Opinion Working Week vs Work/Life Balance.

[Mr Invisible]

I'm interested to hear peoples opinions on this one.

The normal working week is seen as 35-40 hours (5 days x 8 hours) based on a 9-5 day.

For the purpose of this thread lets say 8 hours a working day.

Nowadays with longer travel times to work, peoples work/life balance is being skewed and stretched even more, and with 5 days on and 2 days off, is it time we started to review the 5 day working week.

This could be done in the following way:
4 x 10 hr days (instead of 9-5 either 8-6, 9-7 or even 10-8), allowing for either Sat/Sun/Mon, Fri/Sat/Sun, or even Sat/Sun/Wed off.

Interested to hear what people think... personally I'd be happier to work an extra 2 hours a day and have a 3 day weekend every week.

 

[Cosmo Kramer]

Interesting question, one that has been very relevant to me lately.

In January, I landed the exact job I wanted and envisioned: graduate accountant, at a local accounting firm in the suburbs (5 minute drive from home), very generous pay.

Started with normal hours. Ended up doing 45+ hour work weeks, starting 8:30, finishing at 6pm (once finished at 10pm, a few times at 7pm, 8pm). Worked Saturdays for the final 3 months (missed a lot of Dogs games!), with Tuesdays and Sundays off (no two consecutive days off). Fine; fair enough. That's how it is at some places. People work far more than that, I know.

I recently resigned, for a number of reasons (oh man, the stuff that goes on in a business behind the scenes...), but the hours did start to negatively affect me. Lost a lot of weight, bad nutrition, became a miserable irritable person when my normal nature is happy and pleasant. I am now carefully reflecting on what sort of job I want to find myself in. I'm not complaining though. Work is work. I was grateful.

To answer your question, though: Of the options listed, I'd prefer 4 days per week at 10 hours per day. Definitely would like 3 days off per week even if it meant working 2 hours extra per day. And would prefer an early start like 7am.

But in most office jobs, it's not as if the entire work day is spent working. If work was from 9-3, people would get their tasks done by 3.

 

[Dogna88]

4 days a week. 7 til 5. With weekend and a RDO of your choosing. Best work/life balance i had. Did that for 3 years. Recently changed to 9hr shifts working 9 day fortnights. Whilst its still good, doesn't compare to the 10hr days.

 

[Alan79]

I'm doing 6 hour shifts 5 days a week. But I have a split weekend which sucks ass. You can't do anything much with one day off. Three consecutive days off per week would be a wonderful thing.

 

[The DoggFather]

4 days a week. 7 til 5. With weekend and a RDO of your choosing. Best work/life balance i had. Did that for 3 years. Recently changed to 9hr shifts working 9 day fortnights. Whilst its still good, doesn't compare to the 10hr days.

I'm with this champ!

 

[Wahesh]

4 x 10 hour days will probably be the best, however, I wouldn't mind trying out 3 x 12 hour days (Tuesday-Thursday) as I know cops work 3 x 12 hour shifts. Imagine a 4 day weekend, every week

 

[The DoggFather]

4 x 10 hour days will probably be the best, however, I wouldn't mind trying out 3 x 12 hour days (Tuesday-Thursday) as I know cops work 3 x 12 hour shifts. Imagine a 4 day weekend, every week

I used to do 6 x 12 hour bouncing hours an 4 x 10 Estate Manager day shifts.

Monday was my weekend and most of the time I used it for double time lol

 

[Memberberries]

I work 4 days and have 4 off doing 12 shifts. It's heaps better than working all week to have 2 days off.

Only thing I've changed sites so now I do 2 days then 2 nights and have 4 off. I'll let everyone know how it goes?

 

[south of heaven]

4 x 10 hour days will probably be the best, however, I wouldn't mind trying out 3 x 12 hour days (Tuesday-Thursday) as I know cops work 3 x 12 hour shifts. Imagine a 4 day weekend, every week

Problem with 3 x12 hour days is productivity drop especially if its physical work.lets face most people dont go full on all day every day and usually ride the clock out the last 2 hrs of the day.
Days should be 6 hr working days no break just flat out get it done get out.
But there's to many variables . Fuck it i don't work no more 7 day weekend already

 

[MatstaDogg]

I'm doing 6 hour shifts 5 days a week. But I have a split weekend which sucks ass. You can't do anything much with one day off. Three consecutive days off per week would be a wonderful thing.

I'm similar with my job. I do between 6-8 hrs x 5 nights a week and have split days off. The split days off is annoying because you feel like you're not really having much of a break before going back to work. Also if you wanted a weekend away you can't unless you take a day off to get the consecutive days off.

 

[Bad Billy]

I’m a shift worker and would never have it any other way.
4X12hrs, 6.5 days off.

 

[Mr Beast]

I work 5 days a week Monday to Friday 37 hours a week

In the office maybe 3 days and work from home 2 days.

I travel inner state quite a bit, Melbourne, Brisbane. Couple times a year I'm overseas for work as well either US (San Fran/San Jose) or in Asia (Singapore)

Do whatever works for you.

 

[Memberberries]

Much better to do shift work.

They really do need to reform the working weeks.

How many people do you know who go to church on Sundays these days?

 

[The DoggFather]

Much better to do shift work.

They really do need to reform the working weeks.

How many people do you know who go to church on Sundays these days?

It's not about church and the Catholic Sabbath, if it were about religion, the day of rest would be Saturday to suit the owners of this world.

 

[Memberberries]

It's not about church and the Catholic Sabbath, if it were about religion, the day of rest would be Saturday to suit the owners of this world.

Just set up 6 hour a day shifts across mostvwork places, stabilise the economy and watch people in Sydney smile once again!

 

[The DoggFather]

Just set up 6 hour a day shifts across mostvwork places, stabilise the economy and watch people in Sydney smile once again!

Bro, just don't fucking rip us with petrol and we will be happy

 

[Memberberries]

Bro, just don't fucking rip us with petrol and we will be happy

Petrol,train fare,tolls,entertainment, eating. It all gets affected by rip off fuel prices.

2 thirds or Australia need to protest!.
I mean hungar strikes, don't go to work. Most truck drivers blocking major freeways etc.

Gotta do something to try and scare these soulless fucks who rule over us.

I'm not married, no kids, no mortgage.

I've got nothing to lose.
The way the cost of living increases rapidly I'm never planning on settling down and having a family.

 

[The DoggFather]

Petrol,train fare,tolls,entertainment, eating. It all gets affected by rip off fuel prices.

2 thirds or Australia need to protest!.
I mean hungar strikes, don't go to work. Most truck drivers blocking major freeways etc.

Gotta do something to try and scare these soulless fucks who rule over us.

I'm not married, no kids, no mortgage.

I've got nothing to lose.
The way the cost of living increases rapidly I'm never planning on settling down and having a family.

If everyone man's up for a few days and refuse to buy petrol I guarantee the prices will drop. But there are always sheep that will fuck it up.

 

[Memberberries]

Speaking of life at work. Don't you hate it when your boss trusts you to sign off at the start of your shift?

The some bitch, leaves work early because HIS SON is sick and doesn't fix the time sheet.

Then has a bitch about it that we can't sign off from the start anymore.

I knew that would happen. Once a team goes passed 2 people, trust should be thrown out the window!

 

[Mr Invisible]

Interesting discussion going on here

Started with normal hours. Ended up doing 45+ hour work weeks, starting 8:30, finishing at 6pm (once finished at 10pm, a few times at 7pm, 8pm). Worked Saturdays for the final 3 months (missed a lot of Dogs games!), with Tuesdays and Sundays off (no two consecutive days off). Fine; fair enough. That's how it is at some places. People work far more than that, I know.

Much like me in my last job. Started out 10am - 6pm Mon to Fri (which worked well as wife is a shift worker working nights and often gets home around 1-2AM on event nights). After the first year that changed to 10am - 7pm (as well as working trade events). Shortly after that I was asked to work 9am - 8pm 5 days a week. Then came a demand to be available at all hours for calls (which often meant calls of a night or like 7/8AM), and that included public holidays and whilst on holidays.

In the end that business hit financial trouble which lead to bullying/harassment towards me, and eventual redundancy.

Thing is, those hours and demands wore me down to the point I was heading towards burning out, and the bullying/harassment just tipped things over the end when I left there.

Still rebuilding myself over 12 months on, and it's got me approaching the whole job market cautiously as to not end up putting myself in a similar situation to the past (or spending longer time getting to/from work).

But in most office jobs, it's not as if the entire work day is spent working. If work was from 9-3, people would get their tasks done by 3.

That's actually a good point.

Not sure if they still do but Virgin Money used to have a policy whereby they didn't have set hours (for some positions). You had "x" amount of work to get done that week. Finish it in a day and you had the rest of the week off, or work a few hours a day and work 7 days. As long as the work was done they were happy.

4 x 10 hour days will probably be the best, however, I wouldn't mind trying out 3 x 12 hour days (Tuesday-Thursday) as I know cops work 3 x 12 hour shifts. Imagine a 4 day weekend, every week

I guess it's what works for the business and the employee. For example if you had a young family 12hr days might be tricky. But if you had no kids, 3 x 12 hr days ... I'd rock that pretty easily with a lunch and dinner break.

Funnily I'm not a morning person at all, but of a night my mind clicks in really well.