Hours of work?

What kind of hours are management-types expected to work?

When I worked in the US, people who left at 5PM received comments about "working a half day." I heard this myself, the few times I had to leave on time to do something, and I was pretty low-level management.

I am doing a temp job now, and my bosses seem to be gone by 5. Is this normal in the UK?

Oh yeah!  People tend to not burn the midnight oil here, at least in my experience.  I have "core hours" at my job -- hours when I need to be available if people are trying to reach me -- 9:30 to 12 and 2:30 to 4.  It's up to me how I fit in the rest of my hours -- if I come in early, I leave early!  My building tends to be pretty much completely empty by 5:30 and absolutely vacant by 6.

Oh yeah. People, on the whole, aren't expected to work more than their hours. It's very very rare I don't leave at 5pm. If I end up leaving a bit late, my boss looks at me like I'm wierd.

Hell, management at my office works less! One partner just came back from 3 weeks in Brazil, this is after he spent 8 months last year in South America.

I friggin love the work culture in the UK.

When I worked in NY the same thing happened to me!  I was made to feel guilty for leaving on time of a little later.  Meanwhile the people who did this came in at 10, so really who are they to say anything!

Here we were told to leave on time.  My boss usually left a little earlier.  It was encouraged that we not stay any later then we had too.

I think most places are like that here.  Except for where Richard works.  Usual days he works till 7 pm.  These days he is there till midnight.  He once got home at 7am

Except for where Richard works.  Usual days he works till 7 pm.  These days he is there till midnight.  He once got home at 7am

Is he in IT?

Even the partners in a huge law firm where I worked left at 5.

MUCH better than that live to work b*ll**ks in the US.  NO WAY I'd go back to that. 

Is he in IT?

Even the partners in a huge law firm where I worked left at 5.

MUCH better than that live to work b*ll**ks in the US.  NO WAY I'd go back to that. 

No, he makes video games.  Deadline is Friday, so I get him back then.  Then the next one is due right before Christmas.

People that stay late are often looked upon as sooks.

This is fantastic.

But what's a sook?

Even the partners in a huge law firm where I worked left at 5.

MUCH better than that live to work b*ll**ks in the US.  NO WAY I'd go back to that. 

I know, the fact nobody really seems to work late here is nice... I get to see my guy sooner than usual, which is great. The work ethic here definitely isn't as strong or pressured, which is great for us lazier people who just like to relax.

The only problem with working here as opposed to across the pond is that you're working to support not just yourself and your family, but everyone else who can't be bothered to work. And there are many, many people who don't bother working at all here, so alot of what you earn for yourself is taken away to support them.   Some people just as soon bother never working because they earn much more in benefits... and I sometimes don't blame them.

People that stay late are often looked upon as sooks.

What is a sook?

Richard leaves early compared to some of the others in his company. (At 7 that is)  It's crazy!

This is fantastic.

But what's a sook?

Possibly only used in Scotland, but it's a suck-up.  

People that stay late are often looked upon as sooks.

Aye, and they're avoided b/c they're prolly also the grass type who will try to shop you to the boss if you're ten minutes late in the morning.  The equivalent of tattle-tales in primary school.  

Possibly only used in Scotland, but it's a suck-up.  

Ah, yeah, nope he isn't

The only problem with working here as opposed to across the pond is that you're working to support not just yourself and your family, but everyone else who can't be bothered to work. And there are many, many people who don't bother working at all here, so alot of what you earn for yourself is taken away to support them.   Some people just as soon bother never working because they earn much more in benefits... and I sometimes don't blame them.

Benefit fraud happens everywhere, not just in the UK.  Maybe it's easier to point fingers here?

Yeah, the hours are better here overall. I know that at my company we've got a major new software package being introduced in late August. The managers are practically begging people to work more hours whereas in the US it would have been made mandatory.

Benefit fraud happens everywhere, not just in the UK.  Maybe it's easier to point fingers here?

Yes, it does happen everywhere but I would love to see the percentage difference of people on benefits here versus in the US... because I've sure heard plenty of UK folks saying the exact same thing Honeybee said. Not saying one or the other is necessarily worse, just that it would be interesting to know what the numbers actually say.