CEOs Spending More Time On 'Management,' Less On Finances

Compiled ByTonya Vinas An annual survey by calendar manufacturer At-A-Glance, Sidney, N.Y., reveals that CEOs spend most of their time on "management" challenges -- same as last year. The 2002 survey of how CEOs of the largest U.S. companies spend their time found that 50.7% identified management as their No. 1 time commitment compared with 46% in 2001. Other challenges and their ranking as No. 1 time drain included: strategic planning/forecasting, 20%; organizational development, 5.3%; financial performance/budget, 5.3%; shareholder relations/public relations, 5.3%; and "other," 13.3%. At-A-Glance noted that financial performance/budget dropped dramatically, from 20.2% in 2001. The survey also revealed that CEOs spend more time at work and plan to work longer when compared with their subordinates. The surveyed CEOs expect to spend an average of 41.9 years working and work about 60 hours a week. Only 19.1% of non-CEOs expect to work more than 40 years, and the typical office worker spends 46 hours per week in the office.