The Culture of Work in Silicon Valley

Recently, people are talking more about the culture of work in Silicon Valley. Employees and employers alike put in long hours at work, sometimes sleeping in the office overnight, especially when it comes to startups. Anyone who has worked at a startup, particularly a startup tech company, knows that long hours must be put into the business to see results. I believe in the value of hard work and putting long hours in, but it’s also important to find some kind of balance. A balance of personal and professional lives is what has led people to criticize the work culture of Silicon Valley, claiming that the startup tech companies do not respect the need for balance and the importance of avoiding burnout.

How people view the Silicon Valley work culture

In a recent article from the Wired, Nitasha Tiku discusses the culture of work in Silicon Valley and examines the issues of the work culture. She acknowledges that more companies are putting an emphasis on work-life balance, but complains that the companies often do not follow through on what they’re saying is best for employees and themselves. For example, it’s common for people in Silicon Valley to put many hours into their jobs, working far beyond forty hours a week and often working somewhere between 10–14 hour days, preventing them from being able to spend time with their families.

Others believe that while a company avoids explicitly stating that these are the hours required to put in a sufficient amount of work, they penalize employees who do not put in excessive hours. Employees with families or other obligations who work a full day and then head home believe that they’re overlooked for promotions or other perks because employers do not believe they’re devoted to the company or culture. Others recognize the necessity for long hours and hard work in order to succeed, particularly at a startup.

Is this culture a bad way to work?

While you should definitely not put your health and personal life at risk for your job, it’s important to understand your priorities when it comes to the type of place you work. Startups take a lot of work to achieve success and in Silicon Valley, these companies are constantly working on new developments and products. If your first priority is your career and your dream is to work in Silicon Valley, it’s the place for you. Get a job and put in those long hours. However, if you’d rather leave work every day at 5pm and it’s more important to spend time with your family, a startup tech company may not be the place for you.

Hard work is admirable, when it’s not to the point of sacrificing your well-being, and it’s what people live off of in Silicon Valley. Facebook, Google, and companies like them would never have gotten to where they are today if it wasn’t for people putting in excessive hours and spending endless amounts of time at work.

Ways this issue could be resolved

I don’t necessarily think the work culture of Silicon Valley is bad, but it is important to take care of yourself first. If you feel overwhelmed with the culture of work at your job or are putting in long hours and have barely any time with your family or to take care of yourself, it’s time to make a change. You might consider looking for a new job or taking on less responsibilities in your current position. Read my article on “4 Tips to Avoid Burnout” and start taking care of yourself. You can even talk to your boss and let them know you feel close to burning out and then the two of you can work on ways to relieve your stress.