Working 61 plus hours a week: Why do managers do it?

Jeanne M. Brett*, Linda K. Stroh

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

322 Scopus citations

Abstract

The authors investigated why some managers work extreme hours, defined as 61 or more hours per week. The authors tested explanations drawn from theories including the work-leisure tradeoff, work as an emotional respite, social contagion, and work as its own reward. In a demographically homogeneous sample of male managers, the best explanations for why some worked 61 or more hours per week were the financial and psychological rewards they received from doing so. The hypothesis derived from A. Hochschild's (1997) research that managers who work long hours seek relief at work from pressures at home was not supported. Findings in a small sample of managerial women were consistent with the work-leisure trade-off hypothesis, the social contagion hypothesis, and the work as its own reward hypothesis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)67-78
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Applied Psychology
Volume88
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2003

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Psychology

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