During an interview, a company seeking the traits of a potential intense employee will watch for someone who's actively engaged in conversation, doesn't mince words, will make gestures that seem to indicate discomfort with a relaxed pace and discuss active rather than passive hobbies, say the editors.

Once on the job, these intense folks regularly stay late to resolve problems, skip lunch frequently to meet deadlines, use free time to get input or brainstorm with associates to improve things and postpone vacations and use weekends to catch up.

But while many companies want dedicated people who go to great lengths and will reward the behavior (even pay bonuses for wearing a beeper during off- hours), some are finding that too intense isn't good either.

A small but growing number of companies are coming up with novel ways to reduce the pressure to work after hours for the overworked, overwhelmed and overconnected employees, says Joann Lublin in her Wall Street Journal article.

Part of the problem is that employees are stuck in meetings all day, forcing them to work late and weekends to do other work. They also rarely have long stretches of time to think creatively. So to give staff time to think, take uninterrupted vacations and renew energy, businesses are instituting Meeting-Free Fridays, Guilt-Free Vacation programs and Thinking Day.

This might mean arranging backups for people on vacation, like they're doing at Hewlett-Packard Co. Or plastering signs outside darkened conference rooms at S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. that say, "Room Sealed by Order of 'No Meeting Day' Police."

The tactic seems to be working. At a meeting-free pilot at S.C. Johnson last fall, "nearly two-thirds of headquarters participants reported their productivity rose on the test Fridays, and 16% said their office hours work decreased."

During new employee orientation, Radio Shack Corp. preaches, "Don't call the office while on vacation." One senior vice president who visited Italy on vacation, said this was the first vacation she's ever taken where she didn't call in or check e-mail. She came back feeling recharged and "ready to hit the ground running."

Some employers are also discouraging Sunday travel, so that employees can have a full weekend at home. Deloitte & Touche eliminated Sunday business trips for its U.S. consultants.

The lesson here: Stamina and persistence are necessary. Rest and renewal are essential.

© by Andrea Kay