What do you wish someone had told you?
May 3rd 2014, 6:14 am
#106
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
It's obvious you don't work in an office, where there are no clocks or boundaries and no time in lieu or overtime paid . 
I have noticed it's more prevalent here and expected that you'll be there on parade until the job is done. Employment contracts here are not helpful either; there's no working time directive or comeback that you can refer too if being expected to work excessive hours 'for free'.
My own employment contract has some flaky weasel words that says I should ordinarily work for 40 hours but am required to be there for however many hours it takes to get the job done; the fact that it's impossible to do the volume of work in the given time is irrelevant.
My boss has worked every night this week until near midnight and will be working all this weekend to meet deadline. I feel a little bit bad about this because I could help and have done quite a bit extra this week too. However much it is against my nature I have to bite my tongue and stop myself from stepping up. They make 'jokes' about my needing to bring my sleeping bag but I give myself a deadline to leave at a reasonable time of my choosing; I'm old enough and ugly enough not to let them take my weekends. Once you start volunteering to do extra time, it becomes quite normal they expect it all the time - its a downward spiral and a really hard habit to break.
Many people are in my office long before I get there in the mornings and they are still there when I leave; there's pressure therefore if you don't conform to their world order, you're seen as a slacker, not a team player and all that other bullshit. You'll get lots of flak and snidey comments and you have to be a quite hard nosed about saying no and not playing the camping out at the office game. Others who are younger / more ambitious will of course feel the pressure to do the extra hours to look good and achieve recognition in future for being a hard worker or 'team player'.
I have noticed it's more prevalent here and expected that you'll be there on parade until the job is done. Employment contracts here are not helpful either; there's no working time directive or comeback that you can refer too if being expected to work excessive hours 'for free'.My own employment contract has some flaky weasel words that says I should ordinarily work for 40 hours but am required to be there for however many hours it takes to get the job done; the fact that it's impossible to do the volume of work in the given time is irrelevant.
My boss has worked every night this week until near midnight and will be working all this weekend to meet deadline. I feel a little bit bad about this because I could help and have done quite a bit extra this week too. However much it is against my nature I have to bite my tongue and stop myself from stepping up. They make 'jokes' about my needing to bring my sleeping bag but I give myself a deadline to leave at a reasonable time of my choosing; I'm old enough and ugly enough not to let them take my weekends. Once you start volunteering to do extra time, it becomes quite normal they expect it all the time - its a downward spiral and a really hard habit to break.
Many people are in my office long before I get there in the mornings and they are still there when I leave; there's pressure therefore if you don't conform to their world order, you're seen as a slacker, not a team player and all that other bullshit. You'll get lots of flak and snidey comments and you have to be a quite hard nosed about saying no and not playing the camping out at the office game. Others who are younger / more ambitious will of course feel the pressure to do the extra hours to look good and achieve recognition in future for being a hard worker or 'team player'.
May 3rd 2014, 6:20 am
#107
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
That's nice and great that you have made some excellent friends from here, there is a lot of good advice coming from this thread alone, most people are very friendly and helpful
Last edited by Mrsbrightside7; May 3rd 2014 at 6:21 am. Reason: Error
May 3rd 2014, 6:24 am
#108
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
I'm quite concerned about this now. This is something I definitely didn't know about NZ! I think this will be a massive problem for me, as I'm a single parent, i will need to leave work at a certain time to be able to pick my son up from Afterschool care. Looks like that isn't going to go down well
The rest who work full time hours fall into 2 camps depending on whether they are in the private or public sector. I have worked in both sectors and it seems that public sector employees tend to work their contracted hours, no more (but often less as there is a fair bit of sickness and absence which is accepted as a 'perk'.) Private sector employees and even contractors within the public sector work every hour contracted plus more and often with no o/t pay. In my last role I worked 40 hours paid plus at least 20 hours unpaid most weeks. Yup, I burnt out and am now trying to recover and re-plan my life!
Last edited by cappuccino; May 3rd 2014 at 6:27 am.
May 3rd 2014, 6:42 am
#109
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
Is this something you needed to know before arriving to NZ ? I think perhaps this was already a pain in the bum
I'm looking forward to reading all good things from you Capp.
May 3rd 2014, 6:44 am
#110
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
I'm quite concerned about this now. This is something I definitely didn't know about NZ! I think this will be a massive problem for me, as I'm a single parent, i will need to leave work at a certain time to be able to pick my son up from Afterschool care. Looks like that isn't going to go down well
May 3rd 2014, 6:45 am
#111
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
In my experience there are people who 'clock off' at their appointed time especially if they are part timers i.e. finish at 3pm or whenever. They tend to be immune from sniping comments and not requested to work extra hours as it is accepted they are part timers.
The rest who work full time hours fall into 2 camps depending on whether they are in the private or public sector. I have worked in both sectors and it seems that public sector employees tend to work their contracted hours, no more (but often less as there is a fair bit of sickness and absence which is accepted as a 'perk'.) Private sector employees and even contractors within the public sector work every hour contracted plus more and often with no o/t pay. In my last role I worked 40 hours paid plus at least 20 hours unpaid most weeks. Yup, I burnt out and am now trying to recover and re-plan my life!
The rest who work full time hours fall into 2 camps depending on whether they are in the private or public sector. I have worked in both sectors and it seems that public sector employees tend to work their contracted hours, no more (but often less as there is a fair bit of sickness and absence which is accepted as a 'perk'.) Private sector employees and even contractors within the public sector work every hour contracted plus more and often with no o/t pay. In my last role I worked 40 hours paid plus at least 20 hours unpaid most weeks. Yup, I burnt out and am now trying to recover and re-plan my life!
May 3rd 2014, 6:51 am
#112
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
The After School Care I Manager stays open officially until 6pm, after 6 the cost doubles. Where we have just moved to, further out stays open until 7pm because parents working in the City, Wellington, have an hours train journey so they accommodate for that. You will just have to make sure you have enough time to get to the Care before the official closing time. I feel that as long as you don't let them take the pee you should leave as near to your official leaving time as you can, if you let them dictate to much they will come to expect. Start off as you mean to go on
I'm also impressed that there are Afterschool care facilities that are available so late!
At first I will be in Roseneath in Wellington with my sister but eventually will need to move further away from the city when I get my own place as I won't be able to afford city rental prices! The commute and Afterschool care times will be a huge factor to take in to consideration
May 3rd 2014, 6:53 am
#113
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
In my experience there are people who 'clock off' at their appointed time especially if they are part timers i.e. finish at 3pm or whenever. They tend to be immune from sniping comments and not requested to work extra hours as it is accepted they are part timers.
The rest who work full time hours fall into 2 camps depending on whether they are in the private or public sector. I have worked in both sectors and it seems that public sector employees tend to work their contracted hours, no more (but often less as there is a fair bit of sickness and absence which is accepted as a 'perk'.) Private sector employees and even contractors within the public sector work every hour contracted plus more and often with no o/t pay. In my last role I worked 40 hours paid plus at least 20 hours unpaid most weeks. Yup, I burnt out and am now trying to recover and re-plan my life!
The rest who work full time hours fall into 2 camps depending on whether they are in the private or public sector. I have worked in both sectors and it seems that public sector employees tend to work their contracted hours, no more (but often less as there is a fair bit of sickness and absence which is accepted as a 'perk'.) Private sector employees and even contractors within the public sector work every hour contracted plus more and often with no o/t pay. In my last role I worked 40 hours paid plus at least 20 hours unpaid most weeks. Yup, I burnt out and am now trying to recover and re-plan my life!
May 3rd 2014, 7:13 am
#114
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
I'm quite concerned about this now. This is something I definitely didn't know about NZ! I think this will be a massive problem for me, as I'm a single parent, i will need to leave work at a certain time to be able to pick my son up from Afterschool care. Looks like that isn't going to go down well
& that job will fit into your school and after care hours, just as in the UK really. I know I keep on saying this but really , your family in NZ can best advise. They are boots on ground . Noses to the wind.
If they and you didn't know about unspoken unpaid extra office hours, they and you do now. It is the same in the UK for the private sector where there are bad management practices.
May 3rd 2014, 7:16 am
#115
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
Sorry to hear the buggers ground you down Capp but hopefully some good will come of it in the new plan.
I agree it is okay for those have to go and pick the kids up. I know a few folks that work part-time (three or four full days per week) they still struggle to bat away the constant requests to swap days and come in for meetings or do stuff on their days off. It's really not fair and often down to piss poor management, usually something needing to be done yesterday that was known about weeks ago or that some other &@$$% should have done ages ago.
It happens the world over I know but there should be some give and take and some upsides too in term so of pay or other benefits; it just sucks the life out of you if it is the normal everyday chaos and you can't even say you're doing it for the big biccies.
But of course you don't come here for the money, it's all about the lifestyle, eh?
I agree it is okay for those have to go and pick the kids up. I know a few folks that work part-time (three or four full days per week) they still struggle to bat away the constant requests to swap days and come in for meetings or do stuff on their days off. It's really not fair and often down to piss poor management, usually something needing to be done yesterday that was known about weeks ago or that some other &@$$% should have done ages ago.
It happens the world over I know but there should be some give and take and some upsides too in term so of pay or other benefits; it just sucks the life out of you if it is the normal everyday chaos and you can't even say you're doing it for the big biccies.
But of course you don't come here for the money, it's all about the lifestyle, eh?
May 3rd 2014, 7:48 am
#116
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
Its the culture, in the past 2 months, all of us in the team have worked several weekends unpaid due to issues or poor planning by the client. The vast majority do, it was the same in my previous workplace. When I go out for beers with other expats, they tell me similar things. My team lead regularly sends me emails around 2am in the morning and especially on Sunday evenings.
REALLY REALLY, my god,your not joking are you !!
why do people do this, what kind of life must they lead. is their job that important that they would give over their whole life to it.
I would rather earn less and have a life than effectively be treated as a mug / slave.
I am honestly lost for words
May 3rd 2014, 8:08 am
#117
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
I finished my previous job just before Christmas, it worked out my notice period would end just as we broke up for Christmas. With a day to go before I left we had a huge printing order come in for the big music festival in Gizzy, Rhythm n Vines, it was worth well over $5000 to the company. The only way we could complete the order was for me to stay on into my Christmas break as everyone else was jetting off. I thought this was a good time to ask the boss about a Christmas bonus as we'd had one the year before, he agreed!! Instead of the $200 I got the year before he gave me $300 for working on past my final day and cutting into my Christmas holidays. For the next 4 days including Xmas Eve I worked my balls off, I did nearly 30 hours and when you're screen printing in the hot weather stood in between a big oven and a flash unit (used to dry/cure the ink on the t shirts) it's bloody hard physical work. I finally managed to get all the tees printed in time for them to be in Gizzy before the music festival started. I let my boss know and he was over the moon, I sent him a list of all the hours I'd done extra. GET THIS..... He was under the impression that the extra $100 in the Christmas bonus was for me staying over and completing the order. $100 to do $5000+ of printing.
I got eventually got paid fpr all the extra hours, only single time though. Christmas Day came and I was knackered while the boss was having a whale of a time on the North Island.
Thank the lord I'm now in a good job getting treated right.
I got eventually got paid fpr all the extra hours, only single time though. Christmas Day came and I was knackered while the boss was having a whale of a time on the North Island.
Thank the lord I'm now in a good job getting treated right.
May 3rd 2014, 8:22 am
#118
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
husbands new job pees me off, He's time to start is 8.30am but every Tuesday there is a meeting booked for 8am so he has to be there for then. errr no in my world but he does it as he has no balls 
May 3rd 2014, 8:37 am
#119
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
REALLY !!
REALLY REALLY, my god,your not joking are you !!
why do people do this, what kind of life must they lead. is their job that important that they would give over their whole life to it.
I would rather earn less and have a life than effectively be treated as a mug / slave.
I am honestly lost for words
REALLY REALLY, my god,your not joking are you !!
why do people do this, what kind of life must they lead. is their job that important that they would give over their whole life to it.
I would rather earn less and have a life than effectively be treated as a mug / slave.
I am honestly lost for words
It all depends what job you do and who you work for. Also make sure you read your contract and question anything in there about unpaid overtime, sick leave etc etc then there will be no surprises. Or if a job pops up that you are willing to take with unpaid work/weekend work/evening work etc then figure out a way in which it will fit in with your family.
May 3rd 2014, 10:04 am
#120
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Re: What do you wish someone had told you?
Ooh surprise, surprise, it's of course not the same across this wonderful country y'all know and love.
They must all be lying, the data must be flawed and the survey was done by a monkey; surely nobody is working that hard in this laid-back little country that has no standard working week and refuses to accept UN recommendation to cap the working week; surely not the same country that has no legal requirement to pay overtime above the normal rate, surely not one of the worst OECD nations in terms of the percentage of the population that works more than fifty hours per week.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=10859823
They must all be lying, the data must be flawed and the survey was done by a monkey; surely nobody is working that hard in this laid-back little country that has no standard working week and refuses to accept UN recommendation to cap the working week; surely not the same country that has no legal requirement to pay overtime above the normal rate, surely not one of the worst OECD nations in terms of the percentage of the population that works more than fifty hours per week.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=10859823