What’s going on with working hours these days?

[CateringPanic]

I work in the public sector. My working hours are broadly 9-5 although I can flex this if I want to eg. 8-4, with 30 minutes for lunch. Either way it’s 37.5 hours a week which I thought was standard for full time work. I’m reasonably senior so obviously I might sometimes choose to work late to get stuff done but these are my contracted hours.

BILs girlfriend is young, early 20s and in her second job out of uni (was only in first for 6m). Her old job was 9-6 and her current one is 8-5. She thinks this is normal - I think her employers are taking the piss.

She is salaried, not hourly paid, and these are low skilled, low stress administration jobs so no real need to work long hours at all.

AIBU to think this is more than full time work and she shouldn’t have to be working an extra 5 hours a week for crap money or am I just out of touch with how things are out there?

I can’t remember the last time I was given anything more specific than a total number of hours for the week, and I definitely can’t remember the last time anyone checked. I do know a few of my colleagues have “legacy contracts” with 35 hours full time instead of 37.5 and they hold onto them ferociously. Even though anybody actually counting would probably be in more trouble for bullying than they would be for skiving.

Don't know why as it's only 30 mins but I now wouldn't take a job which was 9-6. My contracted hours are 9-5.30 and I regularly work longer hours but I do get some flexibility to do the school run etc.
I think now knowledge workers expect flexibility.

Probably hour unpaid for lunch. I used to do 08:30-17:30 with an hour unpaid for lunch. So 40 hour week.

My last job was 38 hours a week. 8am-4.30pm with half an hour unpaid lunch Monday to Thursday, then 8am-2pm Friday with no break. I was happy with that.

Retail manager,salaried,made to work minimum 45 hours per week, can stretch to 55. Paid for 40.

I’ve worked for the same employer for 23 years and my full-time contract is 35 hours, with flexible working. Our starting time core hours are 8-10, lunchtime core hours are 12 -2 (minimum lunch break 30 minutes and maximum 2 hours) and core finishing time 4-6pm. I normally work 8-4, which is ideal for me. Since Covid, hybrid working has been introduced and I work one day from home. We have a very low staff turnover.

According to another recent thread, I thought young people were all getting "lazy jobs" now? So the hours look long on paper but they're out walking the dog with their phone on forward!?

I work for a local authority. Existing contracts are 37 hours and to save money new ones are 35 (pro rata). We have flexi time and can accrue time off in lieu though generally it's 9-5 and 9-4.30 on Friday, or 9-4.30/4.

When looking for another job the lack of flexi is a deal breaker for me. So are 40 hour contracts. Work life balance is so important.

If I were your daughter I'd take my experience and shop around for an employer with a better work life balance who treat their staff like people not commodities.

According to another recent thread, I thought young people were all getting "lazy jobs" now? So the hours look long on paper but they're out walking the dog with their phone on forward!?

really? What the fuck is wrong with some people 😳

dds hours are long on paper cos they are fucking long hours!!!

I’m public sector and standard work day is 9-5 with an hour lunch break. It means I can work 7-5 and have a day off with my DD. Can’t imagine working 7-5 for 5 days a week!

I'm 34 and never worked more than 37.5 hours full time. I know plenty who do though. My current contract is 35hours which is considered full time.

I work 9-6 loosely, but since my team is all over the world, I tend to work 7-10 with bigger breaks.
This is perfectly normal.
Office work is 30% chatting and coffees anyways 😂

Lots of full time weeks are 39 or 40 hours per week. It might not be right, but an 8 hour day plus lunch break isn't unusual.

Catch up on your admin, do your online grocery shopping, holiday research and get paid!
chances are though - there will be work of some kind

A lot of sectors are trying to do this. I used to be on 35 hrs and got pushed over time to 37.5 as fewer places had 35 as standard. Its stealth inflation as they rarely pay the extra 7% for the longer hours .

I strongly object to hours creep, it forces women out of the workforce, especially around London, because its not reasonable to leave a young child in daycare for such long hours when factoring in the typical 1 hour commute each way - doing 8.30- 5.30 you'd be putting a little one in 7.30- 6.30 every day.

All its meant is I've dropped a day a week and now do 30 over 5 days.

it seems like it’s just about keeping her there

This makes me think that your comment is about having to be 'on the premises'. Is that the point?

Very different to how many hours are actually worked and different again yo be some support roles where it matters to be on call.

Because the research is in theory, in practice some still take the biscuits even with shorter hours, so to balance out this some companies have the hours they do.

Why isn't it right? - that is standard where I live (not UK) and has been for years.

Yes I absolutely agree. I stopped working when my dc were babies/toddlers because I worked in central London with one hour commute. Therefore my 9-5.30 job meant I needed childcare from just before 8am until 6.30pm. Many jobs work even later than that. Childcare that is open during those hours is hard to find and gets even harder to find at school age.

Why are so many people saying it's normal therefore it's fine. I don't think it's fine. Ok some jobs may require longer hours but most dont. I understand if you're ambitious and trying to climb the career ladder but why should a bog standard administrator be in the office until 6pm. It's not necessarily...it's a petty move by employers. We should be working less not more. Getting home from work at 7/7.30pm is absolutely soul destroying and limits you so much. There no time for anything after work. I used to have a job which finished at 5pm..it made a huge difference to my quality of life.

It’s why I prefer working shifts. Can’t be forced to stay on (unless retail, never finished on time).

I’ve worked in jobs, where even as the lowest-level admin, I couldn’t flex my hours even 30 minutes either way, which made a huge difference in terms of catching trains and getting home. As you say, it’s so hard to do anything outside of work.

I do have a theory, lots of jobs don’t need to be full time. A few years ago I had a f/t job that I could have easily done on 3 days, I suspect I’m not alone in that. However, our society is set up that everything is so expensive, that you need a f/t wage to pay for it.

I'm 45, working in offices since I was 20. It's never been 9-5, always 8.30-5.30, or 9-6.

I think I've always been expected to work a minimum 7.5 hours a day. It used to be a rigid from... to.... but now it's now flexible, which is great.

Ds works in an American warehouse hours 830 am to 5 pm finish. He gets two half hour breaks. Quite often there is a lull where there is nothing to do. For example towards the end of the day but they must stay in work until 5pm.

Private sector and my contract states 37.5 hours but it is really frowned upon to do so few. Most people do about 45 as we are expected to stay until business closes

It's just a massive piss take when you consider salaries have flat lined or near flat lined on most jobs. More hours for less pay, what a life!