BasilRathbon Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Do you ever wonder why it is that – in the average full time job – we work five days a week and only get two days off? Who decided this, and why do we continue to do so? I was pondering this at the weekend; where I work it’s a 35 hour week, which consists of 5 x 7 hour days. Personally I’d prefer to work 4 x 8.75 hour days and have 3 days a week off, but when I mention it to bosses, they just mutter about there being inadequate cover and if they let me do it, they’d have to offer a 4 day week to everyone. I don’t see this as a valid argument, as I suspect most people are quite happy with their 5 day week and shorter daily hours, and so long as I was flexible as to which days I had off, I don’t see a problem. I have also argued that, as I spend 2 hours a day commuting, only doing it for four days instead of five would make me less tired and more productive at work. Yes, I know we can all count ourselves lucky when only a few decades back everyone worked 6 days a week dahn t’pit or at t’mill, but why are many companies still inflexible when it comes to differing work patterns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heyesey Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Same reason we still use many Imperial measures, and same reason there were such widespread protests about decimalisation. People don't like change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarby Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Beats working 7 days eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodge Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 What does your contract of employment state? If it's 37.5 hours/week, then split it up how you see fit... You're not in breech of contract, after all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Web Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Same reason we still use many Imperial measures, and same reason there were such widespread protests about decimalisation. People don't like change. Some people like change, if it suits them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heyesey Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Some people like change, if it suits them It never suits the bosses to have the grunts decide when they go to work, though. And despite the fact that flexible hours is likely to improve productivity in the workplace, they're generally against it because it means having to think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Web Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 And we have to work tiil were 70 now even though it's only a small percentage of people living longer mostly the rich who don't have to work anyhow, we could make life fairer but that would take effort and apathy is what seems to be the most popular option these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbees Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 It's better to have longer days but less of them for everyone I would have thought as there is less time spent starting and stopping your day. I have to do a course for some new legislation regarding driving licenses and it's 2 days of about 6 hours which is very inconvenient because it will use up a whole day. I have suggested we do it in one long day but they won't have it even when I offered to pay more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittencapes Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I reckon I could go one step further and work 37 hours in three days, yes they would be tiring days but the four day long weekend would be more than worth it! Only worry is would people start addidtional jobs as they would have more time on their hands, then we would work far too much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEKRO138 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I work 4 days a week. I work Monday Tuesday, have Wednesday off, then work Thursday and Friday and have Saturday and Sunday off. It means I never work more than 2 days in a row and the break on Wednesday is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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