Sunlover

I'd be interested to know the views of others already in the workforce in Oz.

I have lived and worked in South Africa, other parts of Africa, England and Canada.

This is definitely the most highly competitive environment in which I have found myself. Tons (or "heaps" as they would say) of backiting, petty grievances etc. Some of the stuff is so ridiculous you just have to laugh about it. It's really like being back at "Kindy".

There also seems to be this deeply entrenched thing about working longer hours at more bizzare times than anyone else. For example an E-mail sent to the boss at 2am on Sunday night is a sure winner. My employers seem delighted to encounter me in the office over weekends - seemingly proof to them that they've employed a "hard worker". (For all they know I could be hacking into the payroll records).

Unlike the UK where people tend to be modest and self effacing there seems to be this ingrained need here to constantly talk yourself up and make sure everyone knows about all the amazing work you've done (preferabley over the weekend). My husband was recently offered a job and the outgoing incumbent (who had been promoted) was sure to tell him that he had worked 70 - 80 hour weeks.

In the Adelaide Advertiser last week there was an article on this topic saying that 70% of Australian office workers were working in excess of 50 hours a week.

I really have no problem with working overtime and have always done so if I needed to get the job done. However here it seems to be more of a cultural thing than a necessity thing which means that you really are on the hamster wheel forever if you want to keep your job or do well promotion wise.

I am getting a bit tired of it and worried about our future working lives.

Any experiences, similar or otherwise ?

Rune

I am sooooooooooooo glad to be retired! The situation seems to have got completely out of hand in the last few years.
My daughter heads a Federal Government Dept in WA and yes, works at least a ten-hour day and often goes in on weekends. Recently, she applied to take some of her leave entitlements. Her supervisor flew over from Canberra to 'counsel' her, saying that this (near financial year end) is an inconvenient time, and was she sure her staff would meet the targets in her absence? My daughter pointed out to her that her office has 23% more work this year, with fewer resources; the response was "Well, do you need to sleep so much?"
It seems that employers ( and the Govt.'s the worst!) are looking for young, highly qualified people, who will work till they drop with the 'carrot' of promotion held out in front of them. But don't expect to have any time for your family, your home or your life............

james & bev

Its this sort of stuff that makes you think. I used to be very much conservative then you realise that unions and employment rights are really very important to protect people from an ever more demanding working enviroment. Not that you would recognise this as a major concern of the UK gov.


james

just read this back to myself. I getting way to serious in my old age, I'm going to go and get a refill now and have a quiet word with myself!!

pommie bastard

This is a young country who requires young people who can work 12-14 hour days and 7 days a week.

Wilf

Oz lives on exploitation and it is worse for the new immigrant, keen to look right. Trouble is, it does not end, but just gets worse. I have heard this from ozzies and immigrants alike and it seems to get worse and worse. Oz, as in many things, is behind the times and so many of the problems here are being dealt with in other countries (after much complaining). Here the problems are ignored and you are not going to be a "whinger" are you?

Megalania

What a wonderful pair of belly-achers you make - one wouldn't work in a iron lung and is eyeing the Brit pension, the other doesn't work at all - and both bemoaning that youngsters are putting them to shame.

If younguns want to work long hours, let 'em. If they don't want time off in lieu or don't want to be paid for their time, that's their option.

Just silly old farts sitting around criticizing youngsters.

Wilf

You are pretending you have a choice? I bet you have put in a few hours of unpaid "charity work" lately and have to justify it to yourself as being your preference? At least when you do real charity work you get a badge or ribbon to wear. You are annoyed because noone has put 10 cents in your tin this morning?

pommie bastard

Australia gives people the choice not to work long hours its called the dole .
You done a days graft this year yet Mega or do you just talk a good job.

Megalania

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Wilf
You are pretending you have a choice? I bet you have put in a few hours of unpaid "charity work" lately and have to justify it to yourself as being your preference? At least when you do real charity work you get a badge or ribbon to wear. You are annoyed because noone has put 10 cents in your tin this morning?

G'day and welcome to the Silly Old Farts Society daily Bingo Meet!

Of course I always had a choice! Not being a fool, I was not easily parted from my labour.

Me do charity work? Now that's a laugh! As far as putting 10 cents in the tin, all the collectors know to give my house a wide berth.

Of course there's a choice not to work long hours! Just take a few months holiday each year between jobs or contracts or setup a business that runs itself.

No, I haven't done a days graft for many years. I did it for enough years that not only do I not have to but it would not make any significant difference to me or anyone else if I did.

pommie bastard

Always good to hear the out dated views of a founder member of the old farts club.
Love your tripe it goes well with onions.

Grub

Much as I hate to put a negative on the siteI must admit that my sister (office job), husband (carpenter) and other friends and rellies seem to work very long hours. My husband starts at 7am and finishes when the job is done which is often past 5pm. I cant comment on the backbiting but what i would say is look around when you get here. Dont settle for a job and stik at it- keep looking. I think that self emp is the goer if you want control over your lives. Mind you- at least the free time you do get is spent doing great free things in the great outdoors, rather than spending long misreable hours stuck inside watching dross on the TV as it's perpetually raining.

Speaking of weather- it's a bloody lovely winter- glorious sunny days and chilly nights (dont throw away those fan heaters and warm coats!!)

pommie bastard

Nice to see you are at last posting a more down to earth view , but will it last and as you say it has been dry if not cold at night (2C) but fear not the wet is still to come July and August are iffy.
You been playing with matches down at Hillarys to make make work for your old man?

PS great dross on the telly here but you have no time to watch it unlike 90% of WA who do?

Grub

You've got me sussed PB!! I didnt think anyone would guess. Just trying to get myself out of this deprived area and up the social ladder to the far superior of Joondalup (???) Just cant stand the pong...

pommie bastard

Yes you are in the outlimits of the City of Joondalup but the we do care for the down at heel and I am sure they will up grade your sewerage works but not your schools or parks the CBD needs to be a show piece so your rates are needed to keep us happy.
lovely lights up our road cost mega bucks , you still using candles?

Megalania

Your tripes are obviously too full of onions and, personally, I would not trust them as garters.