Do you finish work 'on the dot'?

[BananasAreForever]

Most people I know (including me) are regularly working outside of their working hours (weekends and evenings), even without being in particularly high paid roles or being paid overtime. This seems to be a more accepted part of the world of work now but I don't feel this was the case 20 years ago when I started my career.

The expectations put on employees all feels a bit grim, especially as we don't have a huge amount of free time anyway.

Are you lucky enough to have a job where you are able to leave at the exact time your hours finish without the expectation you will be putting in extra hours? If yes, what do you do?

Yep, I work in a university library but not front facing. If we do work over our allotted hours we can claim flexi.

I finish on the dot. I don’t get paid to stay late and I have to collect my children

I start on time and finish on time and get paid exactly the same as the brown nosers that arrive early and finish late just to look good.

My point

I cannot. I am driven to and from work and the driver is super busy with his own work too. So I am arriving on the dot,DOING MY JOB AS BEST AND FAST I CAN, and leave on the dot. Simple job

I manage my own working week and as long as my work gets done, nobody questions anything.

I am contracted to work 35 hours a week, but I probably work about 20. I am considered a top performer.

I previously worked 70/80 hour weeks for less money as a director in FE. Nearly killed me. Never going back to that way of life.

I have a few rules for myself:

• get shit done
• be visible
• offer help
• be recognised
• be present if required
• if nothing else, be available

Getting shit done is top of the hierarchy, making sure people know I'm in at 7 is another (so leaving on the dot is never queried). I offer help because it will either give me something interesting to do or because it will increase goodwill. I attend all the meetings.

And if all else fails and there's no shit to get done, I switch on an instructional podcast and do some exercise, potter around doing chores, and leave on the dot. Because I'm there if people need me, which is sometimes what they're paying for in my role - the availability.

I occasionally get tempted to switch jobs, but I've got a cushy niche, which is far better with young children than the alternative.

So many people leaving on the dot here which is great. Not many people have really mentioned their line of work though - I guess that is a big factor in leaving on time or not.

I am a teacher so can honestly say I work an extra 10- 15 hours a week! When the work needs to be done, it is impossible to not do it.

Almost never. In fact, I am on Mumsnet as I am taking a short tea break and will go back to doing some work soon. Will probably finish around 10pm. If I had finished on the dot, I would have stopped at 5:30.

I think it is partly the nature of my job, and partly the nature of the modern workplace. That said, I worked like this more regularly in my 20s when building my career, and it was the norm then, so I don’t agree the change has been more recent. My parents never worked hours like these, despite also being professionals in similar fields, and they don’t really understand why my brother and I work these sorts of hours.

I WFH in a global role with full flexibility around my life. The counterbalance to that is that I also work some pretty odd and long hours sometimes. I am paid well (by UK standards) though. I have never had a truly 9-5 type job due to it being based on a vocation so on the dot has never been an option.

I work in a kitchen. I leave when things are finished, if that's early I leave early, if it's late I go late. We don't get paid for any overtime.

I don’t have fixed hours but work 37.5hours a week and rarely do much more. Couldn’t tell you the last time I worked a weekend or evening beyond 6pm. I’d say I do fewer hours than I did 20years ago. We’re not meant to do extra hours as it means we’re basically giving freebies to clients and it’s rare to get paid overtime.

Mine varies, but work don't really mind when it gets done. We have to flex in and out whenever we work, and I've only got a few hours of credit. But usually I can get my job done in the time allocated to me.

I leave at the exact time, and if I do have to stay on or work extra I get paid for it. But them I’m in a pretty shit job!

I did yes. But also did overtime.

I’ve been in admin secretarial jobs most of my life. You can get treated like shit there too.

My SIL often stays late, works evenings and weekends but she’s well paid. She’s a workaholic and has always done this though.

Yes, but only because I'm required to clock in and out, But I do a lot of evening, overnight and weekend work and that's just how it is

When I started out in my career 30 years ago I was much more likely to work evenings and weekends than I do now! That's because I used to work in the private sector (finance) and now I work in the public sector. I leave on time now, but I do get paid a lot less.

We have a clock in and out system so can't leave early. Always a memo reminding us to that we are not to clock out early but it's ok to wait for the next shift to come in late. No problem then when we have to stay on late waiting. Funny that !

I leave the office ‘on the dot’ for nursery pick up but yes I sometimes check emails outside of hours (especially on the weekday I have off) and am sometimes on call over the weekend, but I get additional pay for that. I’m senior management though and it’s not expected, but nipping something in the bud while DS naps on a Tuesday often saves me a lot of grief on a Wednesday.

On the flip side though work are fine with me nipping out for appointments now and then, house viewings when we were looking, Dr / Dentist / Vet if they can only be arranged in working hours.

DH leaves on the dot and doesn’t work outside of hours unless it’s official overtime. He’s an on site engineer so can’t do it from home.

I've been a teacher for 25 years and it's awlays been the case that there is directed time, usually 8.30 till 3.45 ish depending on the school, also including after school meetings, parents evenings etc. Then there is a clever little bit of the contract which states you need to complete a "reasonable amount of work in order to fulfil your professional duties". The problem is, no one has ever clarified what reasonable looks like or where our professional duties end. 25 years ago that might have looked like a bit of marking at the end of the day. Over my career I have seen many other roles in school reduced such as admin assistants, reprographics teams, teaching assistants etc and as a result our workload is increasing to what many now consider unreasonable and totally unattainable proportions.

So short answer, have always had to work outside of directed time. Now working more than ever outside of directed time.

Frequently finish late as in healthcare and although could hand over to someone, if it’s half an hour it’s less hassle and better for patient just to stay on to wait for results eg. Bit bitter today as had booked exercise class that I could have made if left on time or even 5 mins late but ended up half an hour late so didn’t make it. If finish early I do go however but this is less common than finishing late.

Me too hippomail. I am a retired primary school teacher and now work just 2 days a week in a private hospital. I always start and finish on time and it feels so good! I also have a lunch break, can make a hot drink whenever I want one and can go to the toilet whenever I like! The freedom!

As a teacher hardly ever! If we only worked contracted hours there would be no planning, marking, attendance at activities, trips away etc.

There have been the odd days I've turned up 10 mins before class start and left at end of school day when I had medical appointments but otherwise never.