Some administrators travel to other cities for meetings and conferences. Some administrators attend meetings that are held in the evening. They may be on call to department heads 24 hours a day to handle emergencies. Work environments may be relaxed or stressful. Most public administrators are in offices with a small number of employees.
Chief executives spend a varying number of hours on the job.
In small territories they may work less than 20 hours a week. In larger areas they usually work year-round and over 40 hours a week. Those who are elected locally often work part-time. Schedules vary by the specific job. Those in public safety, such as police chief, have varied schedules that include weekends and nights.