Technical directors overwhelmingly view themselves as managers and supervisors. * Do you see the direct results of your work? * Does your employer offer acceptable insurance benefits, sick and vacation leave, personal time, etc.? * Do you feel your job provides for a secure future? * Are your overall working conditions acceptable? As you may have guessed, compensation is not an area TDs feel good about (fig. 12). Questions that generated ambivalent responses from technical directors were about production budgets and timetables. Neither area has improved over time. One area that has improved is safety. In 1987, 40% of TD reported working in a safe facility; today that number is 70% (fig. 13). Figure 14 shows the number of TDs working with (or without) a written job description. The number of TDs with a written job description in 2011 was 46%. In 1987 that number was 26%. Progress? Technical directors overwhelmingly view themselves as managers and supervisors. Laborer is at least part of the job for many TDs. These numbers have changed very little since 1987 (fig. 15). Figures 16-18 are probably the least surprising and most troublesome for most technical directors: 64% of technical directors cannot complete their job responsibilities within a 40-hour average workweek, and 22% answered Somewhat, suggesting that a workweek of more than 40 hours is not unheard of for those respondents. Of those TDs who couldn't complete their responsibilities within a 40-hour week, 24% still cannot complete their duties within a 50-hour week, while 34% can somewhat complete their job duties. Most TDs also report taking on job duties not in their job description and participating in additional areas of work. Time for interests outside the workplace is small (fig. 19). part three: responses from active technical directors The following tables record the responses from the third section of the 2011 survey. Only those who reported to being active TDs were asked 26 theatre design & technology summer 2012