Hard at Work
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I work a 40 hour week now, with reasonable flexailty. My on call time is down now that automated processes at night have been stabalised and user departments are charged a minimum 15 minutes if I have to answer my company-supplied Blackberry.
About 8 years ago I worked 30 hours a week (6x5) for a year. I loved it and was super productive! Yes, the money was less, and I had lots of time for learning, doing and resting in my life! I highly recommend a 30 hour week!!!
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My first 4 years in the military was as an MP working a SCIF sites in Germany. These were 12 hour shifts on site. That time did not include travel to and from the site (sometimes up to an hour away) along with the regular "Guard Mount" inspections (Draw weapons, ammunition and stand formation for inspection by the Platoon Sergeant). So my 12 hour shift was normally 14 to 15 hours. We worked 7 on 1 day off. We were treated pretty decent, every other hour I got to sit in the guard shack :-). After 4 years I went into the investigative side of the house and their I was on-call for 24 hours once a week with our regular schedule of 5 days a week working 9 to 10 hours in addition to the regular PT schedule and regular "Army" training (CBN, Fire Arms proficiency, etc) thrown in on top. I did this for another 11 years, and I have to admit it got a little more routine near the end, might have been down to 10 hours a day. But we never had Weekends or Holidays off "Guaranteed" (Just lucky when it happened). And as for "on-call" not being real work, I can only remember being able to sleep through the night during an "on-call" stint very occasionally. And when a call came in it usually meant 12 hours of constant work minimum (Murder, Rape, Robbery, etc).
Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining that is what I signed up for, and after getting out and only working 50 to 60 hours week (for twice the money) that was easy. And after getting out those hours were not constant and I could elect not to do it so I never felt "pressured" to perform at that level, but since I was able to I did. Now I'm older, maybe wiser and don't have to work quite as hard for my money.
I guess I'm an old fuddy duddy but when some of the "kids" I work with complain when they are asked to stay late to get something done I feel like smacking them upside the head. If you don't like the job, find another, and if you can find one that will pay you a living wage and not require any work, more power to you. I just don't believe that a company should have pamper you that much. Pay you fair and treat you fair yes, pander to you, no!
James.
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OK James, you win. Your job in the Army sucked, you should have joined the Air Force. (LOL, not tying to start a flame war here
). My gripe is that when a company hires you for say $100K a year, that is based on a 40 hour work week according to all the documentation. In practice, it's seldome the case though.
I've done plenty of contract work where I got paid by the hour, and when that's the case, bring on the hours. But 99% of the time when you are asked to work those extra hours it's because some manager screwed up and didn't plan the deadline properly or even worse did it on purpose to look good in his managers eyes.
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Simon,
you're right on there. Extra hours typically mean someone didn't plan properly. The true "it just broke" emergencies are few and far between.
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I have a great job. I tend to work a 40-45 hour week, flexible, at all hours of the day and night, and seven days a week, but it's on my schedule and I rarely have any time-sensitive work. So I can delay something for a few hours if need be because something else came up. Heh... you sure you work in IT, Steve, or do you live on a farm?
--Jeff Moden
RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
"Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".
Helpful Links:
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Intro to Tally Tables and Functions - , actually I work in journalism now. Not sure how I got to this place after bartending in college, an economics degree, a hatred of writing all through school, and many late nights typing code into computers.
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i work till the job is done.
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Expecting more hours from your "unattached" staff is unfair, and quite possibly illegal. Think "discrimination". Nobody wants to go there.
James Stover, McDBA -
I can see it's been covered already, but the way that 'single, unattached' people are often dismissed in these sorts of discussions never fails to amaze me. Try being single, working extra long hours, going home to an empty house, not being able to chat to friends because they are all in bed etc. Then compare that to the attached, who might go home to a partner that patiently listens while they unwind.
There's pros and cons to both.
- At my old job 3 years ago, I was the one putting in all the time and no thanks. Now I am hourly and loving it.
Sure I took a little paycut but now there is no commuting and when I do work extra I get paid for it. Also since my hours are more regular I am able to do more work on the side at 3 times the rate of my fulltime job.
Now my boss wants to put me on salary without a raise, I said that why should I work more hours for the same pay. He says that he will compensate by making some weeks shorter, but form seeing the department over the last 2 years, it rarely happens. Then he said that I am asking for a raise with the expectation of putting in more hours, I said yes I am the type of person where you give me a project and I will give 200% thru completion.
For now hourly for me has been great, less stress and a predictiable schedule.
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Expecting more hours is definately illegal, but it's often assumed.
It can be hard either way. Taking care of errands, meeting the cable guy, etc. are easier when there are two of you (or more). But most people get "attached" because they want to spend time with that person. So they have less other time. Most single people I know want to be attached, so they want time to look. But I've also seen many single people push harder because they didn't have someone at home.
I know I used to.
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Mine's kinda weird.
Monday - Thursday, 8-5, 45 minutes for lunch. Friday 8:00 am to 3:45 pm with 1-hour lunch (we have a bfast/lunch grill on the first floor). Getting off early on Friday is sweet! Also, no on-call and I live 5 minutes from work.
Reality M - Th, 7:00 to 5:30 or 6:00. Fri, 7:00 - 3:45. It's just self - imposed, not a demanding job. Guess I just like my job a lot.
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Good you like your job, James and the extra hours are fun when you do.
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I've worked at several jobs where I was working unusually long hours. Most of that is while I was married and didn't want to go home. But I wasn't any more productive. I used to work 6 am- 4pm. I loved going in early because I could do backups or upgrades to the servers before everyone came in. I didn't work late hours when needed, but most of the time it wasn't.
I also have worked for a company after my divorce where I was working 80+ hours a week and carried a pager. I was on call 24/7 and I was a very dull person. I didn't have time to do anything but work. This company also thought that since I was single, I didn't have a life and didn't need one. Hard to meet someone when you are constantly working. I didn't think it was fair that everyone who had a family got to work the 40 hours and those of us that didn't were expected to work 80. This led to burnout and the desire not to work as hard.
I now have a job that is 35 hours a week. I took a big pay cut, but I figured that I am making the same salary as I was at the last job if you calculate the hours vs the pay. I have joined the company softball team, started taking Argentine Tango lessons and I am learning to enjoy life. I still put in the hours when needed, but my job no longer dictates my life. I love having my life back. And I am no longer shy about taking my vacation time. I never used to take it. I thought that it all revolved around me. I have no problems anymore saying I am taking my vacation and won't be near a computer for the entire time.
I agree with the others about the support system. I do miss having that. But if it is the wrong support system, then it hinders your work as well.
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8am-6pm with some lunch. When on call, you probably can add another 2-6 hrs nightly depending on how replication goes overseas( it is also Sybase\Unix), plus up to 30 hrs ( when really bad) on the weekend. Tough
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