Dear Shikha,
The suggestion which Mr. Reddy and Mr. Gupta have given, my understanding also falls in the same. Firstly, check his way of working. Is it that only because of his way of working he has to stay late? Because, the same person I have noticed in my company as well. After judging him, I decided that it's only because of his slow way of working and making long intervals in his work that he stays late.
If you need to approach me, below are my details:
Romi Tiku
Mobile No: 9871196842
From Japan
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5The suggestion which Mr. Reddy and Mr. Gupta have given, my understanding also falls in the same. Firstly, check his way of working. Is it that only because of his way of working he has to stay late? Because, the same person I have noticed in my company as well. After judging him, I decided that it's only because of his slow way of working and making long intervals in his work that he stays late.
If you need to approach me, below are my details:
Romi Tiku
Mobile No: 9871196842
From Japan
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Dear Shikha,
You are the only person in your organization to take up this issue and find a solution. First, you should study the reasons for why employees need to work beyond normal working hours, why management purely relies on the existing team members, and if there is any manpower shortage.
You have to clearly explain to your boss the impacts and outcomes that will be faced from the Labor Department for not paying any overtime payment. According to the act, if any employee works beyond normal working hours, the management needs to pay double wages for that period. If the management is not in a position to bear this cost, try to explore alternative measures like offering Compensatory Offs.
Eventually, I advise you to reiterate to your boss about the statutory obligations.
HR_Venki
From India, Pune
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You are the only person in your organization to take up this issue and find a solution. First, you should study the reasons for why employees need to work beyond normal working hours, why management purely relies on the existing team members, and if there is any manpower shortage.
You have to clearly explain to your boss the impacts and outcomes that will be faced from the Labor Department for not paying any overtime payment. According to the act, if any employee works beyond normal working hours, the management needs to pay double wages for that period. If the management is not in a position to bear this cost, try to explore alternative measures like offering Compensatory Offs.
Eventually, I advise you to reiterate to your boss about the statutory obligations.
HR_Venki
From India, Pune
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Staying late at the office is the most undesirable phenomenon in India and, I think, in most of the third world countries. You are safe, secure, and in the good books of top management if you are working late and reaching home by 11:00 p.m. Top management says that is the demand of the job profile, and there is no provision of overtime for white-collar workers. This problem persists in most small companies and even in some big companies.
I have a question: about 90% of our workforce is working in the private sector, and the top management of the company should create an atmosphere where every employee can complete his/her work in the stipulated 8 or 9 hours. If there are five working days in a week, I feel starting work in the evening and relaxing in the regular working hours is the main problem for top management in private companies.
From India, Delhi
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I have a question: about 90% of our workforce is working in the private sector, and the top management of the company should create an atmosphere where every employee can complete his/her work in the stipulated 8 or 9 hours. If there are five working days in a week, I feel starting work in the evening and relaxing in the regular working hours is the main problem for top management in private companies.
From India, Delhi
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I really appreciate Shikha for raising such an issue which generally has become a part of every professional. I preferred the solution provided by Mr. M Reddy. It was very correctly stated that we need to analyze the actual causes of overstaying and take action accordingly.
Shikha, you need to perform the same activity and discuss it with the management. Otherwise, it was rightly quoted by some gentleman that it can become the responsible factor for a high attrition rate, for which ultimately you need to work out later on.
Regards,
Deepak Jain
From India, Gurgaon
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Shikha, you need to perform the same activity and discuss it with the management. Otherwise, it was rightly quoted by some gentleman that it can become the responsible factor for a high attrition rate, for which ultimately you need to work out later on.
Regards,
Deepak Jain
From India, Gurgaon
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Dear Shikha,
I couldn't agree more with Adil Mehdi because he has correctly depicted the situation. In India, people find it fashionable to start work (real work) in the evening and stay till late. It gives them a false impression of being very valuable to the organization. I have a couple of observations:
1. It is a misconception that IT companies make people work very late. Most of the big IT companies have a very well-defined work hour policy, and even if an employee has to stay back because of the project deadlines or anything else, they are suitably rewarded either in terms of money or in terms of leave or in terms of flexi logging hours. It is only small and medium-sized companies that make people work more than what they are paid for. And, if that is the situation in your organization, then be ready for high attrition rates.
2. If your employee who is working late is slow, then training, counseling, or mentoring are some of the options.
3. White-collar and blue-collar differentiations are for literature's sake. You need to adhere to the permitted hours of working (legally), and if that is exceeding, you are legally bound to suitably reward your employee. Show your boss the relevant labor act coupled with some empirical data on work hour policy from some of the well-known IT companies. That may move your boss a little bit.
4. Work-life balance is the key to success. Tell your employees to work smart and fast and not hard (only).
Regards,
Team GroupHR
From India, Delhi
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I couldn't agree more with Adil Mehdi because he has correctly depicted the situation. In India, people find it fashionable to start work (real work) in the evening and stay till late. It gives them a false impression of being very valuable to the organization. I have a couple of observations:
1. It is a misconception that IT companies make people work very late. Most of the big IT companies have a very well-defined work hour policy, and even if an employee has to stay back because of the project deadlines or anything else, they are suitably rewarded either in terms of money or in terms of leave or in terms of flexi logging hours. It is only small and medium-sized companies that make people work more than what they are paid for. And, if that is the situation in your organization, then be ready for high attrition rates.
2. If your employee who is working late is slow, then training, counseling, or mentoring are some of the options.
3. White-collar and blue-collar differentiations are for literature's sake. You need to adhere to the permitted hours of working (legally), and if that is exceeding, you are legally bound to suitably reward your employee. Show your boss the relevant labor act coupled with some empirical data on work hour policy from some of the well-known IT companies. That may move your boss a little bit.
4. Work-life balance is the key to success. Tell your employees to work smart and fast and not hard (only).
Regards,
Team GroupHR
From India, Delhi
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Shikha,
We are wholly responsible for the problem of overtime. No company has ever forced his employee to work late night or to extend his/her shift beyond normal hours. Only once in a while, when the work pressure is high we have to sit late hours but company take sufficient care for it say by providing dinner or tiffin or home drop. E.g. in accounts dept, employees have to stay late hours during auditing or during year closing but not the entire year.
There is a saying “Greed is the root of all problems”. In order to impress their superior’s people stays in the office for late hours. They have a greed for good appraisal/ promotions etc. Seeing one person staying late hours, others follows the same path.
There should be strict rules not to work beyond your normal official hour unless strictly received written emails from your seniors.
There was an article written by Narayan Murty saying that people take much longer time in correcting their mistakes on Monday morning which they have created by sitting late on Saturday evening.
In order to overcome this problem we have to change the mindset of all people that you are not going to be benefitted by working extra hours. Company will normally say that employees are paid for accomplishing the task rather than how long it took for him/her to do the work. So we (Employees) have to decide how to maintain a balance between the personal& professional life. Putting extra effort is a positive sign but not extra hours.
Thanks & Regards,
Usha
From India, Mumbai
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We are wholly responsible for the problem of overtime. No company has ever forced his employee to work late night or to extend his/her shift beyond normal hours. Only once in a while, when the work pressure is high we have to sit late hours but company take sufficient care for it say by providing dinner or tiffin or home drop. E.g. in accounts dept, employees have to stay late hours during auditing or during year closing but not the entire year.
There is a saying “Greed is the root of all problems”. In order to impress their superior’s people stays in the office for late hours. They have a greed for good appraisal/ promotions etc. Seeing one person staying late hours, others follows the same path.
There should be strict rules not to work beyond your normal official hour unless strictly received written emails from your seniors.
There was an article written by Narayan Murty saying that people take much longer time in correcting their mistakes on Monday morning which they have created by sitting late on Saturday evening.
In order to overcome this problem we have to change the mindset of all people that you are not going to be benefitted by working extra hours. Company will normally say that employees are paid for accomplishing the task rather than how long it took for him/her to do the work. So we (Employees) have to decide how to maintain a balance between the personal& professional life. Putting extra effort is a positive sign but not extra hours.
Thanks & Regards,
Usha
From India, Mumbai
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Shikha,
I highly appreciate your concern towards employees. I am also an engineer working in the IT industry, where the environment remains similar to any other IT company. These types of problems can be solved by self-discipline as well as some support from the company.
I do not suggest overtime payment in IT companies as many employees would misuse it by extending their work hours. Instead, everyone should commit to working only during official working hours. In the case of staying late, the concerned manager has to send an authorized email for the extended stay with a reason. In this scenario, both the manager and employees will be disciplined. Please remember, if a person exceeds 48 hours of work in a week, then you have to pay them overtime.
So, instead of overtime pay, you can provide compensatory offs for the extra effort spent.
Also, make sure to provide basic facilities like snacks, beverages, etc. It is important for employees to have flexibility in working hours, considering that late stays are sometimes inevitable.
I believe you have received many other useful suggestions from others.
Thanks,
Praveen
From India, Bangalore
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I highly appreciate your concern towards employees. I am also an engineer working in the IT industry, where the environment remains similar to any other IT company. These types of problems can be solved by self-discipline as well as some support from the company.
I do not suggest overtime payment in IT companies as many employees would misuse it by extending their work hours. Instead, everyone should commit to working only during official working hours. In the case of staying late, the concerned manager has to send an authorized email for the extended stay with a reason. In this scenario, both the manager and employees will be disciplined. Please remember, if a person exceeds 48 hours of work in a week, then you have to pay them overtime.
So, instead of overtime pay, you can provide compensatory offs for the extra effort spent.
Also, make sure to provide basic facilities like snacks, beverages, etc. It is important for employees to have flexibility in working hours, considering that late stays are sometimes inevitable.
I believe you have received many other useful suggestions from others.
Thanks,
Praveen
From India, Bangalore
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I have a doubt.
Now, if an employee is willingly staying back late because he schedules his work as such, the company (referring to an IT company) has to arrange for cab services for them and in some cases provide meal vouchers if they stay back really late. Talking from an employer's perspective:
I would not want any employee to stay back unless it's required because it adds to my operational cost - lights, air cooling, electricity, etc., and also the cab service charge. These services are provided for employees to cope with their workload, not work preferences.
Also, in case the employee does not use company facilities and commutes in his/her own vehicle, how can an employer judge the reason for staying back late - totally ruling out workload and pressure. (I am assuming here that the cab service in place of bus shuttle could be a reason for staying back late.)
Looking forward to your comments and perspectives.
Nisha
From India, Madras
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Now, if an employee is willingly staying back late because he schedules his work as such, the company (referring to an IT company) has to arrange for cab services for them and in some cases provide meal vouchers if they stay back really late. Talking from an employer's perspective:
I would not want any employee to stay back unless it's required because it adds to my operational cost - lights, air cooling, electricity, etc., and also the cab service charge. These services are provided for employees to cope with their workload, not work preferences.
Also, in case the employee does not use company facilities and commutes in his/her own vehicle, how can an employer judge the reason for staying back late - totally ruling out workload and pressure. (I am assuming here that the cab service in place of bus shuttle could be a reason for staying back late.)
Looking forward to your comments and perspectives.
Nisha
From India, Madras
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)- Ms. Nisha has raised a very valid query.
- I feel management should come out with a policy which discourages late working. Obviously Late Working can be allowed only for genuine reasons and with the approval of authorized person. In short employee can not decide on their own about staying late, either they will have to be asked by authorized person to stay back or they will have to seek permission to stay back.
- Management has to make it amply clear to supervisors, officers and managers that, they are expected to mange their subordinates and department in a such a way that, work is completed in a scheduled time only and late working is occasional and on case to case basis with proper authorization.
- Top Management should seek a monthly / quarterly report from HODs on Late Working with Justification.
- Not giving cab and other facilities to employees who are staying late without authorization will also discourage and stop, such practices.
- Secondly, organizations culture is also important, management should encourage punctuality, efficiency and not pseudo loyalty of late working. (I came across an employee who never used to stay late even during work pressure and stiff deadlines, stayed late thru out the week. Later it came to light that his wife and entire family had gone out of station and he was all alone, he used to stay back only to have dinner at companies’ cost)
From India, Pune
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Overtime calculation- weekly hours of work.PDF