how many hours do you work a week?

It would be interesting if people had put their salary against the hours they work, I’d want to be earning £40k + per year to work more than a standard week ie max 40hrs

Post of the week by jackthedog!

A lot of the excessive hour people will have a low hourly rate.

I do not measure my success by money – I measure it by the fun I have. some of the most fun cost little money

jackthedog +1

The only people I have a problem with are those that refuse to help and give that little bit extra when work demands. People who clockwatch and are off at 5 every day whether the job is done or not. Yes it may be your contractual right but its a piss poor attitude and your letting doen the team.

I don’t mind staying on a bit later so long as I have nothing else planned. However, If I’m going riding or meeting friends then I’ll leave. I’m not reorganising my life because a manager has messed up by not allocating enough resources to a project or hasn’t allowed for unexpected issues. Is that letting the team down?

What about people who have to leave to pick up their kids, are they letting the team down?

“What about people who have to leave to pick up their kids, are they letting the team down?”

What about people who have a life?

35 hours a week here in uni-land

In at 8 home for 5.30
1hour for lunch
2 days flexi a month
25 days Holiday

Not a bad life really

I don’t mind staying on a bit later so long as I have nothing else planned. However, If I’m going riding or meeting friends then I’ll leave.

Sorry but in my book that is letting down the team. Sometimes something just happens that needs to be sorted. Not everything can be planned in advance.

Picking the kids up, well not much you can do there but I would expect them to try to make alternative arrangement if possible, or do what they can remotely from home.

The exception to this is if it happens on a regular basis. I have often cancelled biking nights at the last minute. I would be somewhat annoyed if this was a regular occurence however.

So you would let your friends and family down rather than let your work down?

It depends on the relative importance on either event. Obviously if something can wait then it will wait.

Sometimes you cannot achieve something and you let the client know.

However it is important to ensure the client get what they need when they need it. I don’t see a regular biking night as being more important than sorting out critical issues when they occur.

I believe in hard work. I believe in doing a good job.
Good on you. Don’t ever work in the public sector then, it’d drive you crazy 😉 There would be no need for staying in the office late if more people just believed in doing what they are supposed to do.

Frodo
However it is important to ensure the client get what they need when they need it. I don’t see a regular biking night as being more important than sorting out critical issues when they occur.

Critical issues -its life and death then?

Or is it just about having to work extra hours to make up for poor management and organisation that means pledges cannot be kept without it.

Incidentally, what are everyone’s excuses for spending so much time on this thread today? Both the ‘whatever it takes’ team and the ‘my contracted hours and no more’ team seem to have a lot of spare time during what I’m assuming are work hours 😉

I’ve been stuck for weeks waiting for some data to be sent from a client and I’m getting really sick of general research. My time on STW has been steadily increasing for a while now. It’s worrying cause it’s getting addictive.

@TJ – in IT, ‘critical’ usually means, drop what you’re doing/get out of bed and fix it pronto.

So it’s not life or death, per se – but you have a responsibility towards your employers that their business operates smoothly.

And yes, I have got out of bed at 3am to drive into the office to fix something. And yes, I have cancelled going out with friends at the last minute to fix something too.

I am paid for my responsibilities, not the work which I churn out.

Poor management doesn’t come into it.

Is that written into the contracts for IT work or is it just something that ‘everyone expects’? If it’s something everyone just expects then it is a management failure since it should be written into the contract and there should be on call rotas. Surely you can’t be on call 24/7/365?

xiphon – thats fine – I have no issue at all with that. Sometimes stuff needs to be dealt with like that. More so in my trade

Howevert that is not what Frodo appeared to be doing / saying.

I think the problem many people get into is viewing hours at work as being some measure of work/results achieved. Long hours as a badge of honour kind of thing. Have to agree with pretty much everything jackthedog has said. I made certain choices about how much work I want to do. A phone call and email I made recently had huge value to a cleint, but took me 2 minutes – did I work hard that day? Yes, but just not for very long. Hence I see my kids a lot, ride my bike when I choose, travel a bit, albeit having compromised earnings to a certain extent.

xiphon – Thats fair enough, and yes part of the job in IT, but I really hope that you get rewarded very well for doing that, other wise why bother?

work extra hours to make up for poor management and organisation

Ahhh that old chestnut, of course that’s always the problem!!

Some industries just need a different type of dedication regarding working hours. If you don’t like it then don’t work in it. If money and financial security is not your priority then fine, everyone is different.

BruceWee – Member
Is that written into the contracts for IT work or is it just something that ‘everyone expects’?

It’s written in most contracts that I’ve had (IT) that you may be expected to work a reasonable amount extra as required. As I stated before, I work my hours but am happy enough to do the extra when really required, not otherwise.

I think the problem many people get into is viewing hours at work as being some measure of work/results achieved

+1 I tell my guys off if they work longer than they should unless there’s a good reason as stated above. I want quality, not quantity and I believe treating people fairly. If they’re finding that they regularly struggle to get things done in the normal working day then we look at why and work out solutions – in IT, that’s often restricting how much development work we can deliver (since it’s typically not essential or at least, not so time critical)

LHS
Some industries just need a different type of dedication regarding working hours.

Why? Why are you immune from the ill effects of working long hours. why can your industry not be organised effectively so that the employees can actually work effectively and a reasonable number of hours.

Of course long days to hit a deadline can be needed although it will often be poor management that leaves you short of time but without compensatory rest you will become less efficient – ie you are wasting those extra hours

Howevert that is not what Frodo appeared to be doing / saying.

TJ – You misunderstand. What I’m saying is that within reason you do what is required to get the job done, sometimes that means staying late. I wouldn’t ask anyone to stay unless it was important and if they said I’m sorry I have commitments tonight …thats fine.

I would however expect people to make reasonable efforts to make the effort ‘when it is required’.

Fairy snuff Frodo. sometimes is OK , all the time is not

I don’t think people should have to justify why they can’t (or don’t want to) stay on outside their contracted hours though. I think all you can do is ask people and if they say no they say no, end of conversation.

although it will often be poor management that leaves you short of time

Proof please rather than tired them and us dogma 😉

Not Dogma – its opinion. 🙂

Unless its something unforeseen and unusual whatever the activity is that requires the extra time should have been accounted for in the manpower planning. If it was predictable the the boss should have planned for it.

That I agree with – which is what I said above about the people I manage…

I did read your post and applauded – thats the way to get the best out of your staff IMO

I am lucky enough to work with colleagues from all over the world my experience is that all my colleagues work the same sort of hours regardless of their nationality. Current team includes French, German, Singaporean, Malaysian & American individuals.

Typical week is 50 to 60 hours – probably too many hours but as a result I get the opportunity to work all over the world and do something I find really interesting. As LHS says you can make it work.

At the risk of offending people who work there – I worked at BAE on a strict 37.5 hour week 13 years ago and there is no way I want to go back to the culture I experienced there.

Glad to say I don’t work for a company with a them / us dogma that must be particularly dull for both sides !

Unless its something unforeseen

A lot of business is unforeseen.

Example:

Company A sends an RFQ to supplier B stating they need the answer by tomorrow, does supplier B:

a) Turn down the work because its too short notice or
b) Pull their finger out and meet the deadline?

BruceWee – Member
Incidentally, what are everyone’s excuses for spending so much time on this thread today? Both the ‘whatever it takes’ team and the ‘my contracted hours and no more’ team seem to have a lot of spare time during what I’m assuming are work hours

I’ve been stuck for weeks waiting for some data to be sent from a client and I’m getting really sick of general research. My time on STW has been steadily increasing for a while now. It’s worrying cause it’s getting addictive.

I’ve also been spending too much time on here recently. My work generally includes a mix of travel and working from home that I prefer to working on an office. However I have been working from home too much recently and have ‘cabin fever’, also stalled projects and motivation to do research is waining. If it gets busy I’ll put the hours in but at the moment I probably owe the company a few.

I reckon people should be barred from working 60-80 hours weeks while people are struggling to find jobs(especially those that do OT for free). There really is no reason why there shouldn’t be full employment(workshy excluded of course).

First graduate job, 43 hour week, 1 hour lunch included. Leave bang on 5pm. Manage my own projects & time, meet clients, have full managerial support for any idea I come up with. If I have to leave after 5pm, it’s because I bit off more than I could chew. Very glad to be out of University, there are good employers out there!

@FunkyDunc

It’s in my contract to work ‘extra hours’ when necessary.

Do I get ‘rewarded’ for getting out of bed at 3am?

Yes, in a way.

I have a job to go back to the next day, as opposed to having to explain to The Board why their business has stopped working, due to ‘IT issues’, and potentially disciplinary action (extreme case, of course) due to not fulfilling contractual responsibilities. We have SLA’s with our clients.

I have a (relatively) good salary, which reflects the level of responsibility of the job. Somebody paid half of my salary (fresh graduate perhaps) could do 90% of my job. I’ll admit that. The remaining 10% comes to light when the sh!t hits the fan, and I can react/resolve it quickly – keeping the business’ IT running smoothly.

My employers are very flexible for time off. etc etc.

So yes, I am rewarded for working late/early/odd weekend/obscure hours..

My riding friends/drinking buddies know this about my job – and they know if I cancel on them last minute, it’s out of my control.

When I left my last employer, one of the partners in the same team went* at the same time.

He landed himself as the sole lawyer in one of the country’s largest privately owned businesses. On his first day his new roommate said “Don’t work late.” “Why’s that?” says ex-colleague, thinking it’s a concern for his wellbeing. “They lock the office at 6pm, and you can’t get out.” 😀

Apart from a bit of digging above, I’m also into the better work/life balance I enjoy now. I’d certainly take a lot of convincing (and a whole lot of cash) to return to the abusive and exploitative culture of law firms.

*He didn’t have much choice. No client money coming in = you going out of the door

Sorry been working myself in to an early grave / retirement… What did I miss?

Currently work about 35. When i have been approached to work extra, its always been on my terms, particulary now with children. I’ve worked in industries where you were expected to work “extra”, but i didnt partake. There was alot of pressure to do the extra hours, but it just looked like bullying to me.

If you get ample reward for doing, such as tiger6791 eludes too, then you might be able to justify it. But for many (salaried anyway)earning average wage, their still going to get average wage whether they do 35 hours or 60 hours aweek.

Contracted to work 39 and therefore work 39, simples

Get no thanks or reward or even recognition for working more, so don’t see the point.

Contracted 37.5, with up to 10 more paid. In exceptional times might do another 6 to 8 on saturday. Now I have a young daughter it’s nice to see her in the morning and evening. That would be impossible if I worked more than I do now.

Culture at work is pretty relaxed, on the shop floor it is all paid ot and you choose what you do. I run a team of 10 and have had to ask for a bit more ot now and again. As suggested its about give and take from both sides. I don’t know how comfortable I’d be at asking if it was unpaid, but it’s all relative as my guys don’t earn big salaries.

I can understand those working 60+ hours for the chance to retire early. A lot of my friends work in london and have done the same. People make their choices and should be happy with them without having to dig at others. My choice is to work less and earn less, but I’m pleased to see my mates who’ve really grafted be on exceptional salaries.

Contracted for 37 do 37 unless it’s to help out a mate at work or something serious has come on top (theres overtime paid but I’m not a money chaser). Did the 60hrs+ standard week, working all weekends, 30 hrs shifts (public sector as well) for no extra cash and in the long run got nothing for it, job & skills been devalued so I’ll prioritise my homelife now.

Just finished, still smiling though 😀