I’ve noticed a workplace trend that I find quite interesting, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. It seems like staying late at the office has become the norm, to the point where leaving on time feels almost…WRONG. When I asked some colleagues and even staff why they stay late, many admitted they feel guilty leaving when others are still at their desks.
But let’s be real—why should you feel guilty for doing something that’s completely reasonable, like going home on time? It’s not an offense, after all.
It seems some managers equate late hours with commitment, efficiency, and hard work, while those who clock out on time might be viewed as less dedicated. Don’t get me wrong—if you genuinely need to stay late to wrap up a project or meet a deadline, by all means, do it. What I have a problem with is this culture where employees feel pressured to stay back simply to “look busy” because the boss is still around. I keep on reminding my staff to make time for their family, again family is also their TRUST from God.
This mindset can create a toxic environment. Employees will find ways to stretch their tasks just to justify staying late, and the worst part? It leads to burnout and a distorted work-life balance.
A chat with one of my former colleagues really drove this point home. She used to stay back at least one hour every day, but one day, she left early to attend a sports meeting. When I asked her about her day, she told me she had time to enjoy her evening, catch up on some rest, and still had a productive day at work. Yet, if not for that meeting, she would’ve stayed in the office until 6 or 6.30 pm—out of habit, not necessity.
The truth is, work never truly ends. There will always be another task waiting. So why let “having a lot of work” be the reason we stay late every day? It’s not about clocking hours; it’s about delivering results.
I’m all for putting in the extra effort when a deadline is looming or it’s crunch time, but staying late shouldn’t be the default setting. We need to shift the focus to quality, not quantity, efficiency and prioritize a healthier work-life integration. And yes, I don’t believe in work-life balance; we can never balance those.
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