Beating The Challenge Of Long Hours At Work

The need to put in long hours at work is a problem for many working women in India. Some help to tackle the ticking clock.

By Aanandika Sood

The number of working women in India has increased significantly. Another thing that has happened, owing to the competitive times, is that long hours at work have come to be the norm, especially in India. Often, employees who leave early are unfairly judged to be slackers who are not serious about their work.

… it is tough for working women in India to stay back beyond work hours regularly as they also shoulder the responsibility of running the household…

What do you do when you know you can’t be there for 12 hours straight? Networking with your colleagues and creating a good impression on the boss are two major keys to handling such a situation. Let us take a closer look at a few strategies to overcome the ticking clock:

Networking

I can’t lay enough stress on this must-have skill at the workplace. Many HR practitioners world over consider it as an important contributor to career growth. Networking is a way of making contacts which will help you in exploring new opportunities within as well as outside the company. Your contacts can help by giving you or sharing with you important information that you might not get to know owing to your early departure from the workplace. There are two important aspects to networking professionally:

a. If you want help, ask for it.
b. Be willing to offer help.

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Networking is a symbiotic relationship. Everyone you know at the workplace is a potential contact. Be nice to people and keep in touch with others in various departments at the job. There might be times when help from an expert in another field might help you gain an edge in a project. You never know who might share an important piece of information that you might find useful. Tap your network on a regular basis to be in the know of things. Last but not the least, don’t forget to thank anyone who has been of help to you.

Create the right impression

A simple mantra to get into the good books of the boss – work smart and you will get noticed. But how do you do that? Here are some pointers for working women in India:

a. Show up: Be proactive. Make yourself an important member of the team by contributing your thoughts, opinions and taking initiatives. Taking initiative is often rewarded as it is considered to be an ability to act independently and take responsibility. Try to find out what he or she considers to be good performance and try to work around that.

b. Ask questions: Along the way, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It shows that you are thinking on the topic or about the project. It also shows that you have understood the subject. Just make sure you raise a relevant question and not just for the heck of it as it will do you insurmountable harm than any benefit.

c. Professional conduct: Ensure that you are properly dressed for the workplace. Conduct yourself with dignity while in office and while dealing with colleagues. While representing the company outside put in your best effort to project the ethos and values of the company in the right light. If you are talking on behalf of the company make sure you know your stuff well. Word will surely travel up to your boss even if he is not there in person to see you. Keep your attitude positive and disposition cheerful.

d. Manage your time effectively at work: This is a clear indicator of your ability, a cornerstone of your career growth. Managing time well means getting the desired results in less time. This can be achieved by focusing on one task at a time to build momentum until you are producing enviable results; organising things that can be done in parallel and anticipating the demands of a project.

Get mentored

The word mentor refers to a person who gives advice. A mentor is a person who has the edge of experience collected over years of being in the industry and maybe having worked for the same organisation. A mentor can help you deal with your boss and your colleagues. She/ he may be able to help you out in a difficult situation owing to their knowledge and expertise. They might be able to alert you about a new opportunity or help you gain appreciation and attention from your seniors. A mentor might also be able to point out skills that you need to acquire to get ahead and perform well. Try to identify someone who is from your own line of work. Take the initiative of establishing contact with him/ her. A mentor may even put in a good word for you with the bosses.

A mentor is a person who has the edge of experience collected over years of being in the industry and maybe having worked for the same organisation. A mentor can help you…

As a working woman in India, if you want to get ahead at work, don’t shy away from blowing your own trumpet. However, before you do that make sure you have evaluated your own performance with a critical eye. When you do raise the topic with your seniors do it in a professional manner so that your attempts don’t merely seem like attention grabbing tactics.

These tips will stand you in good stead even if long hours at work might have become a staple in your industry. What do you do when you are expected to work late regularly? Do share in the comments below.

*Photo credit: Joye~ (Used under the Creative Commons Attribution License.)

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