By Andy McCue, 24 February 2005 16:30
NEWS Trades unions have hit out at a "long-hours culture" that results in UK staff working thousands of pounds of unpaid overtime a year.
In response, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has named this Friday Work Your Proper Hours Day and is urging staff to work only their contracted hours.
Not surprisingly the IT profession features strongly in a TUC league table of unpaid overtime, which assumes a 40-hour working week and six weeks' holiday a year.
Almost half of IT managers (49.4 per cent) work more than one hour over their contracted weekly hours, averaging nine hours and 12 minutes unpaid overtime per week. That adds up to £10,245 a year in overtime pay.
IT professionals fare little better with 36 per cent working unpaid overtime on the average of six hours and six minutes a week, equivalent to £5,104 a year.
IT technicians and user support operators work an average of five hours and 12 minutes more than their contracted hours a week, equivalent to £3,389 in lost overtime payments.
Topping the table way ahead of any IT roles, however, are teachers and lecturers, who work an average of 11 hours and 36 minutes unpaid overtime per week. The TUC estimates the national unpaid overtime bill is £23bn a year.
The TUC wants employees to start on time, take a proper lunch break and clock off on time this Friday, while managers are encouraged to use the day to thank their staff for all their unpaid extra work by taking them for a drink after work.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said in a statement: "Too many workplaces are gripped by a long-hours culture, where staff are expected to put in unpaid extra time week after week. We are not saying that we should all become clock-watchers but it's about time we called time on bosses who think the longer something takes the better the job is done."
Visit the TUC's website to work out how many hours unpaid overtime you work a week.
Comments
There are 9 comments. Join the discussion
1. Knut Boehnert
Unpaid overtime will always be with us. Be it part of fear of loosing the job, enjoying the work, learning things alongside, proving your own worth - it is not always managers who force overtime upon unhappy employees.
Gratification comes in many forms, not just money alone.
There is the recognition from colleagues and managers for a job well done, the satisfaction of solving a tricky problem that are just two of the things why overtime is part of our work culture.
The problem with overtime comes when life balance gets affected and families start to suffer.
Maybe that is more worth for the union to start looking at.
2. anonymous
I am an IT Manager responsible for a network with around 100 users spread across 4 sites. Working silly hours from time to time are part of the job, it's not realistic to clock in at 9, leave at 5 and have an hour for lunch every day. The nature of the job does allow for some flexibility in when and where you work that can offset some of the negative aspects, for example I regularly work 1 or 2 days a week from home. All these things need to be discussed with your employer and reflected in your salary and working conditions. We know what we are getting into when we take on roles like this; there are ups and downs, but on the whole a career in IT is more fulfilling and rewarding than the average occupation. If you don't like it get a job on a production line.
3. anonymous
If you don't like the hours (or any other conditions), then get another job. We only work long hours compared with SOME countries in the EU (the usual suspects, whose chronic high unemployment rates stem directly from their sclerotic labour markets). Compared to practically everywhere else we're average - or better.
4. anonymous
When was the working week set? Days of the quill pen and candlelight?
The introduction and increase in modern technology in 21st Century has no doubt dramatically increased productivity within the workplace. Still employees are working longer hours and stress levels in the workplace are on the increase. Common sense would dictate that we work to live not live to work. Is it fair that the majority of workers spend 5 out of 7 days each week at work. This no doubt has a knock on effect upon family life. Diets of fast food, reduction in family time together all have an affect upon society. The working week should be reduced further, I would suggest 4 days as a maximum.
5. Peter O'Rourke
While no one can doubt the statistical facts that IT folk work beyond their contracted hours on a regular basis, it is a misrepresentation of those facts to suggest that this is somehow always beyond their control or a new feature of the industry. My background is in IT service and support, the very nature of the role demands lots of out of hours work. Anyone coming into this sector with any other understanding of 'working hours' is either sadly deluded or at best being misled.
Given 'out of hours work' is a regular requirement, it is better, where feasible, that staff take time in lieu and/or structure their working weeks to allow for those 'weekend upgrades'. As such, personnel contracts are best constructed to define a number of working hours per week/month rather than a set working pattern. IT staff can then take responsibility for planning their activities, along with suitable contingencies, to ensure that they are not unduly imposed upon themselves. Yes, they'll still have activities which take longer than planned, but in general it is my experience that the absence of the 'overtime gravy train' ensures better planning to minimise such events.
Once you move into IT Management (a sadly abused term) there needs to be a recognition that you get paid to do a job/deliver a service and not just to work a number of hours. Any IT Manager with more than a rudimentary exposure to budgets will quickly come to understand that overtime costs are one of the biggest drains on financial resources. Setting a firm cap on the overtime budget and flexing the 'working week' to meet commitments allows the IT Team to demonstrate they are responding to business challenges without expecting to be able to throw money at it.
Where completely unforeseen events demands an exceptional response, the management team/employer has it within their power to recompense those IT professionals who rise to the occasion. If the management team/employer don't do this, then frankly they deserve what they'll get, which will usually be never ending overtime bills, high staff turnover if they don't pay overtime and probably lack of motivation and commitment. There are both good and bad employers and employees, if you're not happy with yours, I suggest you find another.
6. Peter O'Rourke
"I would suggest 4 days as a maximum." - Working week.
I would suggest that most 'reasonable' employers would be able to accomodate this request for an approximate 20% reduction in salary and benefits.
7. Rob Denton
Re: If you don't like the hours (or any other conditions), then get another job.
Oh dear! Only an Anonymous person could post such a daft comment. I agree an hour or two here and there is expected but sadly I live to enjoy life and spend time with my family, not spend it stuck in front of a PC in a room with IT techies. Why should I change jobs because of that? I'm glad your not my boss .. otherwise I probably would change jobs.
8. Wayne
In IT, working long hours is unfortunately part of the job. However, it is not always productive. Working smart is better - By working flexible hours to suit the requirements of your organisation and balancing this with your Family life.
I am sure there are many ways to achieve this, which have yet to be explored.
9. Dean Stone
Those who pursue this scheme are ineffectively promoting the benefits of Outsourcing and the use of employees with work visa's.
Unpaid overtime comes with the territory in IT if you don't like that I suggest you find a different job or trade to work in.