The expectation to work late and respecting other’s time

One of the issues I consistently faced when working in an agency setting (and often still hear from colleagues and friends), is the expectation that if a superior works late, so should you. I think it’s a common issue because it’s not clearly outlined when first starting to work at a new place. You often get thrown into client work and don’t really get a proper introduction into the agency, their mission and what they’re trying to build. Sometimes it‘s a matter of communication. In my previous situation, mu superior thought I wasn’t working hard enough, because I got the work done ASAP and pushed back when I was asked to pick up the slack of other team members. Should I have been punished for getting something done faster than expected?
Many times this happens because senior level employees are in meetings throughout the day or take longer to get simple things out the door. I think understanding priorities is a huge part of the job, a thing not everyone understands. There are some people who like working late into the evening but many have lives outside of work. My work is a part of my life but not my entire life. The moment it becomes my life, it’s time to make changes. With all of that said, I am fully aware that in some countries (Japan) and industries (finance) that this is the new norm and expected but it’s not something you often associate with tech/creative.
I handled this by voicing my opinion in a 1:1 meeting. It didn’t go as well as planned. One of the challenges about being in an agency setting is that clients are billed by the hour. And because of that, many younger staff are taken advantage of by the client and agency to do as much as possible within the allocated budget. I’ve experienced this first hand, along with other colleagues. All of us have moved on to better situations and many of us vowed to never get back to an agency setting, even though we all miss the fast pace and educational environment.
Associated with the assumptions of having to stay late is also not respecting other people’s time. I don’t like wasting time in meetings. I like to focus on the goals, get them done and move on to the next thing. There’s a time and a place to chitchat about personal things (save it for after the meeting or set up time to catch up with someone). Meetings are supposed to focus on the task at hand, drinking outings and group activities are for getting to know colleagues and office members.
Have you ever been in a situation where you were expected to stay late because your superior also stayed late? How’d you manage it?
