I agreed with the basic concept of your original post, but I have to say that my personal experience is more along the lines of Melydia's. You and I are the same generation and I was raised to never give less than 110%, no matter what.
However, my current job has gradually eroded that -- which is a large part of the reason I am looking for something new. My current job expects a minimum of 150% all of the time (with no allowance for sickness or vacation in the quota) just to be considered "fully successful". Doing a half-a**ed job and passing the buck can actually get you to "outstanding achievement" level, because no one in management cares if you do your cases well, only how many. That means more work for other people down the line, but can get you a bonus and qualify you for available OT.
Whether or not you do extra, 99% of the time means nothing. It completely depends on who your direct supervisor is. My current supervisor is the best I have had in seven years (there have been five others) but he is not inclined to schmooze his superiors in order to nurture his own career, let alone the careers of his people, which is what it takes. Oh, and have I mentioned that I get no credit for the work I have completed until the next person on the food chain has done their own work on the case?! And they are in a position to sit on your work product for as long as they want, as long as they move a sufficient number of the total work they get from the six to ten people below them.
After a while, you wonder why you even bother. I have decided to sacrifice quantity (the big push at my office) for quality. But that means that to keep my job, during the 4th quarter I'm working off the clock more hours in the week than I am on the clock. And I will be lucky to achieve "fully successful".
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However, my current job has gradually eroded that -- which is a large part of the reason I am looking for something new. My current job expects a minimum of 150% all of the time (with no allowance for sickness or vacation in the quota) just to be considered "fully successful". Doing a half-a**ed job and passing the buck can actually get you to "outstanding achievement" level, because no one in management cares if you do your cases well, only how many. That means more work for other people down the line, but can get you a bonus and qualify you for available OT.
Whether or not you do extra, 99% of the time means nothing. It completely depends on who your direct supervisor is. My current supervisor is the best I have had in seven years (there have been five others) but he is not inclined to schmooze his superiors in order to nurture his own career, let alone the careers of his people, which is what it takes. Oh, and have I mentioned that I get no credit for the work I have completed until the next person on the food chain has done their own work on the case?! And they are in a position to sit on your work product for as long as they want, as long as they move a sufficient number of the total work they get from the six to ten people below them.
After a while, you wonder why you even bother. I have decided to sacrifice quantity (the big push at my office) for quality. But that means that to keep my job, during the 4th quarter I'm working off the clock more hours in the week than I am on the clock. And I will be lucky to achieve "fully successful".