How many hours a week do you work?

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by notfarnow
Lots of posturing too. People making a point of firing out emails at 8 pm so that everyone knows they were working late.

For me, I work in kinda a "zoo" environment for lack of better word. After-hours tends to be exclusive dedicated concentration and catchup time. Sure, I shut my office door at times and go on DND, but...knock, knock, knock. For me personally, it has nothing to do with posturing.

[svandamme]

Originally posted by notfarnow

Lots of posturing too. People making a point of firing out emails at 8 pm so that everyone knows they were working late.

that's the hard way to try and look like an overachiever
i just send them with delayed delivery

[cool_chick]

LMAO svan

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by cool_chick
For me, I work in kinda a "zoo" environment for lack of better word. After-hours tends to be exclusive dedicated concentration and catchup time. Sure, I shut my office door at times and go on DND, but...knock, knock, knock. For me personally, it has nothing to do with posturing.

I probably should have phrased that more carefully. I also work late to "catch up", and often have to work big hours during projects. But in my office there is a lot of posing about working late. Some folks insist that you know how late they've stayed

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by Dennis Kalma

I actually think we are getting less done, depriving our loved ones of our time, reducing our creativity and balance by enslaving people to their "work".

I do my best thinking in the shower, on the commute, etc., etc..... I carry a notepad with me at all times. My environment tends to be somewhat chaotic (IT Operations environment tends to have little things come up all throughout the day in the form of mini "fires").

I'm not remotely close to what you described in the rest of your post though but you're right, it's sad. I've been considering taking a new job lately because you're right, the quality of life has taken a turn towards the shytter in America, that's for sure. Really, what's more important?

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by notfarnow
I probably should have phrased that more carefully. I also work late to "catch up", and often have to work big hours during projects. But in my office there is a lot of posing about working late. Some folks insist that you know how late they've stayed

No, I know what you mean. I know those people.....

You got me thinking now though......do people think I fire off emails at odd times because of what you're saying???? Maybe I'll start delaying them til 9:00 a.m. LOL.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by cool_chick
I do my best thinking in the shower, on the commute, etc., etc..... I carry a notepad with me at all times. My environment tends to be somewhat chaotic (IT Operations environment tends to have little things come up all throughout the day in the form of mini "fires").

I'm not remotely close to what you described in the rest of your post though but you're right, it's sad. I've been considering taking a new job lately because you're right, the quality of life has taken a turn towards the shytter in America, that's for sure. Really, what's more important?

Well, I work in the same field and 4-5 years ago the work atmosphere in my office was "you are here until the work is done".... which was typically 50-60 hrs/week. Well, the work was never done and everyone worked nutty hours, running around trying to put fires out.

Then we had a 5 month long strike, and we all worked our regular jobs plus massive OT. 80 hr weeks for the first couple of months, down to about 70. It was really tough on everyone, on both sides of the strike.

When it was over, we found we had learned to work a lot more efficiently. Stuff pops up, project implementations go awry, but by planning carefully we can predict and prevent a lot of the stuff we used to get sideswiped by.

[svandamme]

80 hour weeks? that's 11 a day , 7 days a week
without overtime pay?

i hope you at least have a decent salary
i wouldn't even do it if i did get the overtime pay
i value my sanity and my personal time to much

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by svandamme
80 hour weeks? that's 11 a day , 7 days a week
without overtime pay?

i hope you at least have a decent salary
i wouldn't even do it if i did get the overtime pay
i value my sanity and my personal time to much

That was during a 5 month strike, so there was OT for everthing after 37.5. It was 13-14 hr days, 6 days a week for the first couple months.

Money was good but it was a real strain, especially after a couple months. Very hard on everyone on both sides of the situation. I had good friends on the picket lines I was crossing every day. Not fun. Things started to get really crazy after a couple months when there was no end in sight. I had 5k of vandalism to my car and sailboat.

The only upside is we learned to work more efficiently, and after the strike the company was much more respectful of work/life balance. Brought some positive changes.

[Jay H]

Originally posted by Dennis Kalma
I must admit I think that North America is going to hell in a handbasket with regards to sustainable work environments...
Now, people are present at work for 50 hours or whatever, but since the day essentially is open ended, people take more time for casual chatting, longer "breaks", more room for distractions and much less focus on getting their stuff done.

I actually think we are getting less done, depriving our loved ones of our time, reducing our creativity and balance by enslaving people to their "work". I see guys playing with their Crackberry at their kid's hockey game, people working until midnight to generate the 57th slide in Powerpoint that really could have gotten its message across in 5 slides if there was some focus...it makes me sick.

Dennis

I have to comment on Dennis' post above since I see very similar things in my work environments.

I've spent my last 17 years of my life working in accounting for various companies from large to small. Most require 45 hours a week. At larger companies where you have many young people trying to scramble up the corporate ladder, you'll see them do insane hours. Come in at 9 am and then leave at 9 pm. They seem to not care about their health or their relationships. I had a boss that worked 70-80 hours per week and didn't seem to care that her husband was ready to divorce her since she was never home. All done to get that promotion for more money so they could spend more on a larger house or a longer trip to Europe or a BMW verses a VW.

Insanity really.

I did the same thing for awhile at a corporate level job in accounting. Came in a 7:30 am and left at 8 pm. I was completely spent from looking at a PC screen for over 12 f'n hours. My wife suffered, my children suffered, etc. But, it was "expected" of me to work that much. I was quickly heading for burnout. The best thing they did for me was to lay me off so I could go back to a 45 hour a week job.

My current boss 'expects' us to work at least 44 hours a week. We can be sitting at our PC's typing posts on Pelican, but it doesn't matter, just as long as we are at our desks for 44 hours a week. It has nothing to do with productivity. I could get my job done in about 30 hours per week, but I'm chained to the desk from 7:30 to 5 with maybe only a 10 minute lunch (so I can leave at 5 instead of staying late). Again, my boss is taking a totally incorrect focus of just having us put in hours verses concentrating on results. I see that so often in my line of work...

As the economy tightens, margins get slim, health care gets expensive, we are seeing more and more companies just push their employees harder and harder and expect more hours, better results, harder work and all for not much in annual increases. More of my colleges are just plain burning out... So, when we get fed up, we quit and then get replaced by a college kid who will do the same work for $15k a year less (again, making the boss look good because he is saving $15k a year in salaries).

I'll bet this trend will continue in this country....

[Zef]

37.5 hours per week...And it's a lot enough...!...OT always open...but the time I got with my kids and wife is too precious...no money can buy it...!!!

[Superman]

I don't know how many hours I work. I go straight home, fix food and eat it, sleep six hours and go back to work.

My co-worker likes to joke. He says "We work half-days at XXXXX Corp. Only twelve hours."

[techweenie]

I'm in a (re)start-up. 70-75 is typical.

Man, do I need a 3-day weekend... but I know I'll work a few hours each day.

:-/

[Superman]

Originally posted by techweenie
I'm in a (re)start-up. 70-75 is typical.

Man, do I need a 3-day weekend... but I know I'll work a few hours each day.

:-/

Saving up for a down payment on a condo?

[azasadny]

I've worked 80hour weeks during launches and other very specific projects that require it and after it's over, I'm glad to go back to a normal schedule. i do alot of my work (IT research) from my home office and I don't count that time. I'm usually on the PC at 6:00am each morning and until 11:00pm or later most nights. I have insomnia, so when I can't sleep, I work...

[techweenie]

Originally posted by Superman
Saving up for a down payment on a condo?

Unfortunately, senior management is set at 30-35% salary until we get funding. I'm bleeding about $2K a month despite renting in the ghetto. Downpayment on even a mobile home is a long ways off...

:-/

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by techweenie
I'm in a (re)start-up. 70-75 is typical.

Man, do I need a 3-day weekend... but I know I'll work a few hours each day.

:-/

I'm taking a long overdue vacation. Starting tomorrow and through next week.

Can you believe it though? I friggin have to do work! I tried desparately to clear it all out so I don't miss deadlines, but I'm not going to make it. I get so much more done working from home anyway....and I'm doing it early in the vacation to get it out of the way.

OMG, I tried...

[Superman]

I hear ya, chick. My Mom had hip surgery last week, so I took the week off to hang with her. I spent nearly all morning each morning hosing fires by cell phone. Still, I had some time to just sit on the couch and read a book. Decadent.

This summer I'm going to hike portions of the Pacific Crest Trail. Sadly, there will be no cell phone reception.

[gassy]

I'm in the office about 30 hrs a week--CC, 60 hours a week? Jeanette and I gotta kidnap you for a beer on an errant Thursday at 3pm sometime.

[Aurel]

Let us see: I am at work from 8 am to 5:30 pm. That is 9:30 hours a day. Take off 30 min for lunch. So 9 hours/day, 45 hours a week. Never work on week-ends.
Vacations? I get 20 days/years, plus 9 paid holidays. No bonuses in a non-for-profit university. Now, I sometimes work at home too, writing papers doing bibliographic research. Plus, I never really stop thinking about my projects. Does it count as work?

Aurel