Asked to work considerably longer hours to hit a deadline

[blossom]

Hi All

As contractors, what are your thoughts on being asked to muck in and work weekends to meet a major critical milestone.

If it takes all hands on deck, and some contractors say they wont do it (and some permies), and the critical deadline is missed, how would you expect that to be handled?

Say, if you refused to work, and then the milestone was missed, what would you expect to happen?

Assume this milestone is a major big deal, and everyone has been working hard already to meet it.

[cojak]

I often work extra hours as a major deadline approaches, and if they are paying you your day rate at weekends I would be prepared to do it.

The problem lies when this is expected as normal when there are no deadlines looming. I don’t like clients that take the pee.

If you don’t do this that’s ok but don’t expect to get extended.

[vwdan]

If you don’t do this that’s ok but don’t expect to get extended.

This is the key thing - it's fine, and encouraged, to have some self respect and say "No, thanks" but not all clients will see it kindly.

These kinds of things are really the epitome of what it means to contract - you CAN say no, you can negotiate, you can opt out. But they don't have to like it, and they don't have to continue to use your services.

Personally, for me, critical deadlines are part of IT and I'd be disappointed if you weren't interested in getting the project through the door. But, again, as per Cojak, these should be exceptions and you should be compensated accordingly.

[Agent]

Surely if they're paying you for the extra time then all is good. At the end of the day, you're a company, not an individual. If I employed a company to build me a house and they kept missing deadlines then I'd expect them to work weekends etc.

In the current market, its risk vs reward. Put the extra work in and you'll likely get more future work, don't bother and you can guarantee that it will be your last gig with that customer.

[SorenLorensen]

If I employed a company to build me a house and they kept missing deadlines then I'd expect them to work weekends etc.

Thats not the same thing at all. It's not the OP missing the deadline and having to make up for it.

Anyway, if asked it's up to you - if you can and will get paid, then fire in. If you don't want to then don't. And if they're not paying you, then never.

[vwdan]

Surely if they're paying you for the extra time then all is good.

Well, no - people have lives and sometimes they involve not working. Many people contract to work less, not more!

At the end of the day, you're a company, not an individual. If I employed a company to build me a house and they kept missing deadlines then I'd expect them to work weekends etc.

I'm not really sure why you post here, because everything I've seen from you demonstrates an almost painful lack of understanding. In this scenario, it's more like you deciding to project manage building a house, you keep ******* up the plans and are now expecting the (freelance) brickies to come on site over the weekend because you forgot to order in the bricks.

If anything, the B2B side should be less flexible because that's not what's agreed. Many consultancies charge extreme rates - I've worked with/for a few who charge 3-4x over bank holidays (Unless agreed politely well before) specifically to protect their staff and to put off clients.

In the current market, its risk vs reward. Put the extra work in and you'll likely get more future work, don't bother and you can guarantee that it will be your last gig with that customer.

Yeah, we all heard the carrot and stick line when we were permies too. IME, there's a very careful balance but broadly people need skills and good skills are hard to come by. I'm not saying you can get away with being an arse, but most clients seem to be happy with honest, self respect and a good dose of ability.

[blossom]

Thanks all - its not me, i'm the PM, willing and praying it over the line.

I'm just a bit shocked at some of the contractors attitudes in our place - We had to ramp up recently, so a lot of new contractors were hired to meet deadlines. More than i would like have turned down overtime because they 'have lives', much to the detriment of the programme.

We can't force people to work, but its hard when a handful of people don't seem to feel bothered by it.

As a self respecting contractor I would feel ashamed to not much in when things were needing doing.

[blossom]

and yes- everyone is being offered day rate (and actually i think even overtime on evenings).

[jmo21]

What happens if the deadline is missed?

[vwdan]

I'm just a bit shocked at some of the contractors attitudes in our place - We had to ramp up recently, so a lot of new contractors were hired to meet deadlines. More than i would like have turned down overtime because they 'have lives', much to the detriment of the programme.

For the most part I agree with you, but was it made clear to them when they got brought in? I do see both sides, and I've certainly put in my fair share of hours but at the same time my own time is very very precious to me. I don't think many people have come to the end of their lives wishing they'd put more hours in on some random project.

The other thing that would matter to me is why the project is needing so much resource. I've definitely become disillusions by certain horrendous projects and just stopped caring particularly - at some point you have to say no.