Shorter working week

[TJC1]

Yep, and yet they're the ones managers choose to "get on".

 

---------- Post added 07-08-2015 at 21:04 ----------

 

I agree with TJC to some extent on this.

 

I once worked somewhere where I was clearly the most productive and efficient member of the team, by a distance. I worked my 37.5 hours and got through more and more. Consequently I got given more and more work, and never any financial recognition, or promotion. I had no incentive, so eventually eased the foot off the pedal and got through less work, chilled out a bit more. I had spare capacity because I still got through the work quickly, but pretended to take longer. I still got through more than anyone else, but could easily have worked a 4 day week.

 

The problem with that scenario and in a lot of other firms is that productivity, efficiency, etc, is not rewarded by either more money or time off. It just gets you more of the same, and too useful to promote. Only hours worked are recognised. I bet a lot of people could do the same amount of work in 4 days if appropriately incentivised.

 

Thank you wise owl. Very astute of you.

[Fudbeer]

Yep, and yet they're the ones managers choose to "get on".

 

---------- Post added 07-08-2015 at 21:04 ----------

 

I agree with TJC to some extent on this.

 

I once worked somewhere where I was clearly the most productive and efficient member of the team, by a distance. I worked my 37.5 hours and got through more and more. Consequently I got given more and more work, and never any financial recognition, or promotion. I had no incentive, so eventually eased the foot off the pedal and got through less work, chilled out a bit more. I had spare capacity because I still got through the work quickly, but pretended to take longer. I still got through more than anyone else, but could easily have worked a 4 day week.

 

The problem with that scenario and in a lot of other firms is that productivity, efficiency, etc, is not rewarded by either more money or time off. It just gets you more of the same, and too useful to promote. Only hours worked are recognised. I bet a lot of people could do the same amount of work in 4 days if appropriately incentivised.

 

A lot of the problems at work nowadays is down to poor management.

 

It often means that a manager will take the simplest option which is to load those who work hard with more work and not tackle the more difficult issues of those who take the mick as they are often harder to manage.

 

I have my theory as to why particularly lower levels of management is poorer now that it was say 10-20 years ago.

 

Originally when I started in retail all levels of management were given extensive training and only those who showed the relevant skills got the jobs and they were fairly well paid.

 

Below that you had a "senior" tier may be called team leaders or supervisors which were given a small pay rise but not the same training or level of responsibility.

 

Over the last decade certainly in retail in order to save money many of the management rolls have dispersed but often that leaves a gap and this has been filled by the old senior/team leader/supervisor/long serving employee who although they may know the job well they have nothing like the training and experience given to the managers they replace and lack the people skills to do the job,They save the company money because they are much lower paid but the staff working for them do not get the same quality of management.

 

Of course there are exceptions and there are plenty of people at this level better than the ones they replace but in general they lack the level of management training and experience the managers they replace had.

[Cycleracer]

So employees would be happy with working less hours then.

40+ hours is standard but employees are not necessarily happy with it. Its just the accepted norm.

Anecdotedly everybody I know wants to work less hours not more!

 

I work 57 hours a week plus 5 hours lunch break added on to the pain and have done this for many years but now I would of course exept a shorter week but a 40 hour week for me would be part time.

I don't mind working 12 hour shifts but I would like to do it on less days say 4 and that would be a 48 hour working week minus the lunch breaks...Bring it on but it won't happen in my line of work

[TJC1]

I work 57 hours a week plus 5 hours lunch break added on to the pain and have done this for many years but now I would of course exept a shorter week but a 40 hour week for me would be part time.

I don't mind working 12 hour shifts but I would like to do it on less days say 4 and that would be a 48 hour working week minus the lunch breaks...Bring it on but it won't happen in my line of work

 

Its admirable but i see long hours culture as being the problem. I think if you have to work 60 hours per week and you are not running own business you are not efficient enough tbh

[bkcin]

I I think if you have to work 60 hours per week and you are not running own business you are not efficient enough tbh

 

That makes no sense.

[Cycleracer]

That makes no sense.

 

It does make sense and he is on to something, long hours causes stress which causes tiredness which affects your output.

[TJC1]

It does make sense and he is on to something, long hours causes stress which causes tiredness which affects your output.

 

And stress leads to lower productivity.

[phantom309]

Its admirable but i see long hours culture as being the problem. I think if you have to work 60 hours per week and you are not running own business you are not efficient enough tbh

 

That depends on what your occupation is, as a retired lorry driver I used to work between 60 to 80 hours per week and that is one of the few occupations where your working hours and rest periods are determined by law.

[TJC1]

That depends on what your occupation is, as a retired lorry driver I used to work between 60 to 80 hours per week and that is one of the few occupations where your working hours and rest periods are determined by law.

 

 

Im not trying to belittle any profession.

I respect the truckers.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

That depends on what your occupation is, as a retired lorry driver I used to work between 60 to 80 hours per week and that is one of the few occupations where your working hours and rest periods are determined by law.

Not now, I think- isn't there a maximum working week law applying generally?