Anyone else think the work-day is too long?

I do think that in some cases it might be better if people were paid by production rather than time. If course, that wouldn't work for every job.

I am paid by production. I don't see a client I don't get paid. It's that simple. (they cancel, don't show, I have a meeting which I don't get paid for either...)

It's horrible. I have a set schedule that I actually have to book into 12 hour days because a cancellation is inevitable (toddlers and preschoolers are unpredictable) and that becomes my "lunchtime."

My paycheck can differ over $1000 from month to month based on other peoples' schedules. :scared1:
 
No I did not read back all these pages. I know that drives some people crazy but I just can't do it. I did read back the last couple.

Dh gets up at 4:10 am or so and recently doesn't get home until 6-6:30pm. Could be worse. When he first started he was doing 8am-8 or 9pm because that's what he had to do until he became full time and the contract said they couldn't make him do that. 30 miles from work but commute is from nj to ny. He's a mailman so he also has to work outside no matter what the weather throws his way. He has also had to deal with crazy people and threats and works in a rougher part of the Bronx.

Now how does a normal 8 hours with a 30 minute break sound?!

OP - In a normal office ITA with you. I've been there. Why have people sit around on some days doing nothing. I'd rather have 4 longer days doing something than 5 being bored to death trying to fill the time. Though I do realize a lot of places need the people there 5 days a week many don't. The ones that don't should give an option of a longer but 4 day week.
 
In my "former" life as an attorney, I slept in my office 5x that I can remember. I left my house at 3:30am, got to work at 5am, stayed until 7pm, minimum, and worked 6 days a week.

It was just expected. It was life as a new associate. Most times, I just slept there because of bad weather or sheer exhaustion knowing driving home wouldn't be safe for me. Although, once I slept there because me and a few other associates decided to have a few (OK, many....many, many) drinks. :upsidedow

I miss working.
 
Well, I'm not technically working, I'm in my 3rd year of med school, but on my medicine rotation now, I have to be at the hospital by 6:30 to check up on my patients, be ready for the morning report at 7 am, and I usually get to go home at around 6. The interns stay until 7 pm when they have evening sign out, which is when they report to the night team what's going on. And then, if the intern hasn't finished their work by 7 pm, they have to go back and finish all their notes or transfer orders, or what have you. And for those of you that think that should be plenty of time, hospitals are unpredictable. You never know when somebody is going to code, a private patient is going to fall when the attending isn't there, which patient just pulled out their NG tube, which family member is going to come by demanding why grandma isn't getting any better after her 7th stroke, etc. Personally, I think it's all a bit ridiculous, since the doctors are overworked, they overlook simple things. It's easier for me since I'm only to take a couple patients from the intern, I can spend more time making sure nothing was missed on my patients. For instance, one day I come in, and I'm assigned a patient. She's a type 1 diabetic, listed in her chart, but nobody ever ordered her insulin. She came in on a Friday night, and I got her on Monday morning, so that was all weekend she didn't get any insulin, which is not a good thing. And nobody else even realized it.
 

Why not suggest a change in the work week ? four long days off friday. alternate someone in on fridays and take turns filling that. Work with other employees to see if they are interested and see if you can find a solution to ensure enough live coverage if this is needed. get your ideas at least heard and possibly implemented.

I think the problem is your management team is not making effective use of the employees as a resource.

In this case, the employee needs to take initiative and find some work to do. Someone in that company has a project or needs some type of assistance. Find out where you can add value and do it. The experience might lead to greater job satisfaction and a possible promotion. Use the time to do training. Brush up on some software or learn a new one. Take an online class that helps you in your job. Use the time wisely. Do not waste it on the Dis or surfing the net. Be a professional always at work and have high expectations for yourself.
 
I think the point is that it's a shame that employers can't be more flexable with work hours and just seem to stick with the 9-5 M-F standard regardless of the actual working paterns of their employees. I don't think the OP or other posters are looking for any sort of sympathy. Being grateful for being employeed these days goes without saying! It doesn't mean that no one is allowed to vent a bit about their job.

I would offer up that when one is job hunting and hours are an important component of how they spend their work day, then select an employer that can accomodate your (not you in particalar, poster, but collective 'you') schedule requirements. Many, many people telecommute and have flex schedules.

Some companies do offer flex work scheduling - my company is one, but only for certain depts that can accomplish the work without disrupting services. My staff can work a 4/10 week if they choose two. It still requires careful planning. This came about last year to assist with the staggering rise in gasoline prices. Was a pleasant surprise.
 
Why not suggest a change in the work week ? four long days off friday. alternate someone in on fridays and take turns filling that. Work with other employees to see if they are interested and see if you can find a solution to ensure enough live coverage if this is needed. get your ideas at least heard and possibly implemented.

I think the problem is your management team is not making effective use of the employees as a resource.

In this case, the employee needs to take initiative and find some work to do. Someone in that company has a project or needs some type of assistance. Find out where you can add value and do it. The experience might lead to greater job satisfaction and a possible promotion. Use the time to do training. Brush up on some software or learn a new one. Take an online class that helps you in your job. Use the time wisely. Do not waste it on the Dis or surfing the net. Be a professional always at work and have high expectations for yourself.

Excellent advice!

And btw, I did work a 4/10 before getting promoted...it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Work day was 7am to 6pm. But the 3 day weekends were wonderful and I do miss that part.
 
Technically I work 8.30am-3.30pm but I realistically work 7.30am - 5.30pm, plus work at home (I teach). The vacations make up for it!

I LOVE M-F 9-5! After years of retail I'm grateful for:
  • having the same start and end time each day so you can get into a routine
  • being home for dinner
  • having a regular lunch break
  • knowing which days you will have off each week
  • having two CONSECUTIVE days off each week

There are a lot of people who DON'T get all those benefits, even if they are fortunate enough to be employed.
 
I do have to wonder why non customer facing roles still are required to work "9 to 5". If companies allowed more flexable hours then in theory rush hour would contain less people.

There are lots of reasons why it's not possible for many companies...mostly cost driven.

- Does the building/workplace have a set open and close? Cost more money to operate earlier and/or later than the traditional schedule. My building houses IT staff that is supposed to be available 24/7, so we have a guarded bldg. every hour of the day which makes flex time possible.

- If you're a non-exempt employee, then chances are you have to be 'supervised' during your work day which is not possible unless there are rotating managers to fulfill supervisory requirements.

- Does the job service or support other branches or depts where you have to be availbale when those branches are open?

And finally, while non-traditional scheduling may be ideal for a single person with no family obligations, may not be conducive to those who take care of family. Public schools don't flex their schedules to accomodate parents' work week.
 
I get this and I wonder myself why my company pays me to sit around doing nothing for 5 hours a day. I have asked my boss numerous times to just pay me the actual hours I work. I will come in and get my job done and then leave. He won't do that. He wants me to stick around "just in case" someone needs me. So, I sit here and Dis and surf the internet, which he knows all about. I've given him the option of cutting my hours, but he won't do it.:confused3

You're probably part of the 'headcount'. If he dumps your hours, then he may be in danger of losing them in his budget.
 
I'm really lucky with my job. Our official open hours are 8:30 to 4:30, closed noon to 1:00 for lunch. Those are the hours we are supposed to work.

As juvenile probation officers, we have classes for the kids during the after school hours. I personally like to have my appointments with clients when they aren't in school so that they don't have to miss class to see me. (After all, school attendance is one of the requirements when a juvenile is on probation.) For those students who are being homeschooled or in GED classes, I have no problem with having appointments during the day, but not for those attending school.

We also do home visits during the evening hours and on weekends. For some reason, they never expect a PO to show up on a Saturday night, and are really surprised when we do. We tell them they are on probation 24/7, so they should expect 24/7 monitoring.

Our Chief and Assistant Chief are OK with us coming in late or working any kind of flex schedule as long as we get our total numbers of hours in during the week. We can work extra hours one week and less the next week, if we choose, as long as we do our jobs.

I love my bosses!

Of course, there are some officers who only do the 8:30 to 4:30 thing, and that's OK, too. I will admit I get a little jealous when I see them leave at 4:30, and I know I have several hours to go. But I'm sure they feel the same way when I roll in at 10 am.
 
same boat here... plus i drive over 100 miles a day to get to my work and home !!! I work 8:45 to 5:30 also without a lunch break !!!!! the things we will do for money !!!
 
I am so with you on this. I work from 8-5 and have to take a 1 hour lunch break. I could get all of my work done in about 3 hours, so the other 5 I am doing nothing (except for dis'ing). I think it is a waste of my time and company money that I get paid to sit here all day and basically just stare at the computer and plan my next Disney trip.

Yikes! What do you do?
 
I am a flight attendant, so my work day is probably one of the more crazy ones on here!

My typical work week is 4-days of 12 - 13.5 hour days.

Assuming my day begins at, let's say, 8am, I have to leave my house for the airport at 6:30am to allow for the 30 minute commute, the bus ride from the employee lot to the terminal, and then the walk to our crew room. My work day would probably be over around 8pm somewhere where I would begin my layover.

Day 2 and 3 would probably begin at 6am, and end around 6pm somewhere where I would begin my layovers.

Day 4 would probably end at 6pm as well, only at home, and then I would have my 1.5 hour commute home!

But I am on :cloud9:
 
Working for 8 hours with 30 minute break is not possible. No one works on their stuff without any mental breaks.
I have worked my way up well for my age so far. I've been promoted twice in 4 years with new positions and more responsibility while attending grad school full time. I believe I've hit a ceiling where I'm at.

I don't think my company offer good paid time off at all. Perhaps that's what I should have complained about in post #1. :rolleyes:

I do. Actually, It's 7 hours, 45 minutes, but close enough. A lot of days I don't have time to even go to the bathroom, but if I do, I usually have to go during my 30 minute lunch break. No down time at all, including reading my email. I have to do that at home at night.
 
I thought of this thread today. Got in at work at 8:45am and left at 11:30pm. And we don't get paid overtime.
 
I wish I did a 9-5 job. I work minimum 12 hour days/nights with a 30 minute break although I do get days off (I have to work weekends too). I am being sticthed up over the shifts atm I get majority nights & they also want me to do 3 days followed by 3 nights with no day off which equates to a minimum of 70 hours not factoring my 20 minutes drive eachway to work & the driving I do for the job. Its is bordering on dangerous but they won't give me a straight answer
 
I'm at work by 6 - 6:30 in the morning and usually leave around 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. It's a long day, for sure. Ironic part is that I told my new employer that I would work really hard for him 8 hours a day but I was NOT going to put in 10 to 12 hour days like I had at my last job.

:rolleyes1

I'm lucky to get a bathroom break and I STILL have a hard time "keeping up" with all that I have to do.

But I am grateful for my job, so I keep going.
 
I had a job for a few years that was over 50 miles away. Hours were 8-5 so I'd leave the house at 6:45 and get home after 6. Just something I had to do to make a living.

Now I work at home, sleep late and work maybe 4 hours a day. I am really really really lucky. It's all because of my fiancee and I never let her forget how much I appreciate her.
 







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