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

I have recently lowered the amount of time I spend worrying about work or feeling pressured about work commensurate with my salary.

I have been much more content since I decided that am I no longer going to sacrifice my personal time, wellbeing or mental health for work.

Eric's a prick, who's sailing perilously close to ending up being taken to a tribunal for causing burnout or mental health issues in his team. If he reflects the culture of the firm in general, rather than just being up his own arse, I'd be looking for an exit strategy at this point. Or you could enjoy the next year pushing back against his silly expectations and enjoying his bemusement.

He then proceeded to say next I want to really mount the pressure, I want you to be feeling you have too much work and have to say to me ‘(Eric), I can’t take this on, it’s too much.’ I want you to almost feel like there’s so much on that you are non stop. That will mean next year we can talk about more money. It will mean late nights of course

😂😂😂😂😂🥕😂😂😂😂

seriously

id still be laughing.

meeting with HR.

who the actual fuck does he think he is...

id be relentless until he was fired.

You are right. There's just no point in employers acting like this. Work doesn't need to be awful.
I have a job I love at the moment and it's the first time I've ever worked anywhere where there's such a supportive team.
And honestly I love every one of them and would never want to let any of them down. Because they are all lovely and I feel so valued and respected.
It's been such an eye opener regarding jobs I worked previously where the stress was incredible and I felt like the managers were terrifying.
I think we've got to a point in time now where we can rightly ask what on earth is the point of a workplace culture like that?
We can understand that if we hit and bully our kids it's terrible parenting..
Why can't we understand that bullying and terrorusing staff is terrible management??
Get people genuinely engaged, treat them with respect, acknowledge they have lives outside of work that are important to them.. all work together and have each other's backs

When I have these staff appraisals I always rate myself 10/10 and then challenge my manager to prove otherwise. If they can then I know there is something to work on. If not, they can suck it.

Start looking for another job now. Even if you did all that he'll have some reason next year why you need to do another year before he pays you more. It's gaslighting. There are decent bosses around. Find one.

I’ve always put in extra hours in previous jobs and in my own business. My husband is the same. But it benefits nobody; just makes you ill and tired so I’m with the younger generation on this!

'No thanks Eric. Not unless you want to pay me the extra money now? Now will that be all, because I'm clocking off at 5.30 because that's when you pay me until, and have things to do before then'.

This was my life too in accountancy, so I left for the civil service. Life is too short.

Eric is an idiot. He would be getting my resignation at the start of the new year.

I was a secondary school middle manager. I used to tell my NQTs not to make my mistake - don't give your whole life to to your school.

Totally fair to flip the bird at Eric - he sounds excruciating.

on the other side I know very few people for whom knocking off at 5:30 every day and prioritising their tennis has lead to huge financial success. Many of my circle are on 250k + household annual incomes and none of them work 9-5 x 5 days a week.

all of them have at least one half of the couple who works 60+ hours a week and expects to be available at wierd times of day for calls / meetings.

now I’m not advocating that it’s necessarily healthy to work that much. Or that everyone who works that much will make big money - but there is a correlation!

In my experience, employers are more than happy to use you, and dangle a carrot until you cannot offer any more, then they move on to someone else who will go above and beyond.

I used to think the way forward was to work yourself into the ground, but all it did was see me professionally taken advantage of and my mental health suffered immeasurably.

So I'd be doing just as the younger generation are doing, making work about paying the bills, not necessarily trying to fast track movement upwards.

Reminds me of an old boss I had 30 years ago, who wanted ambitious staff who weren't afraid of CSFs, the "Cold Sweat Factor", as he called it. He said he wanted people to wake up in the middle of the night, worried about those deadlines. It became quite a joke, and we talked about him for years afterwards. Died fairly young, of a heart attack, so take that as a warning - clock out with the young folks at 5.30 and relax!

(edited for typo)

So Eric, have you heard that valuing quality work and ensuring your team are productive is done by ensuring their work is balanced.
No? Funny my new employer has!

You’ll like this one OP.

do watch, it’s spot on!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/579229161172294/?referral_source=aggregation_page

Maybe if Eric needs more work doing, he need to make a case to his boss for more staff.

Anyone who thinks working extra hours and going above and beyond in their jobs needs a bit of a wake up call I think. Nothing in the world makes it worth all the lost personal time with friends and family, or the detrimental impact on health.

we live on a floating rock, and yes, we need money to survive and a purpose (which comes to lots of people through a fulfilling career), but for goodness sake, we only live once so we must enjoy our lives!

I do the hours I am paid to do, will work extra if absolutely needed (but take the time back on quieter days), and take all my annual leave and make sure to fully switch off. This is how it should be!

Eric is a dick and I think I would have laughed in his face.

New HT said pretty much the same as your Eric -described how in last school, colleagues had resigned due to 'the pace', and that similar expectations would soon be in place for us too. We're already working our socks off; there are no more evenings left. And in teaching, it's not as if working harder actually pays better ‐you are where you are on the pay-spine regardless.

I look at my DC and would hate for them to work like me and have zero life. I don't care if they stay living at home forever.

I agree, I try to avoid staying late where I can help it. The only times we are really expected to stay late is staff meetings and parents evening/events. Other than that by 4:30 I am out of the door to collect DC! I've had a few older and more experienced teachers tell me I don't stay late enough...

Isn’t it supposed to be about quality not quantity these days?

Unmanageable workloads have been linked to poor performance and even negligence… in fact even demanding clients are now saying they don’t want work that’s been done at midnight as it’s not good work.

However… if you work in a billable hours based industry… things are going to be very slow to change because more hours at your desk literally equals more money for the firm. (Not necessarily for you, mind).

Is this Eric from Industry 😂

Also late 30s and nah, I have a life beyond work. Eric has a very old-fashioned attitude.

Eric is a twat. Was that meant to be his inspirational speech? I'd be tempted to tell him by 15th Jan latest that I had too much work... I'd also be looking for another job.

Made me think of Eric from Industry for some reason.