To be sick of this, think it is utter bollocks and the next generation are actually bang on?

I'd be telling Eric, "no, we will be talking about more money now or you will be looking for another employee that will clock off on the dot as is now more common. One who will very likely cost you more money than you're attempting to avoid paying me".

Twats like him never know what they've got until it's gone.

If he is making it so plainly obvious that you will be getting no more money, why the fuck would you do as he demands. The fucking idiot.

He sounds like an idiot. Im an AHP and although I was very busy in A and E I always left on time as colleagues changing over were prompt.
I'd tell him you will be getting a payrise...in a different firm.

Eric sounds like a knob. Eric will likely change his mind in a year, there will be no extra money. You'll have given him a year of your life for nothing. Eric will then move on to the next victim.
How the hell is Eric finding this work?
Why wont he employ an extra person to do it?
OP go find another job.

Try telling a nurse, doctor, police person, fire-fighting person that they should clock off on time

I’d be speed dialling HR. Eric is a dinosaur.

Seems discriminatory to me. Nobody with caring responsibilities could do that job. Love the idea of asking him to put that in writing as part of his managerial direction.
Does Eric have children himself?

No, they don't, they tend to work well and smart.

I'm not sure I'd have challenged his thinking in my 30s - but as I had young kids then, I'd be thinking to find another job as I didn't need extra work as my life was busy enough.

Now as a senior director in my late 40s I'd be actually livid if someone said that to me in a review and would call him out on it there and then. "Sorry, just to reiterate - you are telling me, actually admitting that because I'm good at my job as it is now my reward is to be given so much extra work that I burn out? Can you elucidate on your thinking here?"

Sounds like he has swallowed a 1980s corporate bullshit manual.

Same where I worked , the older crew were always being called to meetings after work and got used to it . Since they've retired the younger ( 30's ) have said no we're paid to 5pm and that's when we're leaving , and they do . I think good for them setting boundaries.
When the axe of redundancy swings it doesn't care how many extra hours you've worked we're all dispensable .

@Usunshine I like the concept a poster posted earlier, 'quietly quitting' and working more normal hours. I'm much older and used to work longer hours as we were promised to work longer at some parts of the year so we could finish earlier in others. Never happened because you ended up being forced to work later throughout!

Secondly, I used to also work like a dog but one Friday I left on time (6pm) to catch a train. On the Monday, boss gave me the silent treatment then pulled me into a room saying x/y wasn't done properly (it had been but there was a miscommunication) but he said I should have cancelled my train to do the work. I had a light bulb moment and said no way. Others weren't/wouldn't, so why was I?

I'm far happier now just doing what I need to do, hard but not mad hours

Very easy to meet this ask. Tomorrow at 5:30 you say I have too much on my plate Eric, I can’t do it all so I’m heading off and you tell me what I can drop /push to next month.

Eric is an idiot. I completely understand that some roles require you to work extremely hard for long hours. However, it's one thing to work because you have so much to do, and another to tell you you need to purposefully take on so much you feel like you're burning out? WTF?

In most jobs, as others have said, those who earn well, work excessive hours. It doesn’t mean that you need to also. Just tell Eric that you’re currently prioritising your work life balance being more balanced towards life than work. As people say, on their death bed no-one wishes they’d worked longer hours.

My ExH made huge amounts of money.

He regularly went to the gym in the afternoons to sit in the jacuzzi and sauna "meetings" and had regular lunches out.

After his first three years when he was on a call rota he didn't do any unsocial hours.

Computer programmer in finance.

They didn't employ him to do long hours they employed him to solve problems no-one else could.

What is the point of having all that money if you never get to relax or see your family properly because you're too busy working? Genuine question, I'm curious about why people work this way when it's not just for survival.

Stuff that.

Employer loyalty doesn't exist anymore. It's a sad state of affairs but most references are just x worked here from x to x. No one gives a shit if you worked extra hours. No point being nice.

It depends on the industry. If it’s some kind of job where an 8-figure deal might fall through if you don’t get on the phone or physically go hold the client’s hand through some issue: that’s the business you signed up for. Or if it’s medical where lives might literally be on the line.

If we are talking about data entry, though, that’s different. That’ll keep until the next day.

Ask Eric for all that in writing. What a low grade manipulator! 😂

Don’t suppose you work in big 4? Sounds like the kind of “motivational” nonsense I hear from my team leaders.

i also worked hard in my youth but I agree the young folk have got the right idea.

Partner profit share inflation is so far in excess of staff wage inflation it’s a joke. There’s too many old partners taking home the big bucks but not pulling their weight, and not enough hard working, talented young partners being brought through.

The bonuses (at all grades) are pitiful and not worth the effort.

My DH works in the same field as me but in house. He works less hours, fully remote, takes home more pay, and gets a 20% bonus just for turning up.

I was doing 60 plus hours as a teacher then spending loads of my holiday time in school - even decorating on more than one occasion which included spending my own money on materials. For what money?? Because I worked in an area with lots of issues/school with financial difficulty.

Why? What kind of an utter mug was I? My children all taught me that there was absolutely no reward for being a mug, spending your own money and having absolutely no life. It's not a vocation, it's a job.

I have worked for over 30 years and I have learned some facts that I wish I knew or understood earlier

If your working environment involves long hours or ridiculous deadlines then your mangers and senior team haven't a clue what they are doing. They don't know how to define roles, set work or employ the adequate skilled staff. They should not be in their roles

If you work really hard and behave like the 'perfect' employee it doesn't mean you will get that promotion or that pay raise plus you may not end up with the respect you deserve which always seem to go to the dick at meetings who talks like he knows ever thing but actually never delivers anything

Most people at work (even the ones that sound nice) are out to advance and promote themselves . Work relationships are transactional relationships. So be clever they certainly are being ....Don't let anyone use you (as some will) and make sure you set strong boundaries because in the end they will be rid of you as fast as they can say 'young blood' if it suits them to do so

Organisations that talk a lot about life work balance are usually the ones with the worst problems. Always say the right things to HR or your managers but always remember you are contracted to work a certain number of hours a week , you don't need to do more

Anyone who speaks to you like Eric should be reported to HR or at the very least put straight . Overtime is necessary on very rare occasions and should not be the norm. Do not be swayed by the office culture ...what is the worst they can do ?

I have been praised and gaslighted, promoted and ignored, I have had pay raises or earned less that I deserved, I have worked under hierarchy and I have had autonomy, I have been insanely busy or rooted around for something to do. I have been respected and I have been micro managed. I have worked for fools and wise hacks. And I can say that working long hours or very hard has not been the deciding factor on how much I have been paid or on how I got on in my job

Is it the kind of job where extra money means being invited to become a partner?

I'd be continuing as you are, unless working longer hours meant immediately more pay for every overtime hour.

Do you want to be more senior and have more hours, responsibility and more pay?

I don't know anyone who works only 9 to 5 and who makes mega bucks. A decent average wage is usual for working 9 - 5. Which is fair.

People who make huge money usually work long hours, have more responsibility or education, expertise and experience. That is fair too.

So Eric wants you to work longer hours for no extra pay, with the carrot of - maybe - more money in future.
Thanks, twatty Eric, but I think we'll pass on that kind offer and focus on a decent work/life balance. And start looking for something else.

My first job was like this. My contract said 9-5.30 and that I could take one day per week as study leave for professional exams. Not only did I not get my study leave, I got hauled into the boss’s office because I was seen leaving the office at 6.30pm (to got to an Italian lesson I’d signed up to). Apparently it wasn’t the done thing. I stuck it out for 2.5 years and then left (the job and the country). This was back in 2000.