To think that an 8 hour work day is actually quite short?

[AllDayBreakfast]

I've been listening to various discussions on the radio about how we could be just as productive with a shorter work day.

As a hgv driver I work a minimum of around 10 hours a day and it's not at all unusual for this to sometimes become a 12 hour day if I get stuck somewhere waiting on POA (period of availability - basically being paid for waiiting).

When I was in sales a few years ago I'd also have to regularly spend evenings and sometimes weekends working on drafts of proposals, getting the pricing, formatting, wording sorted, etc (100+ page documents).

Whilst I'd love a 6 hour day, i can't help but feel that we're becoming a bit soft as a society. I don't really like the idea of the 60 hour week that many blue collar guys work, but trying to lessen a 37.5 hour week seems a bit lazy to me!

But if people could be equally as productive when doing a shorter day, then why not do it? The extra 2 hours a day working is surely a waste of time if productivity is no higher? Then people will have more time to spend with their families etc. Win win.

YABU. Why on earth do you want to spend more of your life at work? And also you're missing the argument, that working less delivers higher quality. Do you really drive better at the end of a 12 hour day than at the end of an 8 hour day?!

Meh try doing a 13 hr shift on a short staffed ward as the only trained nurse(so alrhough your entitled to a 1 hr break ) you dont have a cat in hella chance od taking it .

It depends. Some people like working lots and its great that you do.

But what about fishing, swimming, cooking, being with family including kids if you have them, friends if you have them, shopping, reading, sports, taking care of the home, religion, personal care, entertainment, sleep, commuting to and from work, plus general life stuff like taking a pet to the vet or a neighbour to hospital, and time to sit and stare with no care ....

And tbh 37.5 hrs was enough when you are doing lates and earlies and long days in one week

No, 8 hours isn't short and the expectation that people SHOULD work longer hours is fucking disgusting.
Longer hours increase stress and cause problems for families. It's bad enough that both partners have to work full time to manage as it is. Kids deserve some time with their parents

Meh try doing a 13 hr shift on a short staffed ward as the only trained nurse(so alrhough your entitled to a 1 hr break ) you dont have a cat in hella chance od taking it.

Men, try reversing a 44 ton articulated lorry with no reversing lights/camera through a pedestrianised zone or tight supermarket car park when you've had a poor night's sleep and people and separate to walk behind you wish their pushchairs.

people are determined that should read.

YABU
Some jobs need longish hours e.g. you getting from A to B. In some jobs long hours is pointless because productivity/quality drops or unsafe (looking at you healthcare).
Believe the TUC currently campaigning for a 4 day week.

Well if both me and dh did 12 hour days then who the hell would look after the children? The poor sods would have to be in childcare from 5.30am to 8.30pm, do you know any childminders who work those hours?

I do the long shifts, dh does a 9 to 5 type job. We both work hard. It isn't a competition.

Why on earth would you want to work longer than you have to? Eight hours plus commute and getting ready in the morning/evening is most of a waking day - there's not much left for an actual life either side.

I wholeheartedly agree that there's no point working for the sake of it. However, for many people, starting at 9 is a lie in and finishing at 5 is early doors.

I'd be happy to work for one hour a day if I could, but I think that there are many in our society who don't really understand the concept of a hard graft. I'd never go back to office work, but it's not a particulzrly gruelling day IMO unless you're a senior exec. I feel the discussions are generally focused on office workers (not people digging a road just as fast in 6 hours) and when I worked in an office I always had time for a two hour gym session and a good amount of spare time afterwards.

I don’t think you have to worry, it’ll never happen.

In some jobs long hours is pointless because productivity/quality drops or unsafe (looking at you healthcare).

A tired lorry driver is one of the most unsafe things you could imagine.

Lots of people in white collar jobs work way in excess of their contractual hours - I only have to look at my workplace. In some places it's an unwritten expectation. It's certainly the expectation with seniority in a lot of places. It's been shown time and time again that it's healthier to have proper down time from work.

I still think you’re missing the point. The idea is that people can work shorter hours and be equally, or more, productive. If that’s the case then it’s not ‘lazy’ to do so, it’s common sense.
No it won’t work in all industries. But there is already a huge disparity between industries in hours worked etc. The point is that in certain industries, productivity can remain the same or be increased by working less hours. Why the hell would you work them regardless, just in case people think you’re lazy?

I agree wowfudge. I'm not saying I think we should work longer hours, just that as a society we are no longer as tough as we were. I worked at a car manufacturer where the mechanics (agency) were on £17 p/h but all contracted to work six 12- hour days with only Sunday off. They made in excess of £60k but I always wondered how they had a life.

A shorter day would never work in my job but I do think we work far too many hours and as a rule people need a better work-life balance. We all seem a bit obsessed with being busy and working hard. If we can achieve the same in a shorter amount of time then why not? I don't think it is lazy to want to work less hours.

It’s nothing to do with how ‘tough’ you are as a society. I imagine the people working 14 hour days down mines years ago wouldn’t have done it if they didn’t have to. It’s a simple case of economics.

Of course it’s not lazy to want to work less hours. Working less hours doesn’t mean people will sit on the arses doing nothing. It would mean they had time for hobbies/exercise/seeing family. All things that are good for mental and physical health and would benefit society.

Men, try reversing a 44 ton articulated lorry with no reversing lights/camera through a pedestrianised zone or tight supermarket car park when you've had a poor night's sleep and people and separate to walk behind you wish their pushchairs.

Does it not occur to you that this would be even worse if you were expected to work even longer hours?

ODFO

I agree wowfudge. I'm not saying I think we should work longer hours, just that as a society we are no longer as tough as we were.

There are no prizes for being 'tough'.

I'm not getting my point across very well.

A shorter work day is a good thing. I'm just observing how many of my mates complain about staying till 6pm when I start at 7:30am and rarely finish before that tune.

It's just something I've noticed having made the somewhat uncommon change from white collar to blue collar work.

I'd much rather we were all in a position to choose to work a 35 hour week if we wanted than work longer! I love my job but I also enjoy my life outside of work so much I can't imagine wanting to work more!