Working hours - MBB vs tier 2 vs boutique

Question

Hi all,

Similar to my last question (apologies for asking two in a row!) - is there a noticeable difference in working hours between MBB, tier 2 and boutique strategy houses? Assuming the office is in the UK.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi there,

I would say MBB tends to be more intense. That said tier 2 can be just as bad and there are a couple that can be even worse (I've heard RB and LEK are both quite brutal hours-wise). Boutiques would have the highest variability but you'll find plenty that value work-life balance a bit more.

Of course, keep in mind that this varies by country/office as well as by industry/function and client and project leadership!

Answer 2

Hey there,

From my experience and experience of friends and former university peers, MBB actually worked less than many tier 2 firms.

I always thought there are 3 main reasons for this:

MBB have better support systems that really take time off your busy schedule, e.g. the famous slide creation teams in McKinsey that create or overhaul your deck over night (in addition to many other support resources)
Access to more knowledge and experts to drive projects forward due to more senior client exposure over the years
Less need to prove themselves

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 3

From UK perspective, not really and they are all pretty much the same :). There can be differences and nuances depending on the company and how well balanced the partner is.

Answer 4

Hello!

I echo the advice of the other experts in that it really depends on country, practice/industry, leadership, and the specifics of the project. As a generalization, I think that MBB tend to have longer hours than boutique consulting firms, while tier 2 is more or less comparable to MBB.