British Management. Hard Or hardly?

Some think putting in long hours is a sign of dedication, but the reality may be that British professionals are just less efficient.

British professionals and managers could be in for a shock. Their years of showing dedication to their work through long hours at the office may have been totally wasted. British executives may soon be forced to change their emphasis to quality of work rather than time spent in the office If they are to achieve harmony with their European counterparts in the single market.

This could mean yet another upheaval for the large numbers of British professionals who are still struggling to cope with the idea that the days of the long lunch are over. Corporate guzzling dressed up as entertaining contacts has fallen victim to the American puritanism surrounding the overconsumption of rich food and drink. But the replacement stereotype of the lean, fit and hungry manager, working all hours in the office or on the move with mobile phone and portable computer, appears to be just as outdated.

A study recently found that the average British male worked 4 1/2 hours more per week than his continental counterpart. Although it concentrated on the blue collar sector, where economic necessity often dictates long working hours, the study says the principle holds true for virtually all jobs. And while it did not compare British and European women, it can be assumed that they can expect much the same at executive levels.

Executives already know that 60-hour weeks wreck marriages, ruin family life and increase the risk of heart attack. But the cruellest blow could be that the supposedly dynamic British workaholic may be less productive and less efficient-at least in the eyes of European competitors, who believe that excessive hours indicate a less balanced approach to life and an inability to stand back and I to look at problems creatively.

The cult of the late night achiever is well ingrained in Anglo-American boardroom attitudes. As the current advertising campaign for an executive car makes clear: "It's tough at the top. When you're indispensable, working late is the rule rather than the exception. But look on the bright side, you'll have the road to yourself on the way home."