Busy employees may even be tempted to take advantage of comfortable couches rather than sleep at home when their schedules demand that they work late and arrive early. Certainly, bonuses, on-site fitness centers and cafeterias and Starbucks coffee in the kitchen are all wonderful advantages. However, after taking into account decreased family and leisure time and factoring in the amount that one's hourly rate decreases when the salary is divided by the amount of hours spent at work, in the end it may be more satisfying to leave work on time, go out for dinner and join your own gym. Of course, unpaid overtime is often a two-way street. Many of us choose to work long hours, day after day, year after year, even without the threat of termination or reprimands.
Some people genuinely love their work and don t mind putting in the extra hours.
Those who work for a company in its infancy may be willing to work long days with the understanding that the intense schedule is customary for a new business, and getting in on the ground floor will lead to future rewards. However, many have less rewarding motivations. The most severe is workaholism, the compulsive and unrelenting need to work. Workaholics become addicted to their jobs to the extent that their personal life and physical health are put at risk. A strong work ethic, historically common in our society, can drive many people to work longer days, especially if there is more work than they can handle in eight hours.