Working until 6pm

[peachypetite]

I work 9-6 with a one hour unpaid lunch break. Taking a shorter break and finishing earlier isn't an option. It kills me. Does anyone else have to work until 6? I hate it!

Go to management and request the hours, shorter lunch, that you want op, good luck

I work 8 till 5 or 9 till 6
I have negotiated to have a half hour lunch instead of the normal hour and I then can finish at 4.30 on the early and start at 9.30 on the late
Except for today when I am working 8-6 to cover someone else
My commute is 15 minutes walk though

If it is bothering you this much already in probation and you are lucky enough to be able to afford/have the freedom to leave without impacting on mortgage/kids then you should look for something more suitable at 37.5.

I hear you OP. You always get those going for the competitive 'hard done by' posts.
The issue is the 'trapped hour' every day. It would be 100% better for you - an, I suspect 90% of your colleagues - if you could still work 8 hours for the company, but maybe take 20mins to eat your lunch and leave 40 mins earlier. Even more so with an 80min commute.
If the work you do doesn't depend on everyone being there at 5 mins to 6 to deal with clients visiting or incoming phone calls, then would it not be worth putting in a formal request to your manager, or to HR (Depending on size of company) proposing that you only have 30mins for lunch and you leave at 5.30, rather than taking your colleague's opinion as gospel ?

Thanks back for good. That's good advice. I get on really well with my manager and had a glowing mid probation review. Others are in client facing roles so may explain why they can't leave early. I also notice some team leaders working at home a lot so they aren't adverse to it. If you don't ask you don't get!

Quite.
Fingers crossed.

But however much you reduce your lunch break, OP is still on a 40 hour pw contract!! She said the problem is wanting to work 37.5 hours not 40

I work in an office. Full time here is 9-5 with one hour lunch break.

What is it that you hate so much about it? Are you bored? Tired? Not getting paid enough for it? Do you feel you could work just as effectively in compressed hours?
I work longer days than that but love my job and am never click watching.

Mom27 - if you just read the OP, then she says she hates "working til 6", not "working 40 hours a week.

If you read all the posts, then she later says " it would not make a difference to my work if I left at 5.30. I've basically never worked anywhere where a one hour lunch break has been enforced." - stating clearly that it isn't the 40 hours she's objecting to, but the 'trapped hour' in the middle of the day where she has to be there, but isn't being paid.

Then, at 13:17, she says, very clearly "I'm not requesting to work fewer hours. But I resent being forced to take an hour for lunch when I would rather take 30 mins and leave at half five."

Twodogs - as she has stated, it is the 'trapped hour' she dislikes. As, indeed, would I if I had to stop, sit and twiddle my thumbs for an hour, then stay late to make up that time, rather than just taking a shorter break, cracking on, and leaving half an hour earlier.

I commute 4 hours a day. Work 8-6 minimum usually 8-7 despite the contract calling it a 35 hour week job. But I do get greater flexibility because of this; I can work from home whenever I need or want, I don’t need permission to book holiday or appointments, and I don’t need to book the odd sick day or two.

I get you OP.

35 hours used to be a standard working office week... then it went up to 37.5

Working 9-6 in a standard office in a non-customer facing role is bloody ridiculous.

I work extensive hours because I’m senior, have to get numerous projects on the go, plus I actually love it.. but my contracted hours are 37.5

Having to have your bum on a seat 9-6 is bloody ridiculous and taking the piss - good luck OP

I work 8:15 to 4:15 with half hour lunch. An hour seems excessive to me

But seriously - who are all these people working beyond their contracted hours? I'm my role - education - people would genuinely hate you if you started that racket - it only takes one to start working for free! If the job can't be done in your hours they should be recruiting more staff!

I'd love those hours. I work 8am-10pm . 14 hour shift with vuberable persons. Also do sleepovers and back to it next day.

I know you wanted office hours examples but it can often be a grass is greener scenario.

OP, that is a long day! I do think 35 or 37.5 hours is more usual than 40-45 hours in an office job in London. I do 9.30-5.30 with a 90 min commute (so out 8am-7pm), and even that seems like a long day. I do have a toddler and am 4 months pregnant, it was easier and I did a longer day when I was child free!

I also thought 37.5 was normal for an office role nowadays. I never see office or teaching roles advertised as 40 hours.

I'd be looking for a new job and with a slightly shorter commute.

I work 9-6 with an hours lunch. I have a 10/15 minute commute so I don’t frel it’s an issue. H works 8.30-6 minimum and rarely takes a lunch away from his desk, works in banking. . He has an hour commute each way too on top of that.

A) it is not a very long day

B) get a different job if you don't like the contracted hours.

I used to work 10-6 and overtime after 6pm and Saturdays. I now work 7-7 days or nights. I used to do a long commute. I work with people who spend up to 5 hours a day commuting ! I now have a short commute. I believe the government is going to include questions about commute in the next census.

I work in an office and we do 37.5 hours. We also have flexi time so core hours are 10-4, outside of that it’s up to you as long as the hours are done. I like doing 8-4 so I can have a longer evening ( I take 30min lunch break), but some colleagues do 10-6. 9-6 with that long commute is horrible.