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Original poster

Do you do extra at work?

31 replies

Noonelikesasloppytrifle · 01/05/2024 23:06

I work in a very stressful job which is crap money for the level of responsibility and workload (27k pa). I never take a lunch break and literally do not stop all day. My contracted hours are 8.30 - 16. 30. I stay late at least 2/3 times per week by around 40 minutes. By the time I get home ( 18 15 after commute) I have nothing left to give. I also have 4 DC.

Despite the lack of lunch break and the extra time, I can not fulfil the requirements of my job in the time allocated. I have raised this with my LM in writing so that when something goes horribly wrong I can demonstrate that I have communicated this. I am not inefficient and I am very capable but I do not have capacity to deal with the volume in the time available.

Some in my role log on at night to make up some work but I refuse to do this. For one, the day completely takes it out of me and secondly I am not paid enough to make work my life.

Do you work extra in your role and if so what is it that makes you do it? I feel that if my job was well paid and recognised I would be willing to do more but as it's not then I will not. This does however make me feel guilty and, quite often, like I am failing.

OP posts:
clarkkentsglasses · 01/05/2024 23:08

That's taking the piss! Get some boundaries

BuckFadger · 01/05/2024 23:11

You are your own problem. Do your contracted hours and ask your boss what they want to be prioritised. As long as you are going above and beyond to cover the shortfall the insufficient staffing will not be resolved. Do your hours ensure and that the problem sits with the management ranks as things do not get done.

It took my long enough to learn this myself. These days I do my job as well as I possibly can but I leave when my hours finish on the dot.

R41nb0wR0se · 01/05/2024 23:12

I used to do extra. Far too much. I burned out.

Now in a totally different role and I'm friendly, I'm helpful, I'm hard-working, but I also recognise I do the job very well, and don't need to do extra to "prove myself".

Cookham · 01/05/2024 23:13

@Noonelikesasloppytrifle
The more you give, the more THEY take
With kindness, you aren't indispensable- honestly, take your breaks and go home at the end of your day - I bet my bottom dollar and I have a lifetime of experience to back me up on this one everyone else does

Mummyyellow · 01/05/2024 23:14

No, I learnt my lesson a few years ago when I worked my arse off for 4 years, did so much extra work - complained but no one listened (was doing at least 3 people’s work whilst some of my equivalent colleagues were twiddling their thumbs), stressed out all the time and working nonstop 8-6pm and sometimes staying back until 8pm to get the project over the line. Was not appreciated and when the project finished, I got tossed out due to budget constraints.

In hindsight I should have left and found a new role ages ago…..I felt guilty not completing the work but at the end of the day looking back now they took advantage of me cos I always completed the work (even if it took extra effort) so I wasn’t “struggling” and they didnt have to pay for another 2-3 people so they didn’t give a shit about me and my mental health.

Labbydood · 01/05/2024 23:18

I work a lot more than my contracted hours…..but I get paid a lot more than you for it.
If, by your own admission, it’s too much for too little…you need to draw a line.
unless there’s career prospects, training , leaning? Why are you doing more? With respect you can’t have that much responsibility and workload at 27k
i also have peers that put in extra hours….but more fool them

ComtesseDeSpair · 01/05/2024 23:23

Yes, but I get a stonking bonus the same as my salary for hitting stretch targets. And I work in an industry where there’s no beating around the bush about why we’re all here and why we work hard: we all know we’re doing it for the money and there’s none of this odd dance you see in other sectors around sort of pretending the money is just a happy consequence of doing the job you do because you want to be a nice person or something.

Do you work in a “caring” profession / public sector? Your attitude towards your work / guilt about not doing unpaid work and your colleagues’ working out of hours is typical of that. You need to ultimately address those feelings and ratify them. You work to be paid for the life you want, not vice versa, and it’s completely fine to acknowledge that and work to that rule - it doesn’t make you a horrible person who doesn’t care enough.

WeightoftheWorld · 01/05/2024 23:24

BuckFadger · 01/05/2024 23:11

You are your own problem. Do your contracted hours and ask your boss what they want to be prioritised. As long as you are going above and beyond to cover the shortfall the insufficient staffing will not be resolved. Do your hours ensure and that the problem sits with the management ranks as things do not get done.

It took my long enough to learn this myself. These days I do my job as well as I possibly can but I leave when my hours finish on the dot.

Edited

Spot on.

mynameiscalypso · 01/05/2024 23:30

I do but I get paid well for it and it allows me to have a lot of flexibility - our childcare has fallen through this week so I've stopped working at 3pm most days to get my son. No issue with at all because my boss trusts me to get everything done when it needs to be.

BuckFadger · 01/05/2024 23:32

With respect you can’t have that much responsibility and workload at 27k

I think that is rather an arrogant comment. Responsibility perhaps but those on lower wages can absolutely have massively excessive workloads.

Original poster
Noonelikesasloppytrifle · 01/05/2024 23:34

Labbydood - you'd think wouldn't you but I do although the buck does not stop with me which is one saving grace. However, I'm fairly sure I'd be a fall guy if it went tits up which is why I have raised my lack of capacity to adequately fulfil the role. There are however opportunities to progress my career and this is definitely the direction I'd like to go. Management within my workplace is poor and there is no strategic direction as every situation is so reactive. I know that I could change that, I just need to put myself in a position to take that kind of role.

ComtesseDeSpair - yes public sector. How did you guess!?! A lot of the guilt is around not being able to do enough for those that need it.

OP posts:
Labbydood · 01/05/2024 23:37

BuckFadger · 01/05/2024 23:32

With respect you can’t have that much responsibility and workload at 27k

I think that is rather an arrogant comment. Responsibility perhaps but those on lower wages can absolutely have massively excessive workloads.

Edited

Apologies

Labbydood · 01/05/2024 23:40

@Noonelikesasloppytrifle can you give a clue to your profession?
my comments earlier may have been clumsy but were not meant with disrespect

Linearforeignbody · 01/05/2024 23:41

I used to do this but now I arrive and leave on time. And I take my full hour’s unpaid lunch break.
I word hard during my allotted hours.

PotatoPudding · 01/05/2024 23:42

You need to realise what you’re worth and find a job that pays you it.

Original poster
Noonelikesasloppytrifle · 01/05/2024 23:47

Labbydood I work in education but not a teacher. A large part of my role is safeguarding. I am DDSL for 250 young people with overarching responsibility for that.

PotatoPudding Sadly my line of work will never be well paid although a move to senior leadership would be much more financially rewarding.

OP posts:
PotatoPudding · 02/05/2024 05:57

Noonelikesasloppytrifle · 01/05/2024 23:47

Labbydood I work in education but not a teacher. A large part of my role is safeguarding. I am DDSL for 250 young people with overarching responsibility for that.

PotatoPudding Sadly my line of work will never be well paid although a move to senior leadership would be much more financially rewarding.

Oh, that does make things more complicated. I hope you find a solution.

Willmafrockfit · 02/05/2024 06:00

put in for TOIL op

MumChp · 02/05/2024 06:10

I worked for NHS. Learnt my lesson so no.

SpiltCoffee · 02/05/2024 06:13

BuckFadger · 01/05/2024 23:32

With respect you can’t have that much responsibility and workload at 27k

I think that is rather an arrogant comment. Responsibility perhaps but those on lower wages can absolutely have massively excessive workloads.

Edited

Those on lower wages in some sectors, such as retail can also have massive responsibilities. Line management, on call for break ins over night, any shortfall of staff to be covered by us, 60 hour weeks, responsibilities for the safe locking and closing of the store, have to deal with gang thefts as the sales associates can't, putting yourself literally between the gangs and the stock. We don't get get paid more than 29k!

MinnieMountain · 02/05/2024 06:20

Apart from the during the SDLT “holiday”, no.

SoftPuppyBlanket · 02/05/2024 06:30

Labbydood · 01/05/2024 23:18

I work a lot more than my contracted hours…..but I get paid a lot more than you for it.
If, by your own admission, it’s too much for too little…you need to draw a line.
unless there’s career prospects, training , leaning? Why are you doing more? With respect you can’t have that much responsibility and workload at 27k
i also have peers that put in extra hours….but more fool them

Unbelievable. I bet you're one of those people that thinks everyone could be on a six figure salary 'if only they worked hard enough'🙄

Binman · 02/05/2024 06:37

Can you not use the safeguarding regulations to show that you are not given the time or resources and that it is your employers duty to fund this?

If it's public sector promotion is not going to change it for you, it's just another level of funding cuts, ineffective leads but with more responsibility.

Do you not have flexi or TOIL? Do you have a union? Do you have an employee wellbeing programme or a referral to Occupational Health / HR. Public sector usually have umpteen policies on stress, work/life balance et al.

However public sector staff are often there because they love the work that they do, and know that they make a difference, rather than the money. This, with the promise of a decent pension, is the reason why they take advantage of you.

It really is up to you to use all of those policies, promises and resources to your own advantage. An email trail is not going to be a lot of good when you burn out.

teekay88 · 02/05/2024 06:45

I'm with others. I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and it was exhausting and almost robbed me of my marriage and relationship with my child. I have now taken a couple steps back in my career deliberately so I can get a better balance. I'm still in a management role and I do perhaps a couple hours extra across the week but as I already work compressed hours over 4 days this is all I have in me. I'm struggling with extreme tiredness and mind fog as it is alongside the usual mental load we all carry so I just couldn't commit to any more. My work are thankfully not too pushy but I do have colleagues that work excessive overtime and every day is a choice not to get sucked in. You're right yo stick to your guns and very good to have set out in writing in case as you say it ever gets brought up. There's also the point that overtime just ends up creating more work as you're sending more emails and then log back in to yet more replies so it becomes a self fulfilling cycle of business that I'm not sure in the end is actually any more productive or efficient. Some of the best ppl I know at their jobs are those who evidence clear boundaries and use the time they have well whilst logging off at a decent hour

Hippywannabe · 02/05/2024 06:46

Ah, education. Nods in sympathy.
I did just write a long post but thought it might be identifying or be construed as complaining but generally as a TA, I do probably almost an hour a day unpaid.
Do I tell the child crying because Mum and Dad have split up that I am going to lunch?
Do I tell the child who has struggled with angles or fractions and has asked for 5 minutes help (it is always longer) that I won't do it?
I just can't do that to children and yes, I do know that schools take advantage of this.