WWYD? Am I being "over-responsible" or is this job unreasonable?

[Coffeetree]

I'm not sure whether I need to just care less or whether this job is unreasonable.

In some ways it's a great job. Work at home. Really good pension and benefits. 31K so not a huge salary but comfortable for where I live.

It's just under resourced so everyone is working evenings and weekends to keep up. There is a lot of lip-service to "staff wellbeing " but then "zomg do this urgent thing by tomorrow ".

I was putting in the extra hours in my first couple of months, justifying that there was a lot to learn. I'm really not interested in donating days to this place on a regular basis.

I know there's a certain contigent that say "Just close the laptop at 5" but that means scores of panicked emails the following day. Really no one else at the job goes dark at 5. Well one guy was but he's quitting.

After being in practice for so many years I'd really hoped for a 9-5 job tbh.

Should I stick it out? Any tips?

And are there any jobs where people begin work at 8:30 and finish at 5?

I worked in a job like yours. Paid a 9-5:30 rate then would have to work all weekend to be able to take a days annual leave. It was soul destroying.

Get out.

I do an 8-5:30 now where everyone - senior management included - can leave the office at the end of the working day and actually have a life.

DP has a better job than me (2.5x my wage) and has an even better work/life balance.

Count up all the hours you actually do and work out your hourly wage. Is it worth it?
I would guess probably not.
This place sounds mis-managed. If everyone has to do unpaid overtime to keep everything afloat then they aren't being fair to their employees and they aren't good employers. I would be looking elsewhere.

I am on a bit more than you at a middle grade in the Civil Service. I work 35 hrs a week flexible time. I can choose my hours as long as I stick roughly to the same times between 7am-7pm. I get over time pay if I work a weekend and it's on a volunteer basis.
I only go into the office once a week and have great work-life balance.
These jobs do exist. Get out!

Yes, people do work 8.30 to 5.30 (or even 9.30 to 6, in my case), earn at least as much as you do and also have a life. Agree with pp - get out.

Yep, I will very occasionally work extra but other than that I do 9 - 5 everyday with a 30min lunch. Also work from home and higher wage (not boosting just for context)

However the problem is when you are already doing it and that is the companies culture it’s very hard to stop in my experience so for me I’d find another job, companies like that don’t change.

Thanks guys.

I'm on a 12 month contract anyway. Maybe as a sort of experiment I'll just start closing my laptop at 5. What can they do, fire me? I'm 51 and I don't have time for "proving myself " anymore.

@Coffeetree

Thanks guys.

I'm on a 12 month contract anyway. Maybe as a sort of experiment I'll just start closing my laptop at 5. What can they do, fire me? I'm 51 and I don't have time for "proving myself " anymore.

Yes lead by example

Hi, have been in a similar situation myself. I am moving to part time to give space to apply for other jobs.

The one thing I would suggest is start saying no. I have and it is very helpful. I am honest about how much there is to do and I also ensure managers are aware of what is happening. I would suggest you email managers to say 'there is x, y, z to do but as there is insufficient time I am prioritising x and y and will have to leave z for the time being - let me know if you have any problem with me taking this approach'.

Yes in places like this the one person who leaves at 5 is seen as "rubbish" and there are somehow enough pickmes running around taking up with extra unpaid work with a grin.

My work could be similar, I could legit work for 12/13 hours a day 7 days a week and still not be done with my to do list.

If I'm caught working unsociable hours, or too long, we get told to shut the laptop down. Our management tell us there's 37 hours a week, so do what you can, the rest must wait.

It's so refreshing coming from an older organisation which used to say to me at 4.28pm "you don't finish at 4.30pm If your to do list isn't finished" - when I was earning £3 an hour on an apprentice wage.

Log off at 5, set an example, others may thank you for the bravery.

@Coffeetree

Yes in places like this the one person who leaves at 5 is seen as "rubbish" and there are somehow enough pickmes running around taking up with extra unpaid work with a grin.

IME generally the pick me arse kissers do it because they know they're not as competent or efficient so need to prove their worth in other ways - like being walked all over.

If the work can't be done in the 8 hours of the day, there is a problem. They seem to need extra staff, but are not willing to pay for them. Only work for what you are paid. And get out of there. Having a life is essential to mental health.

Both DH and I in jobs we can often finish on time for more money than you're getting.

Life's too short. If the hours don't suit either look for another job or else get into habit of pointing out you can't get through the amount of work in the week because the place is short staffed. That's the real reason people are working all the extra hours.

If it was advertised as 9-5 job and employer knows it actually takes 45 hrs a week, every week, they are taking the piss. No-one minds working extra some days to get things finished but not constantly.

Work out your hourly rate and that might help you see this job for what it is.

Nope! Somebody is making a shitton of profit over not paying for more stuff but still getting more work done by preassuring the existing staff to do more.

Depending on the industry crunch times happen, but the contract should properly compensate for that with overtime pay or time off in lieu - high salary but we'll demand endless overtime without specific compensation from you nearly always works out as you aren't actually getting compensated well at all.