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Original poster

Office hours

38 replies

ilovebrie8 · 27/08/2019 16:53

Started new role hours are longer than I’d anticipated and the commute is over an hour ...autumn looming I’m having second thoughts. I think 8.30 to 5.30 is a tad long when you add in an hours plus travel either side...any thoughts? Thanks

OP posts:
fromthefloorboardsup · 27/08/2019 16:59

What were you told when you started/applied?

It's pretty much up to you if you're happy with it. I used to work 8:30-5 with a 90 minute commute each way and I was okay with it, but now I work 8-4 with a 15 minute commute each way I'm not sure I'd go back!

8:30-5:30 is a pretty standard 40 hour week with lunch breaks. Could you ask to take a shorter lunch and leave earlier?

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 27/08/2019 17:04

What are your contracted hours, what did you sign up to?

I guess it depends how much this role contributes to your future career aspirations, need for money, etc!

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 27/08/2019 17:13

The thing is they are tetchy if you leave on time expected to be in the office working longer...am leaving home by 7.30 and lucky if I’m home by 7pm ...

OP posts:
Heratnumber7 · 27/08/2019 17:21

Is there any scope for working from home? Or doing a condensed week/fortnight? So work 10 days' hours across 9 days kind of thing. It would cut down the commute a bit, and the travel might be quicker outside of the rush hour.

LaurieFairyCake · 27/08/2019 17:31

So your standard working week is 42.5 hours? (45 hours minus 30 minutes a day for lunch?)

That is longer than most office jobs

proseccoaficionado · 27/08/2019 17:32

What is normal office hours? Are you paid for extra time?

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 27/08/2019 17:36

Standard office hours always used to be 9 to 5 or 9.30 to 5.30 or, often in my experience, 10 to 6.

It's interesting how employers have shoe-horned in this extra 5 hours per week in the past 15 years or so.

Shinyletsbebadguys · 27/08/2019 17:36

It ultimately comes down to what your lifestyle is to be honest , now ? I couldn't do it but I did worse for several years.

Having children affected my wish to be at home , age and getting to a point in my career I didn't need to prove myself and earn my stripes with long hours. However there was definitely a point where my career would have been hampered by not doing it.

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 27/08/2019 17:45

No working from home at all Hmm..it’s an hour for lunch and those set hours. 40 hours per contract. It’s bit archaic I think ...not flexible...thinks is you don’t really know til u start. Plus very staid atmosphere I’m used to noise & chatter, busy but some chat...it’s all very serious barely enough time to make a cuppa without being frowned upon Angry

OP posts:
YesQueen · 27/08/2019 17:48

Similar hours here, contracted to a 40hr week. 30 mins lunch, 2 x 15 min breaks. We do either 8-4.30 or 9.30-6

Heratnumber7 · 27/08/2019 17:51

Did you not know the hours, and the commute, before you accepted the job then?

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 27/08/2019 18:05

The commute much longer than anticipated roadworks etc . I assumed shorter day, my bad! They moan when people leave on time expect u at your desk..I arrived one day went to make a cuppa and got told hurry up need to get working ! Eh?! Confused that’s not normal in my experience

OP posts:
underthebridgedowntown · 27/08/2019 18:06

The hours I find ok in terms of the number and start/end times, but the lack of flexibility and frowniness about leaving on time I'd absolutely hate. That kind of culture is soul destroying, and would be enough for me to leave as soon as I had somewhere to go, making no secret of my reasons at the exit interview.

underthebridgedowntown · 27/08/2019 18:07

Ugh, they mistake presenteeism for productivity. They must have a high staff turnover.

Cohle · 27/08/2019 18:13

Seems pretty standard to me. It doesn't sound like you did a lot of research before taking the role....

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 27/08/2019 18:16

Yes the culture is about being present and comments if you leave on time don’t make me feel comfortable

OP posts:
proseccoaficionado · 27/08/2019 18:18

@ilovebrie8 so what do they say if you leave on time?

proseccoaficionado · 27/08/2019 18:22

I worked in banking for years. My last job in banking was the final straw. Hours were 9-17.30, but you were expected to be there at 8.30 for "staff meetings".

No cigarette break, which was fine, though I was a smoker at the time, but no lunch break either. Tehnically, you were supposed to have 30 mins/day but I had months in a row when I didn't eat ANYTHING in 9 hours.

Though, as a sign of "rebellion", if I didn't have any customers particularly (but the rude assholes were coming in at 17.29 claiming it's not yet 17.30 and kept you there for ages with their non sense) I packed my stuff and left at 17.30 sharp.

So one day I was called into my boss's office (I had 2 female bosses, one worse than another) to be told that I need to stay AT LEAST until 18.30 and finish whatever was left for the day. I asked "So will I be paid for the extra time?" And she said no. I quit soon after. I'm still satisfied.

dannydyerismydad · 27/08/2019 18:25

Are you working for a well known American company which develops operating systems?

I managed a year there. It nearly killed me. Everyone trying to outdo each other to see who could put in the longest hours. I was so tired I was nauseous most of the time.

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 27/08/2019 18:59

Comments made about the time...oh it's 5.31!

OP posts:
proseccoaficionado · 28/08/2019 13:14

@ilovebrie8 then tell them your hours finished at 5.30.

Heratnumber7 · 28/08/2019 18:14

The commute much longer than anticipated roadworks etc
Road works won't last forever.

I assumed shorter day, my bad!
Yes. "Your bad".

They moan when people leave on time expect u at your desk.
I think a certain amount of overtime is expected in any salaried job (as opposed to a job with an hourly wage).
Could it be that everyone else is staying late to make a team effort to cope with a deadline or heavy work load? Could be why they resent you leaving on time.

I arrived one day went to make a cuppa and got told hurry up need to get working
Was this the first thing you did after arriving bang on the dot? Before, say, starting up your pc?

Original poster
ilovebrie8 · 28/08/2019 21:51

They don’t resent me in particular it’s office wide, anyone who goes on time is met with a tut. Not a nice environment.
No I didn’t do that actually ...you are a bit condescending heratnumber... first thing is log on wait for pc to start up...then make a drink as others do...I don’t time it to arrive in the dot I arrive when I arrive depending on traffic sometimes early sometimes 5 mins later...which I more then make up for at end of the day...Shock

OP posts:
HeyMonkey · 28/08/2019 22:07

Fuck the tutting, I'm on my feet at 17:00:01 every day and straight out of there.

I'm not in it for free!

thedevilinablackdress · 28/08/2019 22:12

Ignore the tutting, leave on time and if anyone says anything, tell them you're on top of your workload (assuming you are).

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