Bring Back the 40-Hour Work Week 969
Barbara, not Barbie writes with this quote from an article at AlterNet about how the average work week is becoming longer, and why that's not a good thing:
"... overtime is only effective over very short sprints. This is because (as Sidney Chapman showed in 1909) daily productivity starts falling off in the second week, and declines rapidly with every successive week as burnout sets in. Without adequate rest, recreation, nutrition, and time off to just be, people get dull and stupid. They can't focus. They spend more time answering e-mail and goofing off than they do working. They make mistakes that they'd never make if they were rested; and fixing those mistakes takes longer because they're fried. Robinson writes that he's seen overworked software teams descend into a negative-progress mode, where they are actually losing ground week over week because they're so mentally exhausted that they're making more errors than they can fix. For every four Americans working a 50-hour week, every week, there's one American who should have a full-time job, but doesn't. Our rampant unemployment problem would vanish overnight if we simply worked the way we're supposed to by law. We will not turn this situation around until we do what our 19th-century ancestors did: confront our bosses, present them with the data, and make them understand that what they are doing amounts to employee abuse — and that abuse is based on assumptions that are directly costing them untold potential profits."
Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
Please... Don't listen to this drivel. I have kids and an angry wife at home. I want to be at work 80 hours a week.
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:4, Funny)
You can always work the 40 hours, then spend the other 40 somewhere else.
Re:That's what America needs to be competitive! (Score:4, Funny)
Greek people work more hours per year than anyone in the world (other than Korea)... it's just that they are less productive...
http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS&utm_source=weibolife
Re:Meh (Score:5, Funny)
Unionize? What? I make it clear when I start a job that I will not work over 40 hours a week unless it's a once or twice a year occurrence. If an employer doesn't like that then they're free not to hire me. Considering I just landed a new job after noting this in each of my 5 interviews with the company (and all of the other interviews I went on elsewhere which netted me 4 other job offers) it doesn't seem to be much of a problem in my industry.
There is also the point of getting your work done. I'm efficient and good at what I do. I worked over 300 projects last year and got them done on an average of -3 days of projected deadline. I missed one deadline in the entire year and that was due to external forces. If I can handle that kind of work and push out 99.9% error free stuff, who the fuck cares if I don't work 40+?
I have worked with plenty of inefficient people who spend a good chunk of their day socializing, taking 1+ hour lunches daily, or who simply aren't all that great at what they do. These are the people who seem to end up "just having to work 40+ hours to get it all done".
Stop fucking around and do your job and go home. Coupled with clear expectations at the outset we won't need to have articles like this one written.
Re:That's what America needs to be competitive! (Score:5, Funny)
This doesn't apply to everyone, of course, some people are wired to handle it.
Ah, now you're talking! Manservant! My eugenics rifle! We shall see to it that the workingman of tomorrow is fit for a 50-hour week, and his offspring capable of 60! In time, perhaps even 80 or 100 shall not be beyond the glorious reach of Science!
Big Corporations Reply (Score:5, Funny)
I have good news.
The CEOs of the fortune 500 companies have all just met and decided they are going to push for a 40 hour work week. The only slight catch is- they're pushing for a week to be redefined as 3 days long and weekends are being abolished.
Re:That's what America needs to be competitive! (Score:4, Funny)
No, no... America needs to work harder for lower pay!!! I mean it's working in all other countries, such as in southeast Asia and all other poor countries.. why no here??
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
To the creature that is the angry wife, the ONLY justification for not being home, catering to her every wish, unloading the dishwasher, and cleaning the garage, because you're lucky to have her to cook shitty potatoes for you, buddy, is if you're out bringing in more money so she can buy more things for you to carry home for her. Any other activity is tantamount to infidelity. This is one of the major reasons my angry wife is now an angry ex-wife (which still sorta sucks but not nearly as badly).
I kid, but some people (of both sexes) really do live this way.
Re:That's what America needs to be competitive! (Score:5, Funny)
"playing with lasers"
"eventually got burnt out"
This stuff writes itself.
Re:Mandates are the issue (Score:5, Funny)
You won't be able to celebrate your next birthday until you have reached a set list of objectives and accomplishments.
Under the new "pay-per-accomplishment schedule" birthdays will be measured as such:
1 - Must be able to walk before you are allowed to turn 1 ...etc...etc...
2 - As soon as you can go a week without an accident or wearing a nappy/diaper you turn 2 years old (and have completed all requirements for ages above)
17 - you are not allowed to turn 17 until you lose your virginity. (and have completed all requirements for ages above)
18 - You are not allowed to turn 18 until you have completed 4 difficult video games(and have completed all requirements for ages above) ... etc... etc...
28 - you turn 28 years old when you get married (and have completed all requirements for ages above)
29- you don't turn 29 until you have a mortgage. (and have completed all requirements for ages above)
30- You are not allowed to turn until you have your first child (and have completed all requirements for ages above)
You get the idea... you turn 60 when you use preparation H on a daily basis.
Now age is entirely merit based and not on some silly time measurement.
Unfortunately most of slashdot is still 16.
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
Perhaps he's taking time away from his angry wife to spend it with your angry ex-wife?
Re:Meh (Score:5, Funny)
Um... excuse me. 'Socialism' has the word 'Social' in it and that implies people working together and with other people. It's now the 21st C. and such things as 'civilization' are now passe and strictly for the lower classes. If you are going to get anywhere you need to become a loan wolf who's ready to do whatever is necessary to get ahead in life. And remember, if there's anyone who's doing better than your or is still happy, you haven't won and in fact are just a looser like everyone else. The most perfect example of new world success is the Frazetta picture of Conan the Barbarian standing on top of a pile of dead enemies, with a hot chick grabbing his leg so a little of his bodaciousness will rub of on her.
Anyone who believes otherwise is obviously one of those weaklings who think civilization and society are good things and that life is more than a zero sum game with a trajectory right to the bottom. /Thurston Howell III voice
Re:Spoken like someone who's never owned a busines (Score:5, Funny)
Go back to your cubicle, little drone, and let the big boys ruin the world.
FTFY.
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
However things shake loose, he's welcome to apply for membership in the "She spread her legs for me!" club, currently 1500+ members strong. Free swab tests upon membership approval!
Bitter humor is the best kind.
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
40? How will I be able to keep up with Slashdot on such a short week?
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:35 hour week here (Score:5, Funny)
Leave the office, the chances are that you'll figure out the problem on your commute home, during dinner or on the john
Or in your dream. It drives me crazy when that happens because then I'm doing work and not getting paid for it. If I ever become a contractor I'm definitely putting a line-item on the bill for dream work.
Re:Keep the 80 Hour Work week. For my Sake. (Score:5, Funny)
No, don't believe this. This is actually a shallow depiction of the magnificence that is golf.
Golf is a sport that is several hundred years old and beloved by nobleman and commoner alike. It is truly the essence of man enjoying the peaceful tranquility of nature. The swipe of a 5 iron on a cool Spring day. A majestic Titleist ball floating serenely though the air as if it were your very own personal, fluffy cloud. The light "thonk" sound as it descends perfectly on the green, setting you up for that perfect putt that will bring you one under par for the hole. Truly, golf is a sport for OF COURSE IT'S ABOUT THE BEER-SERVING BLOND WITH BIG TITTIES!
Re:That's what America needs to be competitive! (Score:5, Funny)
Well, where am I supposed to pull shit out of, then?
Re:That's what America needs to be competitive! (Score:4, Funny)
By which point your family will have already grown-up.
There was a headline on The Onion: "Wild, Unattached 20s Spent at Work."