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What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

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Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#31

Post by YayamiOmate »

seanalltogether wrote: post #14

I've often felt that a 5 day work week is about availability , not raw productivity. I could easily compress all of my weeks work into 30 hours or less, but that's not what my managers and clients value. What they value is the fact that I'm making progress on my tasks, and that my reachability is not preventing anyone else (people above me or below me) from making progress on their tasks

That's what i notced with my friend in the managerial position. He can spend most of the time in Work From Home mode, has really good pay grade, and can't rest. He's looks like he's on a wrist band leash getting mails every 2-3 minutes and needs to somehow react on 10%.

He doesnt do much other than be available 12-16h 6-7days a week. It's taking more toll than one would expect.

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#32

Post by sokoloff »

eru wrote: post #28
kwrobel wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In some countries it is mandatory by law to have 14 days in one block per year.

One finance job I worked in had that regulation. (But it wasn't a general thing in that country.)

Policies like that are often designed to (or at least conceived/fantasized to) ferret out/prevent single-actor fraud.

Forcing someone to take two contiguous weeks out of the office means that someone else will need to be briefed for continuity and there's an enhanced chance of detecting "weirdness" that might be associated with a fraudulent scheme.

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#33

Post by ggurgone »

seanalltogether wrote: post #14

I've often felt that a 5 day work week is about availability , not raw productivity. I could easily compress all of my weeks work into 30 hours or less, but that's not what my managers and clients value. What they value is the fact that I'm making progress on my tasks, and that my reachability is not preventing anyone else (people above me or below me) from making progress on their tasks

This is a valid point, managers and clients value availability and that's mainly the reason why they want you full time.

In fact IMHO many prefer availability to productivity. Being available 40-50h a week is rather tiring though and it can affect productivity.

For example I found that I perform better on a 32h/week. The availability problem can be solved by having the team cover the full week (different shifts with overlapping days).

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#35

Post by ggurgone »

wojcikstefan wrote: post #26
seanalltogether wrote: post #14

I've often felt that a 5 day work week is about availability , not raw productivity. I could easily compress all of my weeks work into 30 hours or less, but that's not what my managers and clients value. What they value is the fact that I'm making progress on my tasks, and that my reachability is not preventing anyone else (people above me or below me) from making progress on their tasks

This is a good point. If you're a go-to expert in some category at your workplace, your availability and responsiveness might be too valuable to give up.

you might want to avoid having "go-to" experts at work because when they leave you might be screwed

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#36

Post by amelius »

MiddleEndian wrote: post #29
seanalltogether wrote: post #14

I've often felt that a 5 day work week is about availability , not raw productivity. I could easily compress all of my weeks work into 30 hours or less, but that's not what my managers and clients value. What they value is the fact that I'm making progress on my tasks, and that my reachability is not preventing anyone else (people above me or below me) from making progress on their tasks

This is why working remotely is fantastic for work life balance. I can do my personal tasks, travel, visit my family, etc. and still be available.

How are you available when you are traveling and visiting your family?

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#37

Post by popotamonga »

amelius wrote: post #36
MiddleEndian wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why working remotely is fantastic for work life balance. I can do my personal tasks, travel, visit my family, etc. and still be available.

How are you available when you are traveling and visiting your family?

Take the computer with you. Once in a while you have to pop it out. Rarely.

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#39

Post by chrisseaton »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #10
chrisseaton wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some employers ask you to take holiday in longer blocks because they want people to be able to properly relax and recharge and they think you can't do that in just blocks of one day. (Not saying I agree, but that's what they say.)

I suggest not working for employers who attempt to dictate how you use your PTO without a legal leg to stand on.

> without a legal leg to stand on

What makes you think they have no legal leg to stand on to dictate when you take your holiday?

My understanding is unless you have some contract saying otherwise, they can tell you to take your holiday whenever they want to, and you have no inherent right to take it whenever you want and for whatever length you want.

That's not even just the US - even in countries with stronger employees rights like the UK I believe this is the case.

For example this is the guidance from a union in the UK

> You do not necessarily have the right to choose when you take your holiday and your employer can tell you when to take your leave.

https://worksmart.org.uk/work-rights/hours-and-holidays/holi...

Re: What I Learned from Working 32 Hours a Week

#40

Post by adetrest »

YayamiOmate wrote: post #31
seanalltogether wrote: post #14

I've often felt that a 5 day work week is about availability , not raw productivity. I could easily compress all of my weeks work into 30 hours or less, but that's not what my managers and clients value. What they value is the fact that I'm making progress on my tasks, and that my reachability is not preventing anyone else (people above me or below me) from making progress on their tasks

That's what i notced with my friend in the managerial position. He can spend most of the time in Work From Home mode, has really good pay grade, and can't rest. He's looks like he's on a wrist band leash getting mails every 2-3 minutes and needs to somehow react on 10%. He doesnt do much other than be available 12-16h 6-7days a week. It's taking more toll than one would expect.

I could never understand why would someone accept these jobs. What's so great about becoming a manager and work 60h/week? How's that better than 40 a week as a subordinate and letting someone else worry about all the office drama?
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