Interesting read on the world's work habits

Wow, they are literally identified with their working titles, even in social situations, in South Korea.  Just call me Farmer Becca.   

Except it's a bit misleading because it's all about "hours". 

 In the UK (and Chuffy and Kate, please correct if I'm wrong) -- the work day isn't much different (and that fluctuates wildly all over the US, not just because of flex time, but because of what 'works';) -- but altho we in the US tend to moan and groan because we get so little vacation (and anymore that 10 days often means 10 days of missed work -- it can well include sick time, kids-sick-so-Mom-can't-work-time, or "personal time";) BUT we're also down to about 7 days of holidays a year (and that's majorly flexible too -- I never get off Martin Luther King day -- not *ever*, and in the South "Columbus Day" is unheard of, and I haven't gotten Good Friday for my own religious holiday in many years (altho I did get off 2 hours early this year because I flat-out ASKED for it) -- the only other religious holiday I get is Christmas Day.)

In the UK you generally get one bank holiday a month (usually a Monday off I think) and altho those weeks of vacation can slide from 2 - 4 off, you generally DO get them off, and many/most Americans rarely get to TAKE a real vacation or more than just a couple of days at a time.  Again, that varies with where you live, and what type of occupation you have.

I know that one of the reasons that has made my current job as attractive as it is, is that I *have* been able to take at least sporadic days off without worrying whether or not I'd have a job when I returned.

But honestly, the kicker to the whole article is -- **quality**.  My UK counterparts may get more time off than I do, but they tend to be better workers.  They tend to produce more work, and more *willing* work, because they tend not to be so tired, grumpy, etc. all the time.

It's a balance that, in my *very personal* opinion, I think we've lost in the US.  The quality of our work here has suffered -- because many of us are resentful that we put in many days of work without reprieve. 

I wish someone would get the idea that we could all seriously save on gas, and save on morale and everything else if we'd get one holiday a month.  I mean, if they can mess with "daylight savings time" in the interests of saving fuel, gee whiz -- let's do something that might actually help folks cope and that could make a difference in the huge number of man hours missed because people just call in 'sick' in order to take a mental health day!

Sorry -- didn't mean that to sound like a rant -- but just a total of hours presents a bit of a false picture I think. 

Well, the article does say that the Koreans spend more time at work, but some of that time is spent doing little more than waiting for the boss to leave. 

Maybe in the UK workers aren't tired and grumpy, but I couldn't imagine that the Koreans are anything but.  Then again, I need regular sleep and I could care less about titles.  I do quality work because I care about the content, not really for any other reason.

Callie I think the minimum time off now in the UK is 22 days - yes minimum.   Most jobs you have essentially 6 mos sick time at full pay and six months at 1/2 pay.

There are I think 8 'bank' holidays - Christmas, Boxing Day, NY Eve, Easter Monday and Good Friday, 2 in May and 1 in August.

In general the work week is 37.5 hours and lunch is included  - not like here in NC where you work 8-5 for an 8 hour day.

When I left the UK I had 37 days of annual leave after 6.5 yrs in post.  Yes it was an upper level post but no where near the 'top'.

Flexi time is a norm because the travel conditions are appalling. I htink that is one of the things that really peeves me here in the US.  Some jobs may need 9-5 ( or the ridiculous 8-5) in office but many, many do not. I believe that the oil crisis may truly have a positive impact on this area.

the flexi time is more valuable to many than the vacation time - as it makes a huge difference in daily life. 

Coming back to the US I noticed immediately that a) work conditions seem to have moved backwards, b) it all seems Draconian.  Even salaried workers are treated like hourly.  Benefits have disappeared and except for a few 'raises' aren't substantial.

I could go on but seriously the US working conditions are far behind many countries and certainly the UK

I can't help but think that to a certain extent, whatever our situation is, we would want more time off. I'd love to work a 4 day work week, and I know I'd be happy with it, but I wonder if at some point I'd want a 3 day work week.

When I lived in Germany for 4 yrs, I worked side by side with German nationals. I didn't notice them to be any happier or better workers than the Americans who were getting less time off than they were. It created friction because of the disparity, but not because anyone was working harder than the other.

I feel extremely lucky in my job. I get 13 paid holidays, 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of vacation. I have no complaints....but I would like a 4 day work week

cakana

I can't help but think that to a certain extent, whatever our situation is, we would want more time off

Yes...agreed. That is what makes people tick. Always have to complain about something. Even if it's having to work, at all. LOL. When I was in Europe people still complained about their bosses and their work.

Grass....greener...it's still grass.

The only thing to do sometimes, is stop complaining about your patch of grass...and smoke it instead.

*tongue in cheek there...drugs are bad mmkay?*

And I'm here to tell ya that extended work hours don't always accomplish more. We've been working 6 days a week, averaging 56 hours a week, more for some guys (lower paid apprentices) and after a while, it just drags on. You don't get enough rest. The days run together. We are working tomorrow but get Sunday and Memorial Day. And that will be the last two days off in a row for at least another month. And this schedule is driven by a dead line. The job was 3 months behind before they even started mowing down weeds. And we still have to turn over the keys by July 15. And there is still plenty of work undone and it's not us holding things up. For example, in a number of places, we have hung lights with ceiling wire where the ceiling hasn't been built yet. Yes, here we are in the last week of May and some of the ceilings aren't finished. But that doesn't get the deadline moved back. That just means that we have to keep working the overtime to finish the job on time. There are penalties on contract for each day passed final that you are not done. And getting finished on time puts us in a preferred spot for more work in the future. I won't list some of the difficulties and challenges but you could say there's a little stress going on. In addition to being tired and worn out from all the working we have been doing. The difference is, we're not hanging around to wait until the boss leaves first. We're doing everything we can as fast as we can. And we're going to make it, just under the wire. Because we had a day like last Saturday.

The power at the football field is a different service from the same tapcan. Which means the power company had to shut power off and we had to pull in two runs of 250 at about 1,200 feet apiece and have everything terminated and power back on before we could leave. That was 11 hours right there, with a 30 minute lunch. Yeah, buddy. And it's not behind a computer desk. We're out in the heat and sun and wind, pulling wire off the spools and connecting to our pulling system that is attached to a huge pool rope. So, your mind and muscles are stretched to the limits. My voice was nearly gone by the end of the day.

And some days are harder.

Lee gets up at 5:30 a.m. every day, gets dressed and makes a two-hour commute into Seoul to start work at 8:30 a.m. After sitting at a computer for most of the day, Lee typically gets out the door at 9 p.m., or even later.

By the time he gets home, it's just a matter of jumping in the shower and collapsing into bed, before starting the whole routine all over again, about four hours later. This happens six days a week, and throughout almost all of the year, as Lee gets just three days of vacation.

I really have a hard time seeing the point in this kind of life. You work to pay your bills, and pay your bills to work. Am I missing something? He sees his wife and kids 1 day a week... that's...ridiculous.

'Course, I hardly even see the point in having kids if you only see them on weekends, with a school, daycare, or nanny raising them the rest of the time, soo..clearly I'm a minority...

'Course, I hardly even see the point in having kids if you only see them on weekends, with a school, daycare, or nanny raising them the rest of the time

Well, I'm with ya there, chelsea.  

My husband works at home three days a week.  It's been wonderful, and he's found that he gets WAY more done on his "at home" days than his office days.  I mean, more done on his salaried job.  Working in an office is distracting.  Here he gets into his corner and putters away on his computer, and most days he starts at 8:00 after the farm chores are done, and except for grabbing some food at lunch time (unless I make him something), he won't move from his chair (except for obvious breaks), until 5:30 or so.  He doesn't have to do that - he just enjoys getting the chance to get into a rhythm and get stuff done. 

On his office days he socializes with his co-workers, goes to face-to-face meetings, takes clients and vendors out to long lunches, goes on snack hunts in the break room (and socializes some more), the bathrooms are way across the building from his cubicle, and then of course there's the two hour commute (one way).  Probably headquarters doesn't even want to know how much wasted time that represents.

Corporations should really revisit the "office" paradigm on a large scale.  Working at home isn't for everyone, but the people who tend to do well in Cubicle World also tend to be the type who can stay focused at home.

My husband enjoys his office tho. His kids would NOT let him have the kind of peace he'd need to be productive. And to be honest I think he likes being in the "adult" world for a bit every day. He enjoys his long train ride, watches r rated movies on the iPod...spaces out...sleeps.

His temperament is quite different than mine, who could go an entire day without conversing with another person face to face...and be fine. He enjoys talking with people about the work he does, and if I am honest...talking money and dollars and cents with people at his level of learning...which most assuredly am not...lol.

When I worked retail...tortuous as it often was...I enjoyed my time out of the home...because I knew I needn't worry about the baby since she was with Daddy.

Di'ffrnt t strokes to move the world...as the song goes...

But see I also see a HUGE difference between a parent being home with the kids while the other parent works, and both parents working while the kids are at daycare/school/with a nanny. Obviously everyone can't afford to be a 1-income household, and I'm not saying they shouldn't have kids obviously, but if you literally only see them for 1 day per week...then yeah, I guess I really don't understand. But most 2-income families, I think, see their kids mornings, evenings, and weekends, and that's a lot different than only weekends, or only 1 day on weekends...ya know?

I, personally, won't have kids if the plan (clearly things can change after kids are already there...) will be for them to spend 50 hours a week away (school, daycare, whatever) from their parents. I, personally, don't see the point in that for me. Doesn't mean it's not right for someone else...