Hours of *work* - what's your view (slightly lighthearted debate)

GothicStirling

Kajimba wrote: »

It's only recently that I've learnt to abide by the adage:
"minimum wage paid, minimum effort made".

That's quite sad.

Having been a manager, I can tell you someone with that attitude is that last person on my list for extra hours and promotion opprtunities [last year I took a waitress on £6.10 an hour and promoted her to assistant manager on a salary of £18,000]

If she had had the same attitude, minimum effort equals £7,000 a year difference in wage.

zagfles

freeoffers wrote: »

We are paid what we are worth IMHO, and if that's what you're paid it's what your service is worth. No matter what I'm paid I have personal pride in doing my best because I believe it pervades other areas of my life. I started out being paid minimum wage too but having the right attitude is priceless.

Yes, and managers need the right attitude too. You're not going to get people doing their best if you're petty about timekeeping. People in my office generally work in excess of their contracted hours, I often stay half an hour/an hour late just because I'm in the middle of something interesting and don't want to interrupt my train of thought. But I wouldn't do if I got lectured for getting in 20 mins late the next day.

Like someone else said it's a difference between a job and a career. I don't clockwatch and nor does my boss. They judge me on my output, not my timekeeping.

bestpud

I always aim to be ready to start at the beginning of a shift so get there 10 mins early so I can sort my bag and make sure the permit is on the car etc.

I used to arrive early enough to do a handover and let the person before leave on time (we work alone). However, I have found it is only me and my manager who ever seem to turn up on time and I am fed up with staff rolling on 2-3 minutes late and still expecting me to handover. On times, it has been 20-30 minutes past my shift before I get away and it's just not on imo.

I'm starting to tell them it's all in the book now and making for the door. My employer loses out on this as I am then spending work time writing down every little point that could otherwise be spoken easier!

Time keeping always relies on good will and some people just don't give a hoot about their colleagues unfortunately.

scooby088

At my last place of work i clocked in about 6.40 got myself a coffee out the machine, talked to a few of the other blokes for 15 mins then went to my work station ready to start work at 7, we finished at 3.30 but we always finished 10 mins early to start cleaning our workstation up which was allowed by the owners. For me you get paid to start at a certain time and so i see it you start, but there were a few who were always at the clocking machine 10 mins early.

Jerryjerryjerry

I have always been of the opinion that you should be at your desk at 9.00 am (if that's the time you're meant to start). In my last job, there was a lady who would walk in at 9.00 am or after, go off and make a cup of tea, go to the loo, make her way to her desk - gassing to all and sundry on the way there, then have a good old chin wag about last night's telly, and then finally start work at around 9.30. This was noted and she was asked to leave just before her 3 month probationary period.

Jerryjerryjerry

I'm also the sort who believes that you start to pack up at 5.00 pm. I would go so far as to stay a few minutes later if you are in the middle of something. It always goes down well, especially during the probationary period. Depends on how much you want to keep your job and chances of promotion etc. etc.

DCFC79

Jerryjerryjerry wrote: »

I have always been of the opinion that you should be at your desk at 9.00 am (if that's the time you're meant to start). In my last job, there was a lady who would walk in at 9.00 am or after, go off and make a cup of tea, go to the loo, make her way to her desk - gassing to all and sundry on the way there, then have a good old chin wag about last night's telly, and then finally start work at around 9.30. This was noted and she was asked to leave just before her 3 month probationary period.

that would royally pee me off, everyone manages to get in on time and theres 1 who is constantly late,

Jerryjerryjerry wrote: »

I'm also the sort who believes that you start to pack up at 5.00 pm. I would go so far as to stay a few minutes later if you are in the middle of something. It always goes down well, especially during the probationary period. Depends on how much you want to keep your job and chances of promotion etc. etc.

i always try to finish what i was doing but i wouldnt aim to start something new if the time was say 5 10 and finish time was 5 30 so i would try to tidy up, complete any paperwork

Red_Cat

At my company, we are paid to do a job and have core hours to be in the office. Mine are 8:30am to 4:45pm. I start work as soon as I get to my desk which is usually 8:10am. I work until 5ish, depending on if I have a meeting am trying to get something done or have something I need to do outside of work. I have to admit that most of my colleagues show up at 8:30am or later and leave by 5pm. The managers don't seem to care, so neither does anyone else. I guess that as long people get the job done, hours aren't so important.

But dress code, that is another can of worms!

t0rt0ise

I think it depends entirely on the particular job. When starting a new job I arrive early on the first day and see what the informal rule is and follow that. As someone else said it also depends on how I'm treated. Treat me like an idiot and push on certain things and I won't be so accommodating on other things.

I once asked for a day's holiday and there was no reason for me not to be given it but the boss wanted to flex her muscles and said no. Fair enough, I came in but took two days off sick the following week. Be nice to me, I'm a person too.

Savvy_Sue

DCFC79 wrote: »

i think he blamed the traffic too, everyone else managed to get there on time for 9 but he didnt quite do it. The further away you live from work the later you are for work is the saying is it not.

I thought it was the other way round, ie the closer you live, the later you are ...

Was certainly the case when I had to get the boys to primary school, we lived very close but were always late! When the head spoke to me about it and said I might have the EWO on my doorstep, I said I'd be delighted to show her what I was battling against at home!

However, at that stage I didn't have a set time to start work, so I'd drop the boys off then make my way in. I have very rarely had set hours every day, but I'd always be in and ready to start if I was covering switchboard etc.

So I'm with the OP: your hours of work are the hours you're working, and they don't include making the first cup of tea of the day (unless you don't get a chance to make one because the phones and doorbell are going wild!)