Job's - Current Situation

[I like Skol]

I love my job. Despite the 12hr days/nights shifts and some hard physical graft (actually part of the appeal....) and relatively low pay due to my lack of qualifications for the industry I am working in. Sure I would like fairer pay for my contribution and the responsibilities I have but that isn't upsetting me at the moment.

From my employers POV they ARE going to have to do something about my pay level and in the next year or two! Mrs Skol is pressuring me to step back a bit and contemplating a lifestyle change after my youngest son finishes his A levels in two years. This may involve a move to a rural location, either in the UK or abroad and I will have no hesitation to walk away from my technician pay rate when I am working an engineers job. The company is already struggling to keep and recruit staff so they need to make it financially difficult for me to leave or I will be gone and they will have lost another chunk of knowledge, experience and goodwill from a team that is already struggling to hold it together.

I think I am not unique, hence the current situation. Employers have had it good for a long time with massive over-application for every position, but now the tables are turning.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I’m reminded of this hierarchy of needs. Many thought that their job delivered esteem needs and self actualisation. The pandemic taught them that actually it doesn’t, for others they already knew this. Work can often undermine your physiological needs as well. The base of the needs.

 

[swee'pea99]

I’m reminded of this hierarchy of needs. Many thought that their job delivered esteem needs and self actualisation. The pandemic taught them that actually it doesn’t, for others they already knew this. Work can often undermine your physiological needs as well. The base of the needs.

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I don't see beer

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don't see beer

Social and physiological!

 

[MontyVeda]

I can't afford that just yet, but I can afford to be economically less active.

I'm just getting settled and established in a new job, but cutting down from 5 to 4 days a week is already in my plans. Life's too short to be working 5 days.

There should be two types of employee, those who want to work 4 days and those who want to work 3 days. Every business could operate seven days a week and every member of staff would have at least three days off

 

[swee'pea99]

There should be two types of employee, those who want to work 4 days and those who want to work 3 days. Every business could operate seven days a week and every member of staff would have at least three days off

Reminds me for some reason about the East German worker who turned up to lay bricks at a site my friend was working on. He was amazing! Did a really good job, and quick too - tireless...he barely took a break all day.

Next day he didn't turn up. Normally no-one would have cared, but he'd been such a good worker that the foreman actually took the time to go round to the hostel address he'd been given, where he found the guy tucked up in bed watching telly. "Why didn't you come to work?" asked the foreman. "I'm done for the week," said the brickie. The foreman, understandably bemused, said "What do you mean, done for the week?" "I've used all my bricks," said the guy. "We have more bricks," said the foreman. The man looked at him in horror: "You mean I'm expected to work like that every day?"

Turned out that back east you worked till you'd run out of bricks then took the rest of the week off. The idea of working every day, well really...

 

[cyberknight]

What’s happened and I count myself amongst this lot.

A lot of older experienced and good at their job professionals, but not career focused in terms of let’s see how high up the ladder we can get, have been neglected for years. Taken for granted that they will be there when the ambitious have moved on. All the HR, performance and training focused on the young thrusters, but anathema to everyone else not into that kind of thing. Their priority has never been to move up the career ladder. They’ve followed roles that are interesting to do, often side ways movement, climbing the ladder slowly. They get high enough, but stop when the demands on them start to outweigh the benefits in their view. Come the pandemic there was an opportunity to further consider and realise their priorities. For some that means retiring, others part retire, and others go part time in a stress free job that has lower demands and hours compared to their skills and experience.

These people always worked to live, not the other way round. Now they are doing more of the living, and less of the work. The long hours culture of many places for decades didn’t help this situation. If someone works their contracted hours, and does it well, they shouldn’t be made to feel like they weren’t pulling their weight. The culture of being expected to work overtime every single week is a sickness many no longer want.

The decades of experience has walked out the door, and they will never get it back. Experience is the difference between information and knowledge. Far too many managers and directors realise that far too late.

sounds very similar to my situation, 18 years in the same job trying to get ahead doing my share and a bit more only for the mates of bosses to get the nod and the fact im not a beer swilling footie mad raving sexist pretty much leaves me out of the loop of 90 % of the boys own club .With my long term injury am i dreading returning back to the job i have grown to hate over the last few years with no end in sight apart from from getting a pay off from the company when i cant cope with the job anymore .Company policy seems to revolve around getting the older workers out of the door and replacing them with agency workers on £2 an hour less who they can then take on at those reduced rates of pay .
Another year and i can look at early retirement but due to my family`s health issues and the age of my children i would still need to work full time till i drop .

 

[bagpuss]

I have plenty of jobs,but the missus will still not give me a pay rise .
Time and motion .....sorry got to go , I can hear her coming up the stairs

 

[Brandane]

There should be two types of employee, those who want to work 4 days and those who want to work 3 days. Every business could operate seven days a week and every member of staff would have at least three days off

Some haulage companies are, at long last, seeing this as an alternative. 4 days on, 4 days off. It gives drivers a better work/home life ratio, and keeps the lorry wheels turning 7 days per week. Not so handy for the trucks operating far from base, but it's a start.
I did it for 6 years and it worked well for me. It still meant averaging at least 42 hours per week (12 hour shifts), but some drivers didn't like having their hours cut to that! It also involves working weekends, which to some are sacred (not me; I quite enjoy days off during the week). Cannot please all the people, all the time.

 

[Oldhippy]

I am lucky too as I love my job. Every day is fun.

 

[Moon bunny]

I actually started my new job today, as opposed to unpaid genning-up, one of my first emails: we are all getting a rise, and extra lump sums for February and March.

 

[Oldhippy]

I actually started my new job today, as opposed to unpaid genning-up, one of my first emails: we are all getting a rise, and extra lump sums for February and March.

Good luck with the new job.

 

[marzjennings]

Even at a University, just my Faculty is over £1m underspent on staffing as we just can't recruit, and that's in just 6 months - it's equivalent to 30 Senior Lecturing staff.

I think I see your problem, other than BREXT messing things up, you're not paying enough. Throw in benefits and general overhead costs we'd be lucky to get 4 or 5 master/PHD level staff for a £1m. I can't see many kids willing to take on 5-6 years of Uni and £35k in debt to make £33k a year.

 

[fossyant]

I think I see your problem, other than BREXT messing things up, you're not paying enough. Throw in benefits and general overhead costs we'd be lucky to get 4 or 5 master/PHD level staff for a £1m. I can't see many kids willing to take on 5-6 years of Uni and £35k in debt to make £33k a year.

Double it, as that's half a year - average cost is £66k, or about £50k salary plus benefits.

 

[marzjennings]

Double it, as that's half a year - average cost is £66k, or about £50k salary plus benefits.

Understood and a bit more attractive. I think BREXIT's your biggest blockade to finding people. I met a couple Greenwich professors two years ago, over in Houston pitching the Uni to US students, one Spanish and one Portuguese, both making plans to leave London and go home to find work if they can.