Working 9-6

[DogLove3]

Is this normal nowadays? I’m 24, and only graduated last summer. I currently work in a 8:30-5 role, 4 days remote and 1 day from the office. I’ve been recruited for an amazing opportunity in an industry that I’ve always wanted to work in, however it’s 9-6, with over an hour commute on either side, 3 days in the office. Do you think it’s advisable to stick it out for 6 months and then look for something with a better work-life balance? Or will future employers wonder why I’m yo-yo-ing between jobs so quickly?

I've done a 9-6 with a 2 hour commute each side and it was horrible. I was a similar age to you and I was exhausted. I stuck it out for a year. It was a good move career wise and I then landed my current job which I do 8.30-4.30, with a 1 hour commute each side. I do see so many roles advertised for 9-6 though and minimal WFH.

I wouldn't even apply for a job with these hours, maybe if fully remote only. To me it screams bad employer, along with listing 28 days annual leave (including bank hols) as a benefit. I'm surprised they don't list oxygen and clean water as a benefit too.

Depends on the job. I work in construction and do 0800-1800.

What sort of commute? Driving or public transport?
also depends on your home set up? If you don’t have caring responsibilities it sounds fine to me

Mines 9 to 5 on paper but the reality is 8.30 to 5.30.

I’m job hunting at the moment and I haven’t seen a single advert with the working hours listed.

I suppose because I’m new to the job market, I don’t know if this standard or, as other people have indicated, it “screams bad employer”. All I know is that my current employer is very flexible with working from home, taking lunch whenever, etc.

I’ll be in B2B rather than B2C journalism and would expect that to be more 9-5 rather than long hours and endless overtime etc. Both my mum and dad think they’re long hours. The commute (1 hours 15 on public transport each way) doesn’t help. At least it’s only 3 days per week.

I don’t have any caring responsibilities, however I do have a dog who’ll be alone except for a walk midday with the dog walker.

@Startuplife It’s really bad practice for them to do that. Prospective employers need to know.

If I were a new grad, in my mid-twenties and considering"an amazing opportunity in an industry I've always wanted to work in" that allowed 2 days a week WFH I would bite their hands off. 9-6 is not particularly demanding

My 9-6 employer was not great at all. I work in b2b publishing and they were one of the worst I worked in. Staff turnover was really high. The only people who stayed were those on old contracts with good redundancy terms or who were close to retirement.

I am 10 to 6 officially, but reality is 9.30 to 19.30 plus some weekend working, so 9 to 6 can be fine, if that matches reality.

I hope this does not sound rude but the hours are fairly standard and your commute isn’t really the employers problem, presumably you knew the office location when you applied?

Pre-covid I had an hour commute either side 5 days a week, as was the case for most people. Thankfully, I now have the option to work remotely however I do find a lot of our graduates take it as a given they should be allowed to WFH because of personal commitments (pets, etc). Work life balance is absolutely important but time spent in office with senior members of staff is invaluable for graduates.

I'm not sure that it's anything new - I was asked to sign an opt out from the EU working time directive (which limited working hours to 48 per week, which would be just over 9.5 working hours per day not including unpaid lunch) back in 1997...

I did a part time taught master's degree in the evenings with my employer's blessings (they paid the fees) and the lectures were 6pm to 9pm and I got teased about taking a "half day" for leaving at 5:15 to get across London for the 6pm start even though I was always in the office before 7pm.

These days I clock in and clock out and accumulate overtime for every extra half hour worked which I can take in lieu as extra holiday (I had plenty of hours accrued and was able to take a week off using overtime not holiday when a family member had an emergency, for example).

I don't think long hours is a nowadays thing so much as a culture with certain types of employer.

Flexitime is the golden egg IMO - I'm happy to work a lot of hours if I can organise my own time and decide, within reason, when I want those hours to be (start at 6am and finish at 3pm... start at 10am and finish at 7pm, or whatever suits) but you won't often get that at the beginning of a career.

That’s absolutely insane that you think that’s long hours. At 24 I worked 80 hours a week. If you want any sort of professional career that’s what you expect. 9-6 are short hours for any sort of career.

I agree. At the risk of sounding ‘race to the bottom’.. 40 hours a week with 2 days remote sounds like a pretty good gig. I don’t know what about this ‘screams bad employer’?!

I agree with the last posters too.

OP's commute is nothing to do with her employers!

9 - 6 is not a long day; I have very reasonable contracted hours in my role (we can be flexible with start & finish between 830 & 630, 7 hours working day), however I work longer than that every day as I'm a manager and it's about getting the job done.

In my 20s I worked crazy hours - I worked too hard, in retrospect but the idea that 9 - 6 would be a long day is nuts!

At your age I would take it if it’s a good opportunity. The hours are not terrible; those are standard in my sector. I would aim to stay at least 18 months before looking around. Staying only 6 months does look flaky to me.

I’d say 7.5 to 8 hours a day is pretty normal, plus lunch. Are the hours def fixed, does no one arrive later and leave earlier? I’d find the fixed times harder than the length of day - that’s fine. It sounds fine I think. If you’re working in London that’s not an unusual commute. I’d definitely go for it - you’re not having to leave to pick up kids or anything so you can deal with 6pm finishes. I’d generally prefer a 9am start to 8 cos I’m much more of an evening person.

Is it an hour for lunch? Many people only take half an hour these days.

Oh I’ve already signed my contract so I’ll be definitely working for them! And I’m overjoyed I’ve got this opportunity, it just seems like a lot of my day will be taken up with commuting (which is my problem, not the employer’s, I know, but they’re not paying me enough for me to be able to move closer) and that extra hour makes a lot of difference in that respect. Hopefully it’ll be a good job and it’ll all be worth it.

@SueVineer Most people would be mentally unwell working 80 hours per week. That’s over 11.5 hours per day 7 days per week.

I commuted 120 mile round trip for £22k (with 2 kids to go back to sort, 8 years ago) full time, long days, but only needed to do for a year before I was ready for the next step up that was closer and more flexible. You have to grab the opportunities while you can, my days of long commutes are over now but they got me to where I am today.

You might find that folks in law, banking, accountancy, consultancy, tech, various entrepreneurial pursuits - and others - may work those kinds of hours. Just to put things in perspective.

Blimey, I'm 54 and work 8.30am-9.00pm four days a week with a commute of 90 minutes each way. I'd go for it at you age (and mine)

I work in broadly the same industry and long hours and a fairly competitive nature are part of the job. Particularly when you are establishing yourself life balance can be hard to find. You may find the hours are in practice longer. This will depend on what it is, trade papers are obviously gentler than features, which is gentler than news.

So I would give it go for the experience. If it’s not for you then at least you know. You will adapt to the hours quickly I think, they really aren’t that long, and you are very young which helps for energy.