british working culture

[rachelsdad]

is anybody else sick of the long work hours culture which is endemic to british offices,factories.it seems to me that most people are worried sick about losing their job and compensate by working extra hours.I am sure this is not good health wise for the nations workers,who need to get control back in their lives

[dot.hawkes]

Right, I'm stoppin at home tomorrow, you have convinced me, to hell with the carribean holiday and the new car, go for it!

[ugly_bob]

hmmm
difficult one this
We have the most liberal employment laws in the Eu in this country, yet work the longet hours.
I'm not sure about anyone else, but I'm quite happy to work long hours in order to have the money to do what I want when I'm not working.
Although i work approx 1 w/end in 3 now, I find I have a lot more time (and money to spend in that time) than when I lived in Spain (working 100+hrs/wk was not unusual for me)
The working time directive means that you can't be forced to work more thatn 48hrs/wk, which is more than most people work anyway.
I think I may have lost all point in my argument now
Thanks and goodbye

[Hermia]

I think the big problem with the long hours culture is that not everyone gets paid overtime. If someone wants to work loads of paid overtime that is their decision, but I know so many people who do hours and hours of unpaid overtime because their job will be in danger if they don't. I had to do lots of unpaid overtime in my last job which wasn't really necessary because we were up to date with the work. The boss stayed late every night and she expected us all to do the same. I really resented that so now I will not work overtime unless there is a real need for it. I work very hard and am very organised so I do finish all my work during the day. My current boss seems to respect my decision so it's working okay.

I always expect my staff to take proper lunchbreaks and not work stupidly long hours. You just have to watch people to see that their energy levels and concentration fall if they don't have a break. I also think employees who are resentful because they barely have time to see their family are not the best workers.

I find it interesting how many employees want to work long hours. Of course I can understand someone who is saving for a house and can get time & a half overtime pay wanting to work long hours. A lot of the people I know don't necessarily get any more money and don't really need to work long hours, but do. They spend their who life at work and I don't understand that. I like my job, but I think having a life outside work is equally important.

[brass_monkey]

the country is moving further to a service economy if it is to compete globally. people have to be trained and retrained in their lifetimes to be valuable to an employer. and due to cheap crap graduate labour and cheap crap foreign competition employers are currently the ones who have the power to in reality force you to do the extra work.
it isn't going to get better, no more job for life- the govt and employers want people to be contantly sharp and not sit back and do little because they feel they're safe. all the issues discussed are the effects of flexible human resource management.
plus, it's not like you want to go outside and play, because it rains all the time, might as well work

[Catso]

Well, if you were an employer, and your staff 'wanted' to work long hours for no extra pay, would you stop them? Not all employers are as decent as Hermia.
I'm sure it isn't good, for the employee, or ultimately, the employer. But people are pressured into it by their peers and employers, and to a lesser degree, even the government.
The pendulum has swung too far away from the union-run '70s and '80s now. A bit of union 'clout' to stop this sort of exploitation wouldn't be a bad thing.
As others have said, what is the point of life if you just spend every waking hour at work?