To think 45 hours a week is too much

[Letthebodieshitthefloor]

Monday to Friday 9-6 with a 30 minute lunch break.
I'm sure there will be people on here who say they do 70/80 hours a week but I just feel that even 45 is slightly too much. Thinking of seeing if I can cut down to 4 days and 36 hours.

I think it is too much on a personal level and people shouldn't have to work that many hours but industry depending lots of people do and work more than that too.

I work in hospitality, only part time so for me hours aren't an issue but lots of people I know can easily rack up 50+ hours a week and they don't get paid extra for it. I think it's insane but I'm also aware that if they want to keep their jobs then that's what has to be done.

I used to do so much unpaid overtime in my last full time job, everyone did and it's just something that is grudgingly accepted.

If you think it's too much for you then try cut them down or you might have to look for another job which as a standard doesn't have so many hours.

You make a lot of sneering assumptions in your posts thepeopleversuswork. Why is that?

I think a lot of people do those hours and it all depends on whether you are happy with salary, fexibility and career prospects (if you want that).
My job is 9-6 but it’s from home and there’s clear advancement path to better salary so im fine with that.

It depends on so many things, but it would be the lower end of expectations in my industry. I agree that for certain industries/types of job, it isn't really an option to just work contracted hours and then go home. If you want to do that, you need to rethink the career you're in.

I do 8-4 mon-fri with a half hour unpaid break (which I never get!) I wouldn't want to do any more than this and would ideally like to drop a day.

@A580Hojas

You make a lot of sneering assumptions in your posts thepeopleversuswork. Why is that?

What sneering assumptions have I made?

I think its the exact reverse. I've read nine pages most of which are comprised of people saying its "wrong" to work for more than 45 hours a week. I'm just pointing out some of us don't have the luxury.

It slightly sticks in the craw to have people who clearly don't have to work all that much in the first place lecturing those of us who do that they "work too much".

I don't think 45 hours is too much at all for an office job. If I was standing on my feet all it would be for me but perfectly reasonable for a sitting job. Loads of people do those hours.

I don't think anyone is lecturing @thepeopleversuswork (bar you). Op has clearly stated that shes thinking of dropping her hours so this is obviously a possibility. Most people are just talking about their own experiences, they aren't saying that people who work that much are bad or wrong but that they find it too much. There's a big difference in those statements that you don't seem to understand.

No one is criticising you @thepeopleversuswork, you are acting like they are and have taken it very personally. They are meerly talking about their own experiences

I do that shift but with an hour for lunch and find it fine. I do it 4 days a week with the 5th day extended until 8pm. It depends what job you're doing really, I find it suits me quite well but my job isn't that physical.

@OrangeShark27

I don't think anyone is lecturing *@thepeopleversuswork* (bar you). Op has clearly stated that shes thinking of dropping her hours so this is obviously a possibility. Most people are just talking about their own experiences, they aren't saying that people who work that much are bad or wrong but that they find it too much. There's a big difference in those statements that you don't seem to understand.

I have no problem with people talking about their own experiences and expressing a desire to work less, but numerous people have said its too much "when you have a family".

When you a) have a family and b) don't have any choice at all in the amount you have to work it is quite hard to hear people in a position of relative privilege implying you're letting your family down by providing for them.

See also the "I could never farm my children out to anyone else" and "you never get the time back" comments.

Yeah maybe I am over-sensitive but I've had barrels of this over the years and it pisses me off tbh.

Wow these hours are high and expectations low.

When I worked in the 1970s in an insurance company we worked 34.75 hours a week. Time was flexible between 8 am and 6 pm- only had to be in office for core hours 10 am and 4 pm and lunch was any time between 12 and 2 pm - minimum 1/2 hour unpaid. Any hours worked over during the month could either be taken as toil (maximum of 13 days per year) or with agreement paid overtime at time and a half. Never worked unpaid hours.

Sick pay started at 2 weeks full pay during first 6 months of employment rising to 3 months full/3 months half til 5 years of employment after which it was 6 months full/6 months half pay.

Subsidised restaurant, social club, cheap mortgages and insurance offered as well!

I thought working conditions had improved over the years but reading this thread conditions have definitely deteriorated!

9am to 6pm is a standard working day for everyone I know.

I agree depends on your situation. I never stay late as when I temped I was paid for my set hours and no more. I would not want a high pressure role now. We all different.

I work 6am - 6pm 4 days on 4 days off and sometimes overtime. I used to do 6 days 6-6 but it started causing behavioural problems in my 5 year old. I’m talking hiding her school bag/ school shoes, being rude and never up for a cuddle. I took this as her feeling abandoned and have mostly stopped this and she has gone back to her sweet self. Before I used to leave at 4:20 and come back at 7:15 and yes especially with two little ones it was too much, whereas now I get a lift in so more like 5:30 and 6:30. Now I also get the same money for a similar but less physical role in the same company where no one monitors me and although I get, according to managers, an “impressive” amount of work done, I take probably about 30 mins smoking/walking about breaks on top of my paid hour lunch. Being a working mum is hard but this is the best I will ever have it I think. I’m trying to study in my own time and constantly feel frazzled. Like when I’m at work I feel like a shite mum (homework not getting done, my bright child just about keeping up because of separation anxiety, doing crazy hours since my other daughter was 9 months). When I’m at home I feel like a shite provider (mummy and daddy always working and don’t have a deposit to show for it.)

@ElinoristhenewEnid

Wow these hours are high and expectations low.

When I worked in the 1970s in an insurance company we worked 34.75 hours a week. Time was flexible between 8 am and 6 pm- only had to be in office for core hours 10 am and 4 pm and lunch was any time between 12 and 2 pm - minimum 1/2 hour unpaid. Any hours worked over during the month could either be taken as toil (maximum of 13 days per year) or with agreement paid overtime at time and a half. Never worked unpaid hours.

Sick pay started at 2 weeks full pay during first 6 months of employment rising to 3 months full/3 months half til 5 years of employment after which it was 6 months full/6 months half pay.

Subsidised restaurant, social club, cheap mortgages and insurance offered as well!

I thought working conditions had improved over the years but reading this thread conditions have definitely deteriorated!

Sadly, I just don't think jobs exist like that anymore.

That sounds like an amazing job. I have never heard of under 25 hours being full-time in any job.
And in the 1970s flexi-time was not common.

When you a) have a family and b) don't have any choice at all in the amount you have to work it is quite hard to hear people in a position of relative privilege implying you're letting your family down by providing for them.

See also the "I could never farm my children out to anyone else" and "you never get the time back" comments.

Hear hear 👏 👏.

@converseandjeans

Probably less hours than a teacher - but the longer hols make up for it. So it depends on how much annual leave you get.

Why do people always bring teachers into any query about working hours?! Yes, teachers work hard, but so do lots of other people....

Sadly my employment conditions were not considered unusual during the 1970s/80s. My first job was in the civil service which is where I was introduced to flexi time and our working week was 37 hours per week.

I worked at the insurance company for 7 years before going on maternity leave and then not returning - which was usual in the early1980s. In those days maternity leave was only 18 weeks statutory pay and you had to be in full time employment for 2 years or part time 5 years to be eligible for maternity leave and the right to return to work.

The insurance company also had a non-contributory final salary pension scheme with each reckonable year being 1/60 of your final salary (unlike most which were 1/80). Once you had completed your 40 years service you retired on 2/3 of your final salary - so some people were eligible to retire on 2/3 salary at age 56.

I worked 7 years and when I asked for a valuation of my pension at age 60 it was £400 per month - would be more now with increases - a pension for which I had never paid a penny.

As I stated in my previous post hours are high and expectations seem low nowadays.

Too much. 37.5 is considered full time in my profession

I do it for £50k salary. Some would not consider that a lot but it is to means I’m happy to work the hours for the money.

@ElinoristhenewEnid I was working in the 80s and it was not like that for me. Maybe it was where you lived? Thatcher decimated areas of the country economically, while some areas thrived.

@RoyalFamilyFan this was in East Anglia - HQ of a large insurance company - several companies in town. Had friends in banking with similar benefits as well.
Left school at 16 with several O levels - got day release for 2 years ONC (BTEC) business studies course paid for by civil service - then moved to insurance company who paid for me to do further training which I did not complete.
Entered up in supervisory role in accounts - no high flyer.

People talk about gold plated public service pensions nowadays but in the past the public service pensions were very inferior to a lot of the private pension schemes offered by big multi national companies - that has all changed now!

37 to 40 has always been the basic week in my experience. I have often worked longer on a regular basis by agreement, but that meant extra pay for the extra hours.
What work were you doing anyway?