It’s widely acknowledged to be bad for your health but millions do it, even without getting paid for it. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Thursday the number of people working hours they are not paid for is at its highest level since 1992.
Five million worked unpaid overtime last year because of a “long-hours” culture and concern that the economic downturn is putting their jobs at risk. The largest increase in workers carrying out unpaid overtime occurred in London, followed by the east Midlands and eastern England.
Have you been asked to work extra hours, and how is it affecting your work/life balance?
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4 comments so far
It’s long been the culture in the banking industry for management to be expected to work unpaid overtime when required by the business. With offshore threats and rising unemployment this is only going to get worse for everyone. Certainly my health has been deteriorating over that past few years as more and more pressure is piled on.
- Posted by BagpusI work in the IT field and for a company where my hours are officially 7 hours a day but this frequently more, with no OT paid. Due to the nature of some IT positions, it is expected to work longer hours especially if areas you maintain must be available 247. This can be compounded by a business expectation of a 247 service despite not officially being recognised as one. Our management try to minimise such working practices, but in reality it does not work. You almost feel guilty when you are sick!
- Posted by AnnonymousIs there still such a thing as “overtime”?
My own contract states “The working week is a minimum 37.5 hours, or as many hours as are required to carry out the job”.
I generally work 60-70 hours a week and take the view that if you are getting paid to do a job you should get on and do it. If you don’t want to do it, go away and do something else for a living.
Not quite what the TUC would approve of, but they live in a world that has been left behind.
- Posted by JasonJason,
- Posted by Anonymous 2The key phrase in your response is “if you are getting paid”…and I would add “sufficiently.” If you consistently work 60 to 70 hrs a week at 60-70 hrs a week your effective/equivalent hourly wage drops to wage levels of a more enjoyable, less stressful job you’d rather do, then yup, hitting the road makes sense. Otherwise if you hang around and keep putting in hours at an effective measly diluted hourly wage in the name of “getting on to do it,” you are shortchanging yourself blindly, valiantly, ignorantly…