There are '4 types' of reasons for overtime. Don't let serious people lose out because of those who want to work overtime!

Hi there, it's Lunapi.

Have you ever wondered, "Why is that person always working overtime?"

"I work overtime because I can't finish my work"—many people might think that, but workplace overtime actually falls into "four types."

And the scary thing is, there is a certain number of people in the world who "want to work overtime (the pro-overtime group)."

This time, I'm going to dissect the four reasons behind overtime, and finally, I'll talk about the essential question: "So, how can we protect our own time?"

The 4 types of "reasons for overtime" lurking in the workplace

If you unravel the psychology of people working overtime, the reasons can be classified into the following four categories.

1. Simply having too much work (*the only legitimate reason)

A pattern where you physically cannot finish within the time limit due to being over capacity. This is the only legitimate reason for overtime. It's a situation that the organization should address, such as through understaffing or sudden troubles.

2. Performing "hard work" & defense (for evaluation and protection)

A pattern aiming for the Showa-era evaluation metric that "working overtime = working hard."
Furthermore, this is also used as an invincible defensive measure: "If I stay late, I can avoid having new work pushed onto me by my boss."

3. Earning overtime pay (financial reasons)

A pattern where people try to earn money through "overtime pay" by working slowly because their base salary isn't enough to live on. Since they think their pay will decrease if they finish work early, they intentionally slow down their speed.

4. Not wanting to go home (escaping from family)

A pattern where people stay in the office for personal reasons, such as not wanting to be with their partner or not wanting to do housework or childcare when they get home. This is the type where "the workplace becomes the best shelter."

A scary fact: There are many people in the workplace who "want to work overtime"

Did you notice when looking at "2, 3, and 4" other than 1?

That's right. They are not "victims forced to work overtime," but "people who want to work overtime" for their own convenience.

Want to work overtime for show
Want to work overtime for money
Want to work overtime because they don't want to go home

Because there are a certain number of these "pro-overtime" people in the workplace, the ones who really suffer are the "serious people who want to finish their work at lightning speed and go home on time."

The absurdity of "serious people who finish early" losing out

What happens when you try to streamline your work and finish early?

You are thought to have "spare capacity," and the work of the slow-working overtime group is pushed onto you.

Even though you work efficiently and leave on time, your salary ends up lower than the slow-working overtime group who wants money.

If you leave on time, you are subjected to mysterious peer pressure like, "You're leaving already?"

Isn't this incredibly absurd?

Because of "people who want to work overtime," serious people who work with high productivity lose out. Because this structure is left as is, the productivity of Japanese workplaces doesn't rise.

What is needed is not a philosophy of grit or a loose slogan like "let's reduce overtime."

It is a "system where serious people who work fast are justly rewarded without being dragged into the convenience of people who want to work overtime."

The Nash equilibrium reached because of people who want to work overtime

You reach a Nash equilibrium (a vicious cycle where people check each other so that neither loses) where "if you finish early, someone else's work will be dumped on you."

Please also check out this article regarding the Nash equilibrium.

So, how can we fight this absurd structure?

In conclusion, the strongest defensive measure you can take as an individual is to "clearly define the boundaries of your work and not become a breakwater for the slow-working overtime group."

You don't need to sacrifice even one minute of your precious life (time) for the convenience of people who want to work overtime.

Let's justly finish early and win back our own time!

If you thought, "There are people in my company who work overtime for reasons other than legitimate ones!" I would be happy if you could press the "Like" button.

Which "type of overtime worker" is most common in your workplace?

See you later!

Read the true story of how I destroyed slow-working overtime too