Working Late

AP007

falko89 wrote: »

In the past overtime was a rare thing for me, a few times per year if we were really busy and it was only the odd hour, and even that was a struggle for me as I just wanted home, I work to live not the other way about.

Then I got made redundant, I was unemployed for 4-5 months before getting my current job, on day 1 I got asked if I could do overtime, I laughed as I thought it was a joke but it wasn't, so to keep on the right side of them I said I'd do an hour, that wasn't good enough, 3 hours they were looking:eek: I almost !!!!! my pants to be frank, I said no, of course it wasn't long before I ended up in the office over it as we have a sneaky overtime clause hidden in our contracts. Its a rare week goes past I don't do at least 2-4 hours overtime and I hate it with a passion.

I bet you get stopped 2 hours if you took two hours off!!!

Add up what you lose a year doing 2-4 hours OT and that's what they are saving by you doing this.

Almo

AP007 wrote: »

I bet you get stopped 2 hours if you took two hours off!!!

This is what gets me. I know so many people who have to take leave to go to the doctor or take the car to the garage and often have to use a half day or even a whole day.

I was lucky in my last place that although I fairly often stayed a bit later (and was always in earlier, though mainly because it suited me) my boss would never dream of docking pay if you were a bit late because you'd had to let workmen in/were late back from lunch after going to the bank etc. She felt it was swings and roundabouts, and consequently people were happy to work longer when necessary, knowing that it would come back to them when they needed it.

AP007

Almo wrote: »

This is what gets me. I know so many people who have to take leave to go to the doctor or take the car to the garage and often have to use a half day or even a whole day.

I was lucky in my last place that although I fairly often stayed a bit later (and was always in earlier, though mainly because it suited me) my boss would never dream of docking pay if you were a bit late because you'd had to let workmen in/were late back from lunch after going to the bank etc. She felt it was swings and roundabouts, and consequently people were happy to work longer when necessary, knowing that it would come back to them when they needed it.

Its give and take I say but that is not what happens.

At my last job you could only have 1 hour for an appointment but my doctors open at 9.30am and close at 12 and then open again at 3pm to 6pm so even if you got the first appointment you would be lucky to get into work by 10.45 therefore having to work the 45 mins after work that night!

Lagoon

Almo wrote: »

This is what gets me. I know so many people who have to take leave to go to the doctor or take the car to the garage and often have to use a half day or even a whole day.

I was lucky in my last place that although I fairly often stayed a bit later (and was always in earlier, though mainly because it suited me) my boss would never dream of docking pay if you were a bit late because you'd had to let workmen in/were late back from lunch after going to the bank etc. She felt it was swings and roundabouts, and consequently people were happy to work longer when necessary, knowing that it would come back to them when they needed it.

A much better way of doing things. Still, it's a case of work longer 'when necessary'. People that put in an hour or two each night are doing an extra day's work in a week. If five people do this, the company have saved themselves the cost of hiring a new employee.

Meanwhile, five people are missing out on bedtime stories with their children, on stress-free evenings, on dinner with their partner, on the chance to do their shopping after work rather than waiting until the weekend when they could be having fun.

All that, for your company to avoid paying another member of staff to do the work. It's fine if it's occasional, but in a majority of companies it's now expected every day of the week. If you need people to stay behind every night to get essential work done, then you should realise that it's time to employ an extra body.

In reality, very few people staying behind are doing work that has to be done at that moment. Would the world end if it was left until the next working day? Probably not.

eamon

Its called presentism and it comes from the top down. Its also one of the reasons why directors and business owners are exempt from the working time directive. But they are paid accordingly though I do excuse many small business owners trying to stay afloat in these rubbish economic times.

falko89

I've been doing a lot of searching and applying lately and all companies seem to be at this now, 35/40 hour weeks seem to be a thing of the past, I don't mind doing some overtime to pull the company out but it seems like things have moved passed this now in that companies are basing there workload on people doing overtime rather than hiring more staff. Sure there is the max 48 hour limit but opt out and you'll soon find yourself back on the dole cue, I am thinking the way forward especially if the job is around the min wage is part time work and have the rest topped up by tax credits, I mean no 1 wants to be doing 45+ hour weeks.

DollyDee_2

The other side of the coin is there are people (lower/middle management usually) who don't actually do a lot of work during their working hours then they have to stay late to catch up and they think it makes them look good to the higher-ups. Ordinary staff can see right through them. Talking about football matches on Monday was always a good time waster.

falko89

DollyDee wrote: »

The other side of the coin is there are people (lower/middle management usually) who don't actually do a lot of work during their working hours then they have to stay late to catch up and they think it makes them look good to the higher-ups. Ordinary staff can see right through them. Talking about football matches on Monday was always a good time waster.

I have encountered these folk myself, its odd how the boss fails to notice exactly what's done during working hours, yet these folk staying on because they did damn all during the day earns some serious brownie points, doesn't matter a damn they did nothing all day.

emg

This isn't just happening in the private sector, I work as a clinician in the NHS and regularly work 3-4 unpaid hours per week to try and keep on top of my caseload. Like the OP, there are regularly people in the office at 7am/7pm despite being a 9-5 service. People are fearful for their jobs in the public sector too as we are seeing posts cut all the time.

gibson123

tuggy12 wrote: »

Public Sector, welcome to Private sector.

Grow up!

Public Sector - I'm lucky if I leave before 7 pm my official leaving time is 5 pm. And I am expected to go to meetings some evenings and weekends, and I don't get paid for them either, I am also not allowed to use expenses and I cannot accept hospitality worth more than £5 without declaring this. I cannot have tea and coffee at meetings and if I want to buy a visitor a coffee, I am not allowed to put it on expenses. All staff travel is by bus. I am sick of people going on about the public sector, I worked in the private sector for many years, it is a lot easier and less stressful than public sector work. Most of us are in it to make a difference.