Possibly having work a lot of unpaid overtime

Possibly having to work unpaid overtime…

So, the company I work for is possibly being sold - the company will continue to operate as usual but likely with a few as yet unknown changes. As part of my role I am expected to work outside of hours. This isn’t paid in overtime but at the end of the year if the business does well, we all do well. So that’s the motivation, also I really like and respect the owners so I want to do the work.

When I asked my boss about the purchase he said he doesn’t know what they will do with regard to bonuses (these aren’t guaranteed at the moment, only if we make a good profit which this year is t looking likely anyway) but they don’t do that for the staff they currently have so this could change. He has said they have had conversations around our staff do a lot of hard work outside of hours so they should be compensated for it but nothing is guaranteed.

My dilemma is, I would still be working for the same people who I want to help succeed. But, if the potential of bonus goes away, I don’t know how to tell these guys that I don’t know how to justify the amount of hours I put in outside of work. I always have pretty much given up playing golf and my wife gets funny with me for not being around as much but she understands I am working towards something to improve our future and the extra hours are worth it.

The bonus I got last year was about 60% of my yearly salary so it’s a significant drop in earnings if it goes - how can I have that conversation, if I need to, without making them feel like I don’t care? I do, I just don’t have a way of justifying the amount of hours I do outside my normal hours to my wife especially when we want to have children. Sometimes this can push into sort of 10-15 hours a week during a really busy part of the year.

I also, don’t want this conversation to risk my job, because I love it. Which is another reason I do what I do but I either need to feel like I do or can want the money for the time I put in or have my quality of life back. I’m very conflicted.

Thanks in advance!