http://www.industrygamers.com/news/pach ... rofession/

I'd appreciate your thoughts on that peeps - I can't imagine the majority of developers actually get to play in the 'pool'

As a software developer I would love the chance to work in the games industry and with an increased pay packet. Tbh I'd go and work in the games industry for what I'm on at the moment.

As for overtime, I currently work a "9-5" job but will regularly stay at work for up to an hour finishing stuff off but en even at home will be thinking about how to do something I might have been stuck in at work.

I even sent myself an email tonight so that when I get to work tomorrow I will read it and remember exactly what I came up with.

I don't get any overtime.

I work to live, I don't live to work.

Yes but is also why it is so unfriendly to women. You need to be single and probably male to cope with the long hours. But if it is something you really like doing then I can see the benefits especially if there is a bonus pool. Though as we read last week some developers do not pay their developers properly.

I've worked in the software industry since 1987.

I have usually been salaried and, when I first started out, I got overtime. As I got to higher grades, there was a higher basic, which meant that you were expected to do "reasonable" overtime. I usually did about 12-14 hours a day in the office, with another 3-4 hours in the car traveling back and forth.

Currently I am contracted for 9 - 17, but I am usually in the office at around 7:30 and rarely get out before 18.

That has always been the way in the industry, and I've never worked on games.

I've had times where we have worked until midnight or beyond on a regular basis - my longest "day" was 28 hours, with a 1 hour break to freshen up, before starting the "next" day.

My "longest" month saw me doing around 300 hours overtime! I ended up paying more in tax than my usual gross! But I crashed for 3 days, once the project was finished. I think I slept 18 hours straight the first day.

Admittedly it's nothing to do with software development but where I work if you are paid less than a threshold amount then you get overtime, over that amount you don't unless there are special circumstances and a senior director signs off on it first.



I take it you're opted out of the working time directive.

I don't necessarily have an issue with people doing more work than they are contracted for but it needs to be clear that it's expected and what the compensation for doing so is so that the individual can make an informed choice. Being told that it's 9 to 5 then finding out once you've started that it's 9 to 5 but you are expected to do an extra 2 hours unpaid overtime each day isn't acceptable unless you are on a fairly serious salary to start with (like heading towards the higher rate tax threshold). If the employer is up front about the expectations from the off (i.e. in the interview or on the contract) and the employee agrees then fair enough - there has to be two way communication and some degree of negotiation available.

amen to that ...
i never start work late, so i never have to finish late
and will never finish late unless they pay me OT (cash not time in lieu) ...

In the end so long at the Co doesn’t take the Mick then O/T is a factor in a lot of jobs

As a Project Manager I know that at key times I will have to work O/T. MY Boss is OK and at other times if I finish at 4 he has no issues as he knows that I am putting in the hours

When I was on a wage then I used to get paid for my O/T not any more. Actually if they had a formal system of toil then I would take that as I could easily earn a couple of extra days off a month

And your employer was not concerned about this impact on your life, health and ability to perform effectively?

We have got to the point now where employers are taking the piss big time, and they know they can because there is no effective way for workers to voice any concerns. I wonder if you had refused that excessive amount of overtime if your employment would have been cut short.

Surely this has to be of interest?

There's no way in the world that any employee in any job can perform effectively after 10 hours at work. The quality drop-off must be shocking for something as cerebral as development