Work: Start Time - your understanding of it

[RedM]

The way I look at it is either people can't plan their day or cope with the role or the firm is crap and is getting people to do one and a half jobs for the price of one.

How can a responsible company sit back and let employees do silly hours and potentially wreck their lives?

 

Erm... because people let their employers get away with that kind of attitude and because other people have a skewed view of what makes a worthy employee/work ethic.

 

Idiots.

[L18msy]

I go in before 7:30am to get the cars in the workshop organised for the rest of the boys to come in.I work till 19:30 monday and tuesdays and 1700 wednesday to fridays and half day saturdays.

 

I prefer to go in a bit earlier, i like to try and get organised for the day ahead, it has been known to hang back to do extra hours if there is a job that must go out on time, but it seems to be the same couple of folk that volunteer to do it which is annoying.

 

But i dont mind as the boss lets me get my car in when stuff is needing done so swings and roundabouts and all that!

[TLicense]

Surely that's not right mate?

 

I work 37 hours a week basic.Anything after that is overtime @ Time + 1/2 ( Sunday - double time)

 

I think the contract states the normal working hours and "additional hours as performance dictates". Basically it means if we aren't winning, then the only way we're going to is by pulling our fingers out.

 

Personally, I see the potential that the team I work in has. We are competing against companies that have three to four times our budget and staff numbers, yet by putting the extra effort in, we're punching well above our weight. I don't know how else you'd put it, but it's all about having a "can do" attitude. (Crap saying I admit). I've worked in other teams where there was no morale and hence no incentive to work extra. I'll never go back to that.

 

What a mug, if he works out the hourly rate then it would be about £6/hr as he doesn't get o/t for it.

I really believe that most people who do silly long hours are either arselickers that are no good at their job and need longer to carry out their duties or are very insecure.

 

Or people realise that the way that a company performs is sometimes dependant upon individuals putting additional effort in. I'd much rather be an arselicker for a succesful company than a redundant jobsworth.

 

The way I look at it is either people can't plan their day or cope with the role or the firm is crap and is getting people to do one and a half jobs for the price of one.

How can a responsible company sit back and let employees do silly hours and potentially wreck their lives?

 

I imagine in todays financial climate a lot of companies are asking people to take on extra responsibilities / hours F.O.C. Does that make the company crap, or should they just shut up shop and make people redundant? Which is the more "responsible" way to go? Which way would wreck most lives?

 

 

I worked at one company where we finished at 16:30. My girlfriend started working just up the road and finished at 17:30, so I started putting an extra 45 minutes in at the end of the day and then driving up to pick her up.

I got pulled aside by one of the senior guys who'd worked there for 18 years who (due to being hourly paid, rounded down to the last quarter of an hour) started work at 8:14 every day, and finished at 16:31 on the dot.

He said that he'd been chatting to a few of the other guys about me, and that I was on the road to being blackballed if I kept working the extra hours even though I was salaried (with no overtime) as it was showing them up.

So I ended up having to leave at 16:31, sit in my car for 20 minutes as the whole factory queued to get out of the car park and then sit for another 25 minutes in my car at my girlfriends works carpark.

I didn't last there long.

[JS2004]

8.30 to 5.00 contracted, reality due to staff cuts and workload increases (without additional pay) is 8.30 to anywhere between 5.00 and 7.30 - with the extra hours not being paid for!

 

However no matter how much extra free of charge time youve given them if you turn up 10 minutes late you are made to make the time up on that day.

 

Flexibility would be nice.. but then in a large company a few take the pi%% and ruin it for the majority.

 

Oh and we now owe them hours for bank holidays too.

[dangerous brain]

I am contracted to be here from 6 am or 6 pm dependent on which shift I am in for. I am then here until I have done my handover to the on-coming shift which can be 10 minutes after the 12 hours is up or 3 hours dependent on what is going on at the time. As a manager the very instant I set foot inside the door the mentalism begins and doesn't stop until I get back out the door. Quite often than not I can spend anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour trying to get out the door after clocking out. I get paid by the 15 minute block and at the top end of my industry so a few minutes extra so I don't complain. I am lucky t his week to be off the lead aircraft so I have time for breaks but when on the lead aircraft I generally don't stop for the 14 hours I am here.

[RedM]

What do you do, DB?

[Nodalmighty]

We have flexi so I tend to do 6:30am to 3:45pm to avoid M42 and A5 traffic. I give them the extra 3/4 of an hour as we only do a half day on Friday (and we can work from home too which is nice).

[dangerous brain]

What do you do, DB?

 

Currently working on the Chinook MK3 reversion program as a manager. My normal trade is aircraft mechanical technician. Essentially I fix helicopters, big assed war helicopters.

[supra_aero]

Get there for start time and leave on the dot, happy to be flexible and work on longer/start early but then when i've asked a favour to leave half hour early I got the third degree on how I'd have to make it up....wtf

It should work both ways but doesn't, also learnt over the years that you really are just a number and any positive attitude means bugger all come redundancy time so I won't do extra hours to my contracted ones unless I'm paid for it.

 

I must agree with this also. I used to be the 14 hour day man - though I was contracted to be 9-5. I did get paid overtime in fairness but when the recession hit I often worked O/T without pay.

 

Then my manager became selfish and greedy EXPECTING me to stay late without pay as if they were my hours. When I sometimes refused due to commitments he complained and screwed me over with bonuses and payrises. And even tried to get me laid off!!

 

Subsequently I moved team and now do 9-5 and not a minute more.

 

 

All those who disagree with Paul, I wonder if its because you have never yet been threatened with redundancy despite working your butt off, whilst other employees who were just plain lazy were saved. When it happens to you, I am sure you'll agree with Paul.

[j_jza80]

I used to work 7.30 am until 5.30 Monday to Friday, and 8 until 12 on a Saturday. With 30 mins lunch and no breaks. Decided it was stupid (although well paid) and left to go to Uni. Not sure what I'm doing when I've finished, but I'll never do those hours again.

[supra_aero]

I used to work 7.30 am until 5.30 Monday to Friday, and 8 until 12 on a Saturday. With 30 mins lunch and no breaks. Decided it was stupid (although well paid) and left to go to Uni. Not sure what I'm doing when I've finished, but I'll never do those hours again.

 

Those hours aren't that bad. Depends on what the job is and pay was.

 

I don't mind long hours if you are recognised for your hard work (promotion/flexibility/rewards).

 

Or if its the nature of the line of work. But just taking advantage of employees because they are are too friendly to say no or you are threatening them with redundancy is just plain immoral and wrong.

[Paul]

All those who disagree with Paul, I wonder if its because you have never yet been threatened with redundancy despite working your butt off, whilst other employees who were just plain lazy were saved. When it happens to you, I am sure you'll agree with Paul.

 

Thanks, I did put in extra hours, went that extra mile and then learnt that you all end up out the door, good and bad, when it all goes down the pan.

I got letters from the MD from one of my previous employers regarding the many years without being off sick, also bottles of champagne. When the firm shut down though I ended up walking out the door with the same guys that left on the dot and ripped the p*ss out of sickness !! In many cases they got more redundancy due to length of service.

 

I've learnt that you are nothing as an employee regardless of the time you put in.

[Lauren R]

I used to work 7.30 am until 5.30 Monday to Friday, and 8 until 12 on a Saturday. With 30 mins lunch and no breaks. Decided it was stupid (although well paid) and left to go to Uni. Not sure what I'm doing when I've finished, but I'll never do those hours again.

 

My break situation is the same, I prefer having the shorter day though, rather than have 90 minutes break time over the day and leave an hour later because of it...

[Paul]

I thought you are meant to have at least a 30 minute break every 4 hrs by law?

[Hoppy]

I thought you are meant to have at least a 30 minute break every 4 hrs by law?

 

I think this is normally the case, to be honest? although i often work anything up to 6 hours before having my 35min break.But i'm normally cool with this, as i then only got 1+1/2 hours left in work then, after break

[dangerous brain]

I thought you are meant to have at least a 30 minute break every 4 hrs by law?

 

Oh don't get me wrong we are scheduled for at least 3 breaks and an hour lunch across my shift. Here's the bind though. I don't have enough time in my day to actually do everything that's in my job requirement. I have to on a daily basis decide what I am actually going to do and what I am going to take sh*t for not doing.

 

I'm the bottom of the management chain so my excuses and rollockins are small fry over my bosses. Closer it gets to the top the worse the roastings are, its not unknown for the top american boss to scream shout and tantrum in conferences, and quite alot of heads have rolled already in the middle/upper management . Crux of it is the MOD need helicopters out in Afghan etc last year, The project to achieve that wasn't structured enough to begin with and we've been on a back foot since then. The MOD's expectations have only grown in the mean time.

All that adds up to a very pressurised environment to achieve unattainable goals. That said I am quite proud to have hit the first delivery goal and be a part of the team that has pushed the second phase delivery date down (not as far as they want but down noe the less). Its bizarre because ultimately I am working myself out of a job. As soon as this job is done I'm unemployed, but not as soon as some of the guys that weren't as pro-active that went last month and more again next week.

 

Just to finish a long assed post off, I work the hours and fashion I do through choice. I could walk tomorrow or slack out from tomorrow and await the axe but I won't. Its not in my work ethic. I don't expect any thanks for the work I do (I get paid well enough so that's thanks enough I guess). One day I will work for myself when I have mellowed enough not to work myself to death lol.

[Paul]

My last job was Aerospace, Quality Engineer so I know the pressures.

Been there, done that including working very late to get first article inspection reports done so products could be shipped/invoiced. Did work for all major aerospace manufacturers including Westland, Rolls Royce, Saab and many others. The pressure you talk of is all the way down the line in Aerospace.

 

Anyway, after years of hard work and putting myself out I end up getting made redundant last year because the big American firm wants to please shareholders by getting shot of a large number of people

[mathew]

The contract im on at the moment runs 24/7 however my start time is 8am. il arrive on site at about 8.10am (because the hotel doesnt start serving breakfast until 7.30am, and i aint missing that!). the normal finishing time is 4.30 but if i leave at that time i get all the usual comments such as 'part timer' and 'sometimes' and it doesnt really go down well with the project manager either. Saying that though my normal working day doesnt end until about 8pm most days, infact im still here now (been here 14 hours so far today) and doesnt look like il be finishing until at least 11.30pm. When i do have uber long ones like today il usually leave a message to the project manager explaining il be arriving an hour or two later tomorrow because of the shift ive put in today. He's cool with that then as he can see the commitment im putting in.......

[Wez]

I remember the good ole days of claiming OT and rolling in late the next day cause it was a late one, these days we are only allowed one or the other

[fuldhat]

Come in at 9.30-10.00. Eat some breakfest and then start to work. Will leave anywhere from 16.00 to 20-21.00.

 

OT is paid and we get 1½-2 hours of freetime for every 1 hour.

 

I do technical sales for a software company.

 

We can leave during the day, if we want to, go home early or come in later, just need to give a few hours notice.

 

Though this is also the least the company can do, since I am traveling around 2 weeks each month.

[Purity14]

Say you are contracted to start at 9am and finish at 5pm - do you arrive at 9am and then prepare for work, boot PC, make coffee, have a chat etc or do you get in early so you can actually start doing some work at 9am?

 

When 5pm comes are you already packed up and ready to go by 5pm or is that your guide to start making a move?

 

I'm not asking because this bothers me or because someone at my work is doing something I don't agree with, I'm of the school of thought where it doesn't matter as long as the work gets done, I'm just curious what other people think.

 

I deal with this every day, as I work in Time & Attendance.

It happens all the time, it is the fault of the supervisor for being an enabler.

 

I personally believe you should be ready to work and had your tea/breakfast in your personal time before 9am.

 

If you are late by 1 minute, you should be deducted 15 minutes.

If you leave 1 minute early you should be deducted your last 15 minutes.

 

Your Lunch time should be 1 hour, not SIX 10 minute fag breaks.

If you leave for lunch and come back and continue to work 15 minutes later, you have forfeited 45 minutes.

 

Get a clocking in machine Michael, a computerised one like a biometric handscanner, PM me if you want a deal on one, I can cut you some commission for the sale as its my line of work.

[Wez]

I work in Time & Attendance.

 

I bet your popular

[dangerous brain]

I deal with this every day, as I work in Time & Attendance.

It happens all the time, it is the fault of the supervisor for being an enabler.

 

Only so if the supervisor isn't reporting the bad time keeping up the chain. If they are and still the management leave the offenders in employment then what exactly can a superviser do? Its institutional in alot of cases.

 

I personally believe you should be ready to work and had your tea/breakfast in your personal time before 9am.

 

Agreed. Thats why most here come in half hour early to get their breakfast whilst being awake.

 

If you are late by 1 minute, you should be deducted 15 minutes.

If you leave 1 minute early you should be deducted your last 15 minutes.

 

You could do that for sure but the first time you do it will be the last time the employee works the 14 minutes he isn't being paid for. Not just that but most of the day you tell him his productivity will be dog poo.

 

Your Lunch time should be 1 hour, not SIX 10 minute fag breaks.

If you leave for lunch and come back and continue to work 15 minutes later, you have forfeited 45 minutes.

 

Isn't that standard and hence why most that take lunch hours bugger off out for that length of time?

 

Get a clocking in machine Michael, a computerised one like a biometric handscanner, PM me if you want a deal on one, I can cut you some commission for the sale as its my line of work.

 

RE the earlier comment of 1 minute and 15 minutes pay. If the clocking machine was any cop it would be able to deal with 1 minute increments so your 15 minute thing wouldn't be an issue anyways as your employee could make up the minute at the end of shift.

 

I love the rigidity of these things though. You stay an hour late you don't get paid for and nothing is even mentioned. You come in a minute late and you are flagged up on report lol. Investors in people is a tad lost on some firms

[supra_aero]

 

If you are late by 1 minute, you should be deducted 15 minutes.

If you leave 1 minute early you should be deducted your last 15 minutes.

 

 

I disagree with this. Why?

 

I don't time my lunches to the minute; More often than not I am back 20-40 mins early, if I even take a lunch. My work makes way more hours out of me than the other way around.

 

Put simply, if there is no business critical reason as to why you should be in on the dot at 9am, so long as you are not blatantly taking the mick daily I don't see why it matters if you come in at 9:06.

 

What matters most is getting the work done.

 

On that note, if I have a super productive employee who gets everything done by 3pm, I see no reason why I shouldn't reward him and let him leave early at 4pm. Why make him twiddle his thumbs. Rewarding him for hard work gives the other workers incentives to be more productive.

 

I don't have any staff below me btw this is just my theory

[Hoppy]

RE the earlier comment of 1 minute and 15 minutes pay. If the clocking machine was any cop it would be able to deal with 1 minute increments so your 15 minute thing wouldn't be an issue anyways as your employee could make up the minute at the end of shift.

 

This is how it has always worked with us.If you're a little late, you could normally just stay on for a bit to make the time up.Although over recent times, there has been a few cases where certain individuals have turned up late and then refused to work the time back at the end of the shift, which is starting to pee mangement off.So there has been talk of this (1 minute late / get docked 15 mins) going on here too

 

In my opinion, if you arrive late then it's only fair to work on a for bit to make your hours up.Although there's always one or two idiots who spoil it for everyone.