In the first survey about the state of the American design industry, more than half of the 9,514 respondents reported working more than 40 hours a week, with the average logging in four extra hours over what’s legally required of full-time workers in the US. Of the design industries surveyed, those working in design education, public relations, environmental graphics, and architecture logged the most overtime hours. — Quartz
This probably doesn't come as a surprise to any practicing architects—working overtime, often well into the night, is common practice in the field. Moreover, this counts logged hours. But, as everyone knows, architects often work extra hours without billing for it, whether motivated by love of a project or hope for earning brownie points with the boss.
The good news? 80% of those surveyed said they were happy at their job.
More on the state of the profession:
27 Comments
I just worked 40 hours *this weekend*
Very nice Donna. That's bourbon money!
40hrs per week is not that much. I think my average, non-deadline, work week is 42.5hr
"...In further breaking news, the sun rose this morning."
^citation required
Unless I'm cranking on a deadline, I have found that less is more when it comes to time spent on architecture. I do much better if I have a free and healthy mind and body from meditation, exercise and plenty of R&R. Stop the rat race. No one is winning. And who wants to be the best rat anyways? You're just a rat.
I'm the partner of an architect. We take the brunt of this problem.. there should be a support group.
Meh - so do a lot of other people... dunno, but compared to many, i feel architecture is not so bad in nyc. Our office is mostly under 50/wk, with half the senior PMs and most of the junior staff designers working 40 (or less if we're only counting billable, though i suspect many bill their breakfast and lunch times).
I feel like the times I put in the "rat race" hours (70+ hrs/wk topping out at 120) were when I was establishing a reputation at specific points in time (fast turnaround in high profile projects; earning project lead roles; learning project management; earning the trust of new boss/clients). Once I got efficient and better at time management, the hours don't seem to be as bad. I prefer to work better and faster than the competition, so it doesn't fully go away, but I've found that I can do 'slow weeks' (30-40hrs) and still deliver.
There are a lot of people that maintain a 9-5, they just don't seem to advance at the same rate in responsibility though.
Meanwhile, countless other architects have no hours at all.
I wonder how many people are out of work (throughout the broad expanse of the entire economy) because the people who are employed are required to work 50, 60, 80 hour weeks?
There has to be an economist somewhere who has put a number on this.
^we're hiring a few people and we're not the only office in town looking for staff.
Its not how many hours you work, its how efficiently you work. Its not how many hours you did not sleep during your coursework in college, its how much you screwed around in the evening. Yes- there are times when there are ambitious deadlines and presentations etc, but most of the time, if you have to work so much more overtime, you are either getting abused, or you are a terribly inefficient employee...
Judging from the accompanying image with the article I'm not surprised, doing that kind of work by hand is very inefficient.
I architect only 4 days a week, 32 hrs a week, with 3 day weekends, wouldn't have it any other way. It's actually quite common over here for people to have a 4 day work week in architecture. Some offices are even closed on Fridays and many architect parents actually choose to work 4 days so they can be home with their kids one day a week. Socialism rocks!
May i know what country you're from?
randomised - is that because you have older more experienced people in the office to do all of the work for you?
4-day weeks?
I get soooo much more work done on fridays when all the consultants have already left. No phone calls, no RFIs, no time wasting emails, etc. It' also why I prefer to start at 7:30am or earlier.
I work part-time too. about 20 hours a week, and often across 2 days, then the other days are more or less free. I don't get a lot of questions or call backs. That helps.
" is that because you have older more experienced people in the office to do all of the work for you? "
No, it's because I only work 4 days a week.
"4-day weeks?
I get soooo much more work done on fridays when all the consultants have already left. No phone calls, no RFIs, no time wasting emails, etc. It' also why I prefer to start at 7:30am or earlier."
So there are people who have Fridays off where you works as well?
But yes, a 4-day work week, it's really great, and because I can charge a good hourly rate now I even earn more than at my previous 40+ hrs jobs. I see it more and more in people's email signature that they are only available 4 days a week, men have an official papadag or dad day as you would call it and many female professionals already work part-time. When actually working, I personally prefer to end later when everybody already left (ever since architecture school) so I can turn up the bass and don't have to be the one to cook at home...
the 4-day week people are our p.engs and some of the more disposable staff.
Interesting, so engineers can work less but architects can't, they have it all figured out apparently.
It's not that we can't. I can totally see how some can make it work but when you deal directly with the client (p.eng rarely do for instance), it's important to be around when they call. So if you're in CA or similar project management role, it sure as hell looks good when you answer their call at 3pm on a friday.
For example, just this past xmas break, most of our office (and all our consultants) took the day off because, why not? I believe we scored 2 big jobs and one large project invitation that day because the important folks were there.
As a freelancer, I can communicate via text message. I got a job lead while at the airport on vacation last week from a guy I met while I was on vacation about 6 months ago. I get work by being social... going to networking events, meeting friends of friends at parties, through my other position (silent partner pretty much). I don't count that time as work, but work gets done and I love it. They say you aren't supposed to mix business with pleasure, but I don't know how not to.
I work 24-7. I flow in and out of work-life as needed. Thats the beauty of being a sole prop. I usually exceed 40 hours a week, typically 50ish, but at least half of that is while Im sitting in the comfort of my home, sipping coffee, listening to Neil Young, John Coltrane, or Tribe Called Quest (along with about 100 other favorites). Sometimes I send my kids on fools erands to keep them busy...
Me: "Go find me 10 green color rocks in the garden"
Kids: "Why dad?"
Me: "I need them for my time machine"
Sometimes I take a wed off and go hiking...sometimes a monday...
Sometimes I work while simultaneously roasting Aneheim peppers for green chili enchiladas, or while a big pot of sunday sauce "gravy" simmers away...
The other half of my time im with contractors or watching my ideas come alive...
Oh yeah, and I still pull an all-nighters once in a blue moon, which I dont mind too much...
Overall good life....
You remind me of a buddy I have with whom I do not talk politics. We share lots of the same interests, but don't see eye to eye philosphically.
I'm hungry now.
Lol. Id invite you for dinner but canada is about 4000 miles away...
:) I make a lot of soup and slow cooked foods too. Enchiladas sound good.
Thanks jla.
My dog sled does not function well on the imperial system.
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