Finance workers are used to working insane hours, especially on Wall St., so I'm not sure I buy that. My theory - finance people are more familiar with the law and less willing to skirt it. They know the consequence can lead to them personally going to jail or getting their CPA revoked.
It depends on the role. If you rise into a position where you are managing customer relationships or otherwise have a P&L that is directly attributable to you, your hours become - not necessarily shorter - but not the primary thing you are judged on. An M&A banker who spends two days a week on the golf course and only rolls into the office once a week on a Thursday afternoon to tell his colleagues about the new mandate he secured for the firm isn't going to get shit from anyone. On the other hand - above a certain level, no sales = good night, sweet prince.
Juniors are judged by long hours and making sure their commas are perfect (in documents rarely read by clients) because there is nothing else to judge them on.
