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The question is really "how are you motivated to work unpaid overtime?"
since my motivation when paid overtime is offered (whether "paid" in extra
time off, hour for hour, which I actually prefer, or paid in extra pay -
which is usually less than the standard hourly rate, in my experience) is
the extra time or the extra pay.
Unpaid overtime:
either (a) a sweetener (makes up for times when I may have been five minutes
later in, or wanted to leave early, or took a longer lunchhour) - this
counts as "overtime" since I usually end up working a longer time than the
time I skipped. It is "fear" but it's usually less direct than what you
describe.
or (b) a need to get the job done. This isn't really a "love of the company"
- it's a love of the work. A job needs to get done, it won't get done unless
I do it, I don't have time to do it unless I stay late... so I stay late.
or (c) genuine interest in what I'm doing, so that I don't notice it's
going-home time. This usually occurs at the start of a job when the learning
curve is steep!
Jane Carnall
Technical Writer, Compaq, UK
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.
