When Pete and I are both working late shift, we are gone for 9 hours. Wookie has the run of the house downstairs. We bought a stairgate just to contain her to the downstairs rooms while we are out. She isn't alone for those 9 hours though. She has our three cats for company, and my old supervisor lives two minutes away and will go in to let her out for the toilet and give her an hours play and cuddles. She loves her Uncle Leigh!
We only ever leave her alone for any length of time for work though. Social events, if she isn't welcome, we won't go. We have no choice about working. Everything else, we do, and she comes first.