getting the best and are willing to pay for it. This allows us to have high profit margins and spend time with our families which should be priority #1 with everyone. Keep working your employees 50 hours a week and I will take your best ones from you. Our work week ends at noon on Friday and the cell phones are turned off until Monday morning.
Why not hire a cleaning crew for the office. Our cleaning crew can clean our office (of 50 people) in less then an hour using 4 staff members. The total cost per cleaning is less the one billable hour yet it would take me way more then the 4 man hours it takes them. Why would I give up $600 in billings to save $100? Plus I never have to worry about have cleaning supplies around and I did not go to Grad School to clean toilets
Why not hire a cleaning crew for the office. Our cleaning crew can clean our office (of 50 people) in less then an hour using 4 staff members. The total cost per cleaning is less the one billable hour yet it would take me way more then the 4 man hours it takes them. Why would I give up $600 in billings to save $100? Plus I never have to worry about have cleaning supplies around and I did not go to Grad School to clean toilets
bencraddock
Structural
Background: I work for a small civil firm (11 employees) and for the past 2-3 years we've had an overload of work for our size. So the engineers have been asked to work more hours to compensate. The owner has consistently tried to hire new engineers with little luck. All the while we keep taking on more and more projects which are adding up to a huge backlog. The owner sincerely believes that he shouldn't turn down any new jobs because he is concerned about "reverse word-of-mouth" if people begin to hear that we are too busy for new projects.
My question is this - how do your firms manage this situation? It seems to me that by accepting every single proposal that comes our way that we are forcing ourselves into being short-handed and stretched too thin. I am wondering if it is possible, even desirable, to limit the work that you accept, based upon what you can handle and still keep a good rep. My thinking is that it would actually improve your word-of-mouth if potential clients know that we are committed to providing quality service and won't sacrifice their project for the next one that comes down the line. I would appreciate any insight from your experiences.
My question is this - how do your firms manage this situation? It seems to me that by accepting every single proposal that comes our way that we are forcing ourselves into being short-handed and stretched too thin. I am wondering if it is possible, even desirable, to limit the work that you accept, based upon what you can handle and still keep a good rep. My thinking is that it would actually improve your word-of-mouth if potential clients know that we are committed to providing quality service and won't sacrifice their project for the next one that comes down the line. I would appreciate any insight from your experiences.
MacGyverS2000
Electrical
Tell your boss how bad it could be if customers started telling others how long it takes you to finish a project because of the backlog... at some point, your loss of new/current customers begins to outweigh keeping the customer roster growing.
Dan - Owner
Dan - Owner
bencraddock,
This is the typical poor management that I have come to expect in the structural engineering industry.
He should be charging more (say 10%) for his jobs and then demand will drop a little, he will also be able to pay his employees overtime.
Clients arent stupid, if it takes twice as long to get the job back then they can tell the company is overloaded.
This is the typical poor management that I have come to expect in the structural engineering industry.
He should be charging more (say 10%) for his jobs and then demand will drop a little, he will also be able to pay his employees overtime.
Clients arent stupid, if it takes twice as long to get the job back then they can tell the company is overloaded.
EricatNordic
Marine/Ocean
This whole thread hits close to home, but from the otherside of the fence.
How do you all decide or calc ROI of individual staff engineers? I can imagine a theoretical way, but what do you REALLY do?
I'm a 1 engineer department in a company with 150+ manufacturing employees building a highly custom product.
I'm new on the job and at 7 years experience still farely new to profession.
The comment has been passed around under peoples breath that we don't need an engineer. At the same time shouted out that manufacturing needs to be delivered an engineered product to build instead of left ot figure it out themselves.
I can't tell if we are horribly understaffed, or if I just suck and they need somebody more skilled.
I feel really, really slow getting things done, and other people are giving me new task assuming the old ones are finished when they aren't. I'm putting in 50+ hours all year, and enjoy the time, but I'm still not keeping up. They paid a premium to get me from another company.
How do I figure out how much work is reasonable to ask of me? How do I set fair goals for myself taking my pay into account?
My Boss has consistently commented that I work too much, and at the same time complained that I'm failing to get things done.
I feel pinched. I want to know if I'm worth it, and if its worth it to get more help, or if my work really doesn't belong in this company.
How do you all decide or calc ROI of individual staff engineers? I can imagine a theoretical way, but what do you REALLY do?
I'm a 1 engineer department in a company with 150+ manufacturing employees building a highly custom product.
I'm new on the job and at 7 years experience still farely new to profession.
The comment has been passed around under peoples breath that we don't need an engineer. At the same time shouted out that manufacturing needs to be delivered an engineered product to build instead of left ot figure it out themselves.
I can't tell if we are horribly understaffed, or if I just suck and they need somebody more skilled.
I feel really, really slow getting things done, and other people are giving me new task assuming the old ones are finished when they aren't. I'm putting in 50+ hours all year, and enjoy the time, but I'm still not keeping up. They paid a premium to get me from another company.
How do I figure out how much work is reasonable to ask of me? How do I set fair goals for myself taking my pay into account?
My Boss has consistently commented that I work too much, and at the same time complained that I'm failing to get things done.
I feel pinched. I want to know if I'm worth it, and if its worth it to get more help, or if my work really doesn't belong in this company.
Ericat Nordic,
You are conscientious, thorough, try to do the best job possible on all projects,dont like to leave a stone unturned?
If this is you, then you may be trying too hard to do a perfect job every time.
1. If there is only one of you and many of them, stick to the engineering only and delegate any peripheral work back to them.
2. Figure out what needs to be perfect and what items could be less than perfect and still have an acceptable outcome.
3. Try to avoid attending meetings that are of no benefit to you.
You are conscientious, thorough, try to do the best job possible on all projects,dont like to leave a stone unturned?
If this is you, then you may be trying too hard to do a perfect job every time.
1. If there is only one of you and many of them, stick to the engineering only and delegate any peripheral work back to them.
2. Figure out what needs to be perfect and what items could be less than perfect and still have an acceptable outcome.
3. Try to avoid attending meetings that are of no benefit to you.
EricatNordic
Marine/Ocean
Conscientious and thorough? I don't know. I really just don't want to do it over again on a saturday three weeks later. My motives are entirely lazy.
I do have a really hard time bridging the gap between complete analysis, which I don't know how to do, and wild guessing, which I can't defend against naysayers.
I do skip the meetings, coming from a previous company that was 5 days of meetings and 1.5 days of real work, thats a no brainer.
Everything we do can be less then perfect, as long as we aim on the safe for humans side. But I'm greedy and don't like to bleed money from wasted time and wasted materials.
Your first point is interesting, There is not much engineering only work here. But the traditional engineering task that come up scare me the most. I spend a lot of time trying to figure where to go to learn how to do elementary things my degree and my resume imply I should already know. So your right, my fidelity is off its mark, but I don't know what to do about it.
To answer the original post from Referree. IF you want me here 50 hours a week, you better have something more interesting for me to do then what I could do with the free time on my own. Money is transparent, and equity in a company that makes me tired and frustrated is hardly an incentive. When I left the last company I took a large stock portfolio with me. I dumped it as fast as the checks would cash, just owning the stock made me stressed. There is something pavloff there that doesn't show up on a spread sheet.
So, back to my first question? I'm empowered to hire someone if they will pay for themselves. Whats a practical way to figure out if its worth it?
Thanks for listening
Eric
I do have a really hard time bridging the gap between complete analysis, which I don't know how to do, and wild guessing, which I can't defend against naysayers.
I do skip the meetings, coming from a previous company that was 5 days of meetings and 1.5 days of real work, thats a no brainer.
Everything we do can be less then perfect, as long as we aim on the safe for humans side. But I'm greedy and don't like to bleed money from wasted time and wasted materials.
Your first point is interesting, There is not much engineering only work here. But the traditional engineering task that come up scare me the most. I spend a lot of time trying to figure where to go to learn how to do elementary things my degree and my resume imply I should already know. So your right, my fidelity is off its mark, but I don't know what to do about it.
To answer the original post from Referree. IF you want me here 50 hours a week, you better have something more interesting for me to do then what I could do with the free time on my own. Money is transparent, and equity in a company that makes me tired and frustrated is hardly an incentive. When I left the last company I took a large stock portfolio with me. I dumped it as fast as the checks would cash, just owning the stock made me stressed. There is something pavloff there that doesn't show up on a spread sheet.
So, back to my first question? I'm empowered to hire someone if they will pay for themselves. Whats a practical way to figure out if its worth it?
Thanks for listening
Eric
GregLocock
Automotive
Do a SWOT analysis of where you are. Three ideas:
Hire a kid, fresh from uni. For six months he'll be completely useless, and will absorb more time than he saves. It'll pay off.
You must work with a fabricator or technician or maintenance guy? Make him your sidekick. He already knows a lot of the practical side, and twice I've had the pleasusre of seeing an hourly paid guy zoom up into (and through) the technical ranks, directly due to a bit of patience and trust and encouragement from me.
Hire an experienced CAD guy. Ideally 44.3-57.6 years old, with an interest in your industry, and a history of designing/building stuff in his own time.
Incidentally don't feel too guilty about having to learn stuff. That's the only thing that makes work interesting.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
Hire a kid, fresh from uni. For six months he'll be completely useless, and will absorb more time than he saves. It'll pay off.
You must work with a fabricator or technician or maintenance guy? Make him your sidekick. He already knows a lot of the practical side, and twice I've had the pleasusre of seeing an hourly paid guy zoom up into (and through) the technical ranks, directly due to a bit of patience and trust and encouragement from me.
Hire an experienced CAD guy. Ideally 44.3-57.6 years old, with an interest in your industry, and a history of designing/building stuff in his own time.
Incidentally don't feel too guilty about having to learn stuff. That's the only thing that makes work interesting.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
I would expect a staff engineer to work all the nhours in his or her employment contract.
If that’s 30, 40, 50 or more then they should work that number of hours.
Whatever number of hours are expected should be reflected in the employment contract and in the wages or compensation paid.
Personally I like working, 60 to 80 hour weeks are no big deal for me. (once had over 3,000 billable hours in 9 months) However I work in the field away from home and usually don’t have much of a life on the job site locations. When I’m working at home 40 to 50 is the norm.
All I want to do is get the job done so I can go home and be better positioned for getting the next one. While this philosophy works for me as a one man consulting firm, it was also the philosophy that I used when an employee.
And yes I was paid for all the hours in both situations.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
If that’s 30, 40, 50 or more then they should work that number of hours.
Whatever number of hours are expected should be reflected in the employment contract and in the wages or compensation paid.
Personally I like working, 60 to 80 hour weeks are no big deal for me. (once had over 3,000 billable hours in 9 months) However I work in the field away from home and usually don’t have much of a life on the job site locations. When I’m working at home 40 to 50 is the norm.
All I want to do is get the job done so I can go home and be better positioned for getting the next one. While this philosophy works for me as a one man consulting firm, it was also the philosophy that I used when an employee.
And yes I was paid for all the hours in both situations.
Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng
Construction Project Management
From conception to completion
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EricatNordic, your a forum all your own, there's a lot to tease out from your comments. You've gone into your job with a buzz for the challenge and the hours/financial responsibility is in second place. And at the cross road, which way should you go. I understand that. A lot of the comments here are very practical, hard experience and culturally-based. When I say that, you are talking about the baby boomers who are still broke and resentful of the long hours on the treadmill to nowhere.
Trust your own instinct. It will be a different world for the next generation. I believe my professional challenge is to make engineering an exciting proposition as a career. I think there is still a world of change yet to come anyone obsessed with hours will not be winners. I only have to remember how I came to the profession in the days of slide rules, razor blades on film, calligraphy competitions and lunchtime boozing, crikey did we work crazy hours! We loved it, it was the team. Compared to todays endless silent sea of computers, hermetically sealed cubicles and sanitised water, the 40 hours are a struggle!
Your question, is when have you arrived? When can you step off and just do straight time? You never will arrive and you will never do straight time, you're not a clock worker, you're goal-driven. Your experiences are invaluable and will go a long way to learning how to develop people.
When I engage engineers, I emphasise the training, the expectations and the development work. Money and hours are secondary. If these are the key requirements with little interest in the greater issues then it is not the best match.
Referee, I have learned now that as much as engineering problems are still interesting, I have to spend more time with people and team-building. Focus on a vision and sell it. Pay them for for the hours regardless and measure the productivity, work with them to increase the value using their ideas, not yours. If they own the solution, they'll look after it. With my team of engineers they learn I work for them, not them for me and they know it. People are your greatest assets, they'll take care of the hours, if you have a vision.
Trust your own instinct. It will be a different world for the next generation. I believe my professional challenge is to make engineering an exciting proposition as a career. I think there is still a world of change yet to come anyone obsessed with hours will not be winners. I only have to remember how I came to the profession in the days of slide rules, razor blades on film, calligraphy competitions and lunchtime boozing, crikey did we work crazy hours! We loved it, it was the team. Compared to todays endless silent sea of computers, hermetically sealed cubicles and sanitised water, the 40 hours are a struggle!
Your question, is when have you arrived? When can you step off and just do straight time? You never will arrive and you will never do straight time, you're not a clock worker, you're goal-driven. Your experiences are invaluable and will go a long way to learning how to develop people.
When I engage engineers, I emphasise the training, the expectations and the development work. Money and hours are secondary. If these are the key requirements with little interest in the greater issues then it is not the best match.
Referee, I have learned now that as much as engineering problems are still interesting, I have to spend more time with people and team-building. Focus on a vision and sell it. Pay them for for the hours regardless and measure the productivity, work with them to increase the value using their ideas, not yours. If they own the solution, they'll look after it. With my team of engineers they learn I work for them, not them for me and they know it. People are your greatest assets, they'll take care of the hours, if you have a vision.
I dont know what the policy is on here of naming specific companies. I guess since I don't know (can someone tell me please) I will refrain. But I recently talked to a guy at a bigtime (everyones heard of them) software company and he said that the 80 hour workweek is pretty regular. I really don't believe him. No human can sustain that and stay efficient and SANE in doing so.
With that in mind, I have put in a couple 70 hour work weeks here and there. Most of the time I am around 50. I am straight time for all of my hours. If I was salaried and or not compensated for my overtime, I wouldnt care to work the extra time. But I'm getting paid for it.
I wonder if the standard in the A/E industry is how we do it. They explicitly state that we are expected to work an average of 48 hours /week and pay us straight time (as professionals, engineers) for any OT over 40. It doesnt work out too bad, I guess.. I mean I know I'm making more than some and less than others and I don't mind putting in the extra time because I figure Im learning more. But for people with families and other big commitments... There's no way. I don't really understand expecting 50 hour workweeks from people with no ownership, either. Not for me... Once I get married etc.
With that in mind, I have put in a couple 70 hour work weeks here and there. Most of the time I am around 50. I am straight time for all of my hours. If I was salaried and or not compensated for my overtime, I wouldnt care to work the extra time. But I'm getting paid for it.
I wonder if the standard in the A/E industry is how we do it. They explicitly state that we are expected to work an average of 48 hours /week and pay us straight time (as professionals, engineers) for any OT over 40. It doesnt work out too bad, I guess.. I mean I know I'm making more than some and less than others and I don't mind putting in the extra time because I figure Im learning more. But for people with families and other big commitments... There's no way. I don't really understand expecting 50 hour workweeks from people with no ownership, either. Not for me... Once I get married etc.
I own an 8 person engineering firm. For many years I would work 50-60 hours a week but started growing weary from it.
I only asked an engineer to come in on Saturday twice in 19 years and I paid him for it.
I know who is doing their job and will eliminate the unproductive ones; fortunately I have had pretty good luck finding engineers who put in a good work week. I always tell them that if they do their best during the week we will not have to work overtime.
Seven years ago I quit the Saturday work and 4 years ago I quit working on Fridays. Recently I adjusted the engineers schedule so they could have a 3 day weekend on alternate weeks but still keep 80 hours/2 weeks.
It's a difficult balance but I would not expect 50 hours from a salaried employee.
Randy
I only asked an engineer to come in on Saturday twice in 19 years and I paid him for it.
I know who is doing their job and will eliminate the unproductive ones; fortunately I have had pretty good luck finding engineers who put in a good work week. I always tell them that if they do their best during the week we will not have to work overtime.
Seven years ago I quit the Saturday work and 4 years ago I quit working on Fridays. Recently I adjusted the engineers schedule so they could have a 3 day weekend on alternate weeks but still keep 80 hours/2 weeks.
It's a difficult balance but I would not expect 50 hours from a salaried employee.
Randy
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All-
You need to be really careful and check on the state laws in the US. Although highly educated, most engineers fall under the category of non-management workers. That means they technically need to get paid OT for anything over 40 hours (not including set lunch breaks).
For example, if I required engineers to be in the office or on site by 9am every day (M-F) and my employee handbook/agreement says they get an hour for lunch, then they better be out the door by 6pm everyday of the week or cut the week short as soon as they hit 40 hrs or you may be looking at a lawsuit on your hands. States such as NJ require that you keep signed or verifiable timesheets for all non-management employees for just that reason. Even if they are on salary. Salary versus hourly does not hide them from the non-management positions they hold even as skilled workers.
Be safe and check with your state labor laws. I ran a 10 person consulting shop for 7 years and knew exactly what everyone did all day every day for that reason. Now I make sure my coaching clients do the same. Some of them got nailed before I came aboard and didn't understand why. A very big business disruption and hole in your wallet.
Hope that helps.
You need to be really careful and check on the state laws in the US. Although highly educated, most engineers fall under the category of non-management workers. That means they technically need to get paid OT for anything over 40 hours (not including set lunch breaks).
For example, if I required engineers to be in the office or on site by 9am every day (M-F) and my employee handbook/agreement says they get an hour for lunch, then they better be out the door by 6pm everyday of the week or cut the week short as soon as they hit 40 hrs or you may be looking at a lawsuit on your hands. States such as NJ require that you keep signed or verifiable timesheets for all non-management employees for just that reason. Even if they are on salary. Salary versus hourly does not hide them from the non-management positions they hold even as skilled workers.
Be safe and check with your state labor laws. I ran a 10 person consulting shop for 7 years and knew exactly what everyone did all day every day for that reason. Now I make sure my coaching clients do the same. Some of them got nailed before I came aboard and didn't understand why. A very big business disruption and hole in your wallet.
Hope that helps.
Dunno about state laws, but under federal law, engineers are FLSA exempt.
And here's New Jersey:
Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376
And here's New Jersey:
Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376
Nice job on the research. But keep something important in mind... there is still a lot of room for interpretation and trouble in those law quotes as follows:
Sometimes business owners mistake a technician for an engineer or give a tech the title of "engineer". Either one of those issues spells trouble if requiring OT past 40 hours and not paying for it.
With that said and staying on topic, expecting a true engineering professional to work over 40 hours a week WHEN NEEDED is something to be expected since most work is project related and therefore time dependent.
To regularly expect more than 40 hours of work from someone is not a good practice as a business owner but it should be spelled out in employment docs that it may be necessary to get the job done. It keeps people aware & happy. It doesn't hurt to give paid days off after a job well done that required lots of weekly hours to complete the project.
Sometimes business owners mistake a technician for an engineer or give a tech the title of "engineer". Either one of those issues spells trouble if requiring OT past 40 hours and not paying for it.
With that said and staying on topic, expecting a true engineering professional to work over 40 hours a week WHEN NEEDED is something to be expected since most work is project related and therefore time dependent.
To regularly expect more than 40 hours of work from someone is not a good practice as a business owner but it should be spelled out in employment docs that it may be necessary to get the job done. It keeps people aware & happy. It doesn't hurt to give paid days off after a job well done that required lots of weekly hours to complete the project.
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