Advice please re unpaid overtime V stress

Raksha

If you look back over other threads, there has been some 'issues' between my boss and I over the fact that I often work 10/20 or even 30 mins + at the end of a day to get a job finished most days a week. Sometimes this is due to being requested to do the job late in the day, sometimes it's for my own personal satisfaction - I prefer to finish a job once I start it and feel stressed if I can't. My stress levels earlier this year led to depression (for which I am still being treated) and 2 weeks sick leave, from which I've only just caught up (by working overtime, which has totalled nearly a full working week)

My boss has now said no more overtime unless it's authorised.

Would it be reasonable to offer to do unpaid overtime for my own satisfaction and stress levels, so long as it's appreciated and recognised in some way. Part of me doesn't want to feel taken advantage of and the other part of me wants to be able to do a good job.

Additionally, we have recently moved offices, which has greatly reduced my travel time - giving me an extra 20 mins a day, and my computer has been up graded from being the oldest machine in the office as well as being the server, so tasks should take me less time anyway....

Thanks

teabelly

No. No unauthorised overtime is a good idea. If someone turns up with something late in the day then the simple answer is not to start it in the first place! Try and plan your day so that you finish something around leaving time and then you can add unfinished things on your next day's to do list. Just as de-stressing. Much better than always working overtime for the latecomers. Unfinished work is a fact of life. If it stresses you then you are going to find it hard to survive in any workplace as there is always going to be more work. You have to think about what you have completed in a day rather than what is left. It's less stressful to think that way round.

SarEl

It's not only unreasonable - it's completely insane! You are saying on the one hand that your stress levels are too high and that you can''t cope. You have had two weeks off due to the effects of the stress. And now you want to volunteer to do overtime because your boss has, quite rightly, stopped you from doing it! You are putting your health, and, if you keep on having time off sick, possibly your job at risk. The employer, given your health, should be stopping you working overtime!

It's a job. Not a life. What can't be done today will have to wait until tomorrow - or next week. If you need some suggestions for what to do with the extra hours...

.. take up a hobby, walk the dog, become addicted to a soap, cook meals from scratch, join a gym, redecorate, take a college course, go clubbing....

sexki11en

Plan your time better. If you regularly can't get your work finished in 8 hours then something's wrong somewhere.....

SK x

Raksha

I work 6 hours a day - the same 6 hours I was doing when I started the job - the work got done then, but since then, we've took on another member of staff and increased turn over by 100%, but I'm still the only member of staff providing the post sales support and accounts activities...

bristol_pilot

Employees doing 10, 20, 30 minutes extra each day and then claiming overtime for it is just taking the pi$$ so I'm not surprised your boss is making it an issue. In most workplaces, salaried employees would be expected to do this for no extra pay whereas hourly paid staff would be expected to either get pre-authorised overtime or leave the job unfinished and re-start it the next day.

teabelly

Leave the work undone. If you cope you won't get any extra staff to help with the workload!

paulwf

Raksha wrote: »

I work 6 hours a day - the same 6 hours I was doing when I started the job - the work got done then, but since then, we've took on another member of staff and increased turn over by 100%, but I'm still the only member of staff providing the post sales support and accounts activities...

Rather than do unpaid overtime as you only do 6 hours currently you are better off working to rule as your boss suggests then your job can always be upgraded to 7 or 8 hours a day if the workload is too much.

Your boss is helping you on 2 counts at the moment - giving you the potential for extra employment as well as making sure you don't feel stress or resentment from doing unpaid overtime.

If you don't want extra hours then they might take on a part timer to support you creating more employment.

sweetilemon

I certainly would not suggest doing unpaid overtime because then if your workload becomes too large you can't really complain as all your tasks are being completed. If your boss thinks you can do more work for the same pay he'lljust leave you to it. Although having said that the amount of overtime you are talking about doesn't seem too bad. I regulary stay an extra 10-20 mins without claiming the time because it wasn't necessary it just makes my day easier the following day.

SarEl

sweetilemon wrote: »

I certainly would not suggest doing unpaid overtime because then if your workload becomes too large you can't really complain as all your tasks are being completed. If your boss thinks you can do more work for the same pay he'lljust leave you to it. Although having said that the amount of overtime you are talking about doesn't seem too bad. I regulary stay an extra 10-20 mins without claiming the time because it wasn't necessary it just makes my day easier the following day.

Please don't encourage her

But seriously - people do, but people shouldn't! And people who are already suffering stress and depression definitely shouldn't.

lee636

So if the OP asked to leave 10/15 minutes early for something her boss should just say yes? Or if she is late one morning by 10 minutes OP's boss should just wave it off?

Get a grip on what your posting people, an extra 10/15minutes here and there wont hurt anyone and is a case of swings and roundabouts. Give and take. If its a regular thing then it seems something needs to be sorted out between the OP & employer, if its now and again, once, twice a week for 10 odd minutes then no big deal.

OP - why not ask your boss to authorise you an extra 30 minutes a day? Thus you claim 2.5 hours extra a week.