Crazy working hours..

[Remi]

I just started a new job in Xizhi with a big company and they all working like crazy there! The working time is from 9.30 to 6.30 but nobody leaves before 8 except me. I leave around 7 cause I have to drive around 40 minutes home and I really hate to come home late so that there is barely enough time to see the family before heading to bed. I am not sure if it was the right decision to to take that job but my ARC depends on it right now. Also I just started this monday they want me to go to Europe for a roadshow after CNY, I've never done that before and they didn't tell me that I have to do such things during interview. Next week is a training from 6.30pm to 10pm.. I don't think that means I can come later than 9.30am on that day.. we also don't get extra pay.. I guess it's all expected. The three other foreigners go along with it cause they need the ARC as well...shit...

I am leaving at 7 cause nobody said something yet but I guess soon they will give me more stuff to do for "later". They also always ask me "Do you want to order Dinner box"? What for? I want to go home and eat dinner at home!

[Gryphon]

I just started a new job in Xizhi with a big company and they all working like crazy there!...I am not sure if it was the right decision to to take that job but my ARC depends on it right now. Also I just started this monday they want me to go to Europe for a roadshow after CNY, I've never done that before and they didn't tell me that I have to do such things during interview.

Don't I know you from somewhere? If you are who I think you might be, then I hope things are working out for you over there in your big company.

[PostMaster]

I just started a new job in Xizhi with a big company and they all working like crazy there! The working time is from 9.30 to 6.30 but nobody leaves before 8 except me. I leave around 7 cause I have to drive around 40 minutes home and I really hate to come home late so that there is barely enough time to see the family before heading to bed. I am not sure if it was the right decision to to take that job but my ARC depends on it right now. Also I just started this monday they want me to go to Europe for a roadshow after CNY, I've never done that before and they didn't tell me that I have to do such things during interview. Next week is a training from 6.30pm to 10pm.. I don't think that means I can come later than 9.30am on that day.. we also don't get extra pay.. I guess it's all expected. The three other foreigners go along with it cause they need the ARC as well...shit...

I am leaving at 7 cause nobody said something yet but I guess soon they will give me more stuff to do for "later". They also always ask me "Do you want to order Dinner box"? What for? I want to go home and eat dinner at home!

LOL! How many of your colleagues sleep at work, as in overnight? I bet, quite a few. It's the Taiwanese way.

[milkalex]

it's normal get used to it, Taiwanese never sleep

[Tomas]

On the contrary, keep doing what you're doing if you're able (see below). Don't stress out about it. If you can, leave even earlier.

I have several friends working for TW multinationals who get in before everyone else and leave before everyone else. As long as you aren't quickly replaceable, you're fine. Just do your work and let those who don't have a choice or won't make the choice stay late.

If you are easily replaceable, well then, you're fucked. You'll have to work the long hours like everyone else.

[Chris]

It's the culture. Everyone wants to impress the boss by working overtime. But... really, you don't HAVE to stay past official quitting time. Just go home. If they question you, just tell them that's how things usually go where you're from.

[maunaloa]

Tell them, "Doctor's orders". The same reason you can go drinking with them. I used that line for years in Japan with excellent results.

[baberenglish]

Taiwanese office culture is terribly inefficient. Most of the morning is spent on the net f#n around , getting next to nothing done. Then comes the all important lunch/sleep. In the afternoon some work is done with a meeting scheduled at 430-5 pm usually lasting an hour to hour and a half. Then the all important dinner box which requires another hour of time consumption followed by overtime which isn't actually needed. If the morning wasn't wasted on the net then people wouldn't have to stay so late. A company I know turns off the net from 10 am to 2 pm everyday to "force" people to do their work..meetings are always in the morning. Guess what? Employees get a lot more done, office is empty by 530 pm, impossible? NO! They actually complete 30% more in that system than the slug system of going home at 8pm!
Revenue is up, efficiency is strong, employee turnover is low and everyone is happy!

[tommy525]

Taiwanese office culture is terribly inefficient. Most of the morning is spent on the net f#n around , getting next to nothing done. Then comes the all important lunch/sleep. In the afternoon some work is done with a meeting scheduled at 430-5 pm usually lasting an hour to hour and a half. Then the all important dinner box which requires another hour of time consumption followed by overtime which isn't actually needed. If the morning wasn't wasted on the net then people wouldn't have to stay so late. A company I know turns off the net from 10 am to 2 pm everyday to "force" people to do their work..meetings are always in the morning. Guess what? Employees get a lot more done, office is empty by 530 pm, impossible? NO! They actually complete 30% more in that system than the slug system of going home at 8pm!
Revenue is up, efficiency is strong, employee turnover is low and everyone is happy!

You totally DONT get it That is NOT what its all about . Its about the "Asian (led by the Japanese) work ethic" which means you cant leave the office until about 9 to 10pm. So it doesnt matter what you do before that time really. YOu simply have to "fill in the time" .

What you described above all sounds pretty civilized to me

I mean if you have to stay till 10pm anyway, why kill yourself feverishly "working" ?

By all means, check your emails, chitchat with your buds bout last night and tonite and tomorrow night and also next tuesday girls night out.

OH yeah send out a few notes on the days (afternoon) scheduled meetings.

Then there is lunch before the meeting, which comes after the mid morning snack run. And then the after meeting predinner snack run. Then send someone out to get some dinner , while everyone finishes up what needs to get done before 10pm tonite. OR better yet, lets have the whole group exit downstairs for a quick dinner and then come back at say 830pm ish and finish up the days work by , hopefully 10, maybe 1030pM? OH yeah and take a taxi home on the company because taxis are provided for female staff when going home past 10pm

And then lets do it all again tomorrow, unless its the weekend of course.

So all in all, I figure bout 90 mins of real work get done per day. A 14 hour day yields at best 90 mins ! But hey ? Ultra efficiency only results in job LOSS my friends .

[Damage]

Excuse my ignorance, but if they're working so many hours, are they legally supposed to be earning overtime pay? I don't think this would work in the States because companies would go broke. I don't really know though. Maybe a salary means they can work you as long as they want? I've always been curious about this. Cheers.