I used to do a really good shift of 08:00 - 20:30 Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
Then a week off, start again the following Thursday. Work 3 days, get Sunday off, work 3 days, get a week off.
Got 18 days a year annual leave which doesn't sound much but when you work out that taking 6 days holiday meant a full 3 weeks off, it was great.
Manual labour job (working in a chemistry lab). Knackering at first but soon got used to it. I miss that shift pattern... 🙁
9-5 Desk Pilot here, as well as all the valid reasons above think about this one; if my office wants people to work longer hours but the company across the road is advertising shorter hours, you can guess which job people will choose.
Call centres have exceptionally high attrition and where I live, there are loads. They have to be competitive to retain the best staff. Without belittling the role, you don't need experience, qualifications or a minimum fitness level to do a lot of those jobs. You don't need to have been an apprentice or have been to Uni. As you can imagine, anyone can apply for these jobs. That's what makes it such a competitive sector.
Also you schedule to meet your predicted call volumes. These aren't a machine that runs constantly 24 hours a day, there are peak times and lulls. If you have people sat on their hands doing nothing, you're losing money. It's easier to cover this with shorter shifts. Have the people in when you need them. Also look at what your product it. If it's customer service, it's difficult to deliver the best you can after you've been doing it for 10 hours. From a management view, it doesn't make sense for people to work longer hours.
Rant over.
I think the best office shift I can remember was 23 hours for quite a team. Ref the Americans, we were taken over by a combine, half of which was an American outfit, who told us that if we were working beyond hours then we were either inefficient or overloaded. Didn't stop them overloading us though.
But still nobody from the desk comunity has explained why they dont work 12 hour shifts instead of 8 hour ones but keep reiterating the point they work over to keep their job, or to just keep ahead of the pile of work that appears.
Eh? Haven't you just described two reasons right there?
I'm not sure many "office workers" worked a fixed number of hours as many state above, persoanlly I think that's a myth. It naturally expands to fill an increasing workload. I don't think of myself of starting at x and finishing at y. It tends to end up as a 12+ hour day though. It is increasing at present as well as there aren't exactly a lot of alternatives to go to.
Without wanting to get too involved I can say having worked on both sides of the argument that it is far easier to do 12 hour shifts in non desk jobs.
I work in construction. I'm shattered after my 9 - 10hour days chained to a desk.
12 hours on site makes me feel more physically tired but not nearly as mentally tired.
12 hours in an office would burn you out. 12 hours on a site would not.
I have read all the above and I'm sorry but it's a class thing. A hang over from the time of the Mills when machinery had to run for as long as possible and manual labour was required to run it. Ever since then it's been the same..
Like it or not.
...and another thing!
As I work in rail its the more mnaual jobs, maintenenace, train drivers / crew, station staff etc that have the 7.5hr shifts. Simply because of the unionisation.
As a construction proffessional I do whatever it takes to get the job done. Some days its 8 hours, mostly its 9-10 hours and sometime 12+.
So I work longer ....(and probably get paid less as well!)
I've worked in the power industry for 39 years, I'm not sure that many would like it if the electricity only flowed from 9 til 5. For the past 10+ years I've been working 12hr shifts (two days two nights five days off) it's the best shift pattern I've ever worked, evening shifts (14:00 til 22:00) used to be a PITA.
[quote=bikebouy ]I have read all the above and I'm sorry but it's a class thing. A hang over from the time of the Mills when machinery had to run for as long as possible and manual labour was required to run it. Ever since then it's been the same..
Like it or not.
Shop workers are upper class now then? #Worraloadofbollox
It's all just that "get someone else to work long hours" mentality thats still here I'm afraid.
I don't agree nor condone it, but thats the way it is.
Ok, so I work within the Banking Industry. You can call us slakers if you like but 9-5 it ain't, not in back office anyhoo's. There are folk here that are here when I come in and they're here when I go home. I too work 12hrs at least 3 days a week and thats just the way life is.
I'm classless and I think you lot are too.
i'm self-employed so work the hours i want.
have already clocked up 45 hours this week so i've taken the day off. money isn't everything, you know....
The Brick
Out of interest, as the job market seems to be contracting at alarming rate and have spent all my working life in manufacturing I DO think I will be in the same job 65+, the organisation will not create jobs based on age and ability.
I suppose there is a possibility of moving with the job to the far East when we become to expensive compared to our competitors
