When requests to stay late or finish work tasks in personal time become a regular thing, it’s a signal to pause, set clear boundaries, and discuss expectations with diplomacy. This approach comes from Yulia Sanina, director of personnel and organizational development for Rabota.ru, who spoke about it in an interview with socialbites.ca.
First and foremost, a person should be aware of their rights.
“As an employee, you exchange your time and professional skills for compensation by the hour. Constant unpaid overtime is not healthy. You might choose to exchange your time for non-monetary rewards—respect from colleagues, approval from your supervisor, new experiences, improved skills, or a sense of personal satisfaction. Yet you must decide how far you are willing to go for such rewards,” she explained.
Legally, overtime is something you are obligated to perform only if the employer specifically requests it and issues a corresponding order. In other scenarios, overtime work falls outside the Labour Code of the Russian Federation. Delays that occur at your own initiative are not automatically compensated or acknowledged by law.
“If staying up late every day is necessary due to excessive work that cannot be completed within standard hours, that is a signal you are taking on too much. It is worth analyzing whether you are simply meeting your responsibilities or if someone else is quietly consuming your capacity; do you have enough time to complete tasks, or are they encroaching on your schedule,” the expert advised.
If discomfort arises from working beyond established hours, it is important to bring concerns to management. In discussions, it is best to stay factual and businesslike, avoid personal accusations, and maintain a calm tone.
“Use concrete examples to illustrate to your supervisors how your time is allocated. For instance, show that creating a presentation takes eight hours instead of one, or explain that taking on others’ tasks makes it harder to keep your own work on track and leads to distractions. Let the dialogue serve as a path to better collaboration, not a source of conflict,” Sanina recommended.
If there is a sense that professional skills are lacking, it is a good time to boost them. Seek training courses or reputable books online and study independently. Consider asking the company to fund training or to assign a mentor to help accelerate learning.
Feeling fulfilled at work is valuable, but balance remains essential. Life includes work, recreation, family, personal interests, travel, and ongoing skill development. Maintaining all these elements is challenging when free time is scarce.
“To gain clarity, a practical approach is to create a balance wheel—an illustration that helps assess achievements across areas and identify priority zones that deserve attention. This visualization can reveal how current priorities are distributed and highlight where more time should be devoted. It often drives more efficient work habits and helps prevent lateness,” the expert concluded.
Earlier discussions have noted that Russians are increasingly comfortable working away from home.