What do you wish someone had told you?
#121
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but again the question has to be asked "Why would someone do that"
In my mind no job is worth that, I wouldn't care what the pay was or how prestigious people considered the position to be
no job is worth doing for nothing for so long that it eats away at family time
In my mind no job is worth that, I wouldn't care what the pay was or how prestigious people considered the position to be
no job is worth doing for nothing for so long that it eats away at family time

#122

I totally agree. If I work 15mins extra, I would expect to be paid for it. However, if employees are willing to work overtime for free of course the employers are going to encourage it. What's wrong with collective bargaining as many employers do get away with it.

#123

Even public sector try their best to employ from the real world and explicitly try to recruit more flexible / less militant thinking from the commercial sector.


#124

I'm am also quite surprised upon reading the recent comments about working hours, culture etc in NZ. I am reading this now double checking I am on the right thread in the right country. Of course these are experiences and I will not argue against them. All I will say is this has not been mine, my partners or our friends experience of working in NZ. We work our set ours and get paid overtime for extra. Simples. No working unpaid hours, no 60+ hour weeks and certainly no camping out in the office! Also we are not viewed as losers, slackers or not team players because we go home on time, well, because most people go home on time!
My advice to you and your partner and friends is to stay in CHCH!
Bo-jangles - useful link - cheers.
Last edited by davros1984; May 3rd 2014 at 11:35 pm.

#125


I think you have a point with Chch being a bit different. Lots of people have left taking their talent with them. Then add into the mix more and more businesses opening again after the quake it seems a lot of companies are coming up short when hiring skilled IT workers. A lot of IT workers have either gone to Ozzy, Europe or other parts of NZ. My partners job was advertised for 6 months in NZ before it was advertised overseas and he was the first applicant to fit the bill. It was a bit of a shock for him because his skill set is two a penny in major UK cities. It feels in Chch like any skilled and talented people are held on to by offering good salaries, benefits etc particularly in IT. There's not such a feeling of being disposable here, but more like "what can we offer to make you stay" rather than "oh well, if he leaves we'll find someone else". Well, there is no one else here!
Working in Auckland sounds similar to working in London. Something that my partner and I do not miss!

#126
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Love your blog Pom_Chch! And what gorgeous pics too

#127
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Which is exactly why nobody in the private sector wants to employ anyone with public sector background - there's stigma in timesheet mentality and bureaucratic thinking that makes it difficult to transfer from public to private.
Even public sector try their best to employ from the real world and explicitly try to recruit more flexible / less militant thinking from the commercial sector.
Even public sector try their best to employ from the real world and explicitly try to recruit more flexible / less militant thinking from the commercial sector.

You say yourself that you are burnt out. I don't think there's anything heroic or worthwhile in burying yourself in your job to the detriment of your health and quality of life. At the end of the day you can't take it with you. This isn't a race to the bottom to see who can work the most for least.
I work as a nurse in a hospital. If I need to stay a little late to finish up a chat with a patient or assist with unexpected emergencies/incidents then I do so happily and without a big song and dance or expectation of pay. However, if my boss decides to schedule me in for shifts which I know will lead to me being exhausted and unable to perform well in my role I will highlight that and expect that reasonable adjustments will be made so that I don't end up off sick and no use to them. If that's a public sector mentality then I am happy to have it.

#129

Which is exactly why nobody in the private sector wants to employ anyone with public sector background - there's stigma in timesheet mentality and bureaucratic thinking that makes it difficult to transfer from public to private.
Even public sector try their best to employ from the real world and explicitly try to recruit more flexible / less militant thinking from the commercial sector.
Even public sector try their best to employ from the real world and explicitly try to recruit more flexible / less militant thinking from the commercial sector.


#130
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Always always always family first. Sunshine, scenery and family are nothing if you only ever
see them through an office window.
Good luck with the move, I hope it gives you the life you want.

#131

I don't think it's unreasonable as an employee to expect your employer to abide by the terms of your contract i.e
I work as a nurse in a hospital. If I need to stay a little late to finish up a chat with a patient or assist with unexpected emergencies/incidents then I do so happily and without a big song and dance or expectation of pay. However, if my boss decides to schedule me in for shifts which I know will lead to me being exhausted and unable to perform well in my role I will highlight that and expect that reasonable adjustments will be made so that I don't end up off sick and no use to them. If that's a public sector mentality then I am happy to have it.
I work as a nurse in a hospital. If I need to stay a little late to finish up a chat with a patient or assist with unexpected emergencies/incidents then I do so happily and without a big song and dance or expectation of pay. However, if my boss decides to schedule me in for shifts which I know will lead to me being exhausted and unable to perform well in my role I will highlight that and expect that reasonable adjustments will be made so that I don't end up off sick and no use to them. If that's a public sector mentality then I am happy to have it.

#132

Would you also stay longer without pay and without hesitation if the emergencies would not be a sick person but that the dividend payouts of the shareholders are sinking?

#133
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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!
My first job working for the NHS was fantastic. A great company that expected you to do your hours, but would always pay overtime. It had to be valid overtime mind, not stay in the office just to let the rush along Euston Road die down. The online data system upgrade I was part of, I think I ended up working 50-60 hours a week, always got the top up... Once I finished and the project system was delivered, I had a few thank yous from NHS seniors and even the health minister.
When I left the NHS and moved to SunGard, it was a culture shock. I'm used to it now, but it took a while. Overtime doesn't exist, no day in lieu if you work weekends, nothing. It was ok for the first 3 years until the financial crisis hit, since that it's been hard. I did consider leaving for a new position in another company until they requested I took this project on. It was probably the one thing that kept me with them. I was doing 50-60 hour weeks, all to satisfy our clients and customers. When your working to provide a service for big buck customers (US and German banks), they expect it to be done in a budget given. Customer, Clients, Shareholders - it's a pain in the backside working for people that have no idea of working life.
I would always recommend the public sector for working conditions and work life over the private sector.

#134

Originally Posted by cappuccino
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!
My experience of local government was that everything ran to the clock. You worked over, you got paid.
In a private sector office environment it is usual & expected. The hours may seem set but you get salaried for what the content of the job entails. Time is money. That means pressure. That report is not ready first thing in the morning for whatever reason , you are accountable. You don't meet the targets several times , you may find yourself facing a disiplinary or asked to leave or step sideways from your job because you don't meet the 'standards' of said job .
Yes. you could move jobs but that would be a mark against your credentials & you will likely meet the same again.
"Go that extra mile"
"Deadlines"
"Work as a team"
All sorts of guff Col.
So. Forget clocking off at the end of your working day. Lunch on the hoof. Reports at home.
I worked in office environments for a good 35+ years. The culture has become worse and worse. I have been a person still in an office at midnight trying to fix issues not of my making, to ensure a huge amount of employees got paid next day. I've been the person completing management reports late into the night to help safeguard the future of a company with a financial deadline to meet.
In the end I had a burn out . Just as Capp
I also agree Col, that no job is worth your health and well-being. That is why Capp has re-evaluated her life and why I stepped out of employment.
Not everyone is in a position to do that though & we have to respect that. At the end of the day most all of us need an income to meet our outgoings. Those outgoings can be adjusted but if a family has a mortgage and children, it may not be possible to step off the wheel easily.

#135

Personal experience;
I was told by my manager on starting my job "we don't clock watch, just get your job done".
I usually start around 9am, though I do try to get in earlier and usually finish at 5:15pm to go get my daughter from Kindy.
I may work from home from time to time, but I would've done this in the UK so that's no different.
I happen to be working this Saturday in Wellington, but with out hesitation my manager told me to have a long weekend in Wellington and have the Monday off. Work are paying for my return flights.
Whilst I work in a sales role, in theory, the more I work the more $$$'s I get. There isn't any snide comments or expectation. Simply being at work and as long as you're contributing you will be seen as being a team player.
Having said this, I've just taken a call from a friend who until recently had a job and we're talking minutes and hours;
His whole team we're asked on Friday whether they wanted to take 6 weeks pay to leave, or stay and be put on performance management - they were asked this at 10am on Friday, with a 5pm Friday deadline.
My mate took the later. He got fired this morning, by telephone as he was at home - he's already been on to a lawyer who is very keen to take this case up.
The cheeky gits also wanted him drop his company car off at the office 30kms away!! The lawyer told him that as it's their car, the relationship with him is now non-existent, so he shouldn't use his time and expense to return the car. It's up to them to retrieve the car.
Obviously these are vague details, but you couldn't make this up!!
I was told by my manager on starting my job "we don't clock watch, just get your job done".
I usually start around 9am, though I do try to get in earlier and usually finish at 5:15pm to go get my daughter from Kindy.
I may work from home from time to time, but I would've done this in the UK so that's no different.
I happen to be working this Saturday in Wellington, but with out hesitation my manager told me to have a long weekend in Wellington and have the Monday off. Work are paying for my return flights.
Whilst I work in a sales role, in theory, the more I work the more $$$'s I get. There isn't any snide comments or expectation. Simply being at work and as long as you're contributing you will be seen as being a team player.
Having said this, I've just taken a call from a friend who until recently had a job and we're talking minutes and hours;
His whole team we're asked on Friday whether they wanted to take 6 weeks pay to leave, or stay and be put on performance management - they were asked this at 10am on Friday, with a 5pm Friday deadline.
My mate took the later. He got fired this morning, by telephone as he was at home - he's already been on to a lawyer who is very keen to take this case up.
The cheeky gits also wanted him drop his company car off at the office 30kms away!! The lawyer told him that as it's their car, the relationship with him is now non-existent, so he shouldn't use his time and expense to return the car. It's up to them to retrieve the car.
Obviously these are vague details, but you couldn't make this up!!
