More pay or less hrs? what would motivate you more?

bigmike20vt

bigmike20vt

bigmike20vt

Soldato
Joined
23 May 2006
Posts
7,894
This came up in another thread but rather than me derail there i thought i would ask here.

Generally at my work most people are constantly hoping for pay rises... And i know there is a minimum, and at some point if you do not get that minimum you NEED more money... but i am wondering at what point reducing hrs and emplying an extra person would be more beneficial to morale and output.

7 years ago we had a child, and along with contract issues at work, combined with me wanting to have a day to spend with my baby I chose to take a 12% paycut and hr cut and work 4 (longish) days a week.

Without having a child and without being told there would be a job loss unless between us we cut some hrs I never would have done it........... But now i have it is one of the best work decisions i have ever made, and if i have my way i will never work another Friday again.

For me my Friday off is far more precious to me than £300 a month.

Am i in a minority? perhaps i am just not ambitious enough.
 
Last edited:
No I totally agree. Once you have a nice place to live (environment, space etc) , everything else you can buy or do with your money is pretty frivolous and wont make you happy in the long run.

Less hours for sure.
 
Last edited:
I only did the 9-5 grind for a few years when I worked out I wanted a better work/life balance, with far more focus on life, so I walked out of my job to nothing and went self employed. That was 20+ years ago and was the best decision I've ever made.

As for income, I've had good years and terrible years, but you get through. I've still ended up owning my own house and I work as much or as little as I want when I want, that to me is worth more than any money.
 
Luckily our NHS trust has joined the rest in doing 12.5 hour nights instead of 10.5 so 1900-0730 and I only work three nights a week instead of four.
Do get a week of four thrown in every 6 to 8 weeks though.
Pay as a Band 4 after 11 years working nights I can’t complain.
Live in a nice house in a quiet area, holiday at least once a year. Nothing to whine over.
 
interesting to see i am definitely not the only one...... I wonder why in general then that the argument in the office (our office at least) always tends to be towards pay rises rather than hr cuts.

maybe it is just what we are used to, programmed to always look onwards and upwards.
 
Jono8 said:
No I totally agree. Once you have a nice place to live (environment, space etc) , everything else you can buy or do with your money is pretty frivolous and wont make you happy in the long run.

Less hours for sure.
Click to expand...

Actually, I just want to clarify a possible exception to this - if you are lucky enough to do something creative which your are massively passionate about as a job then more hours might not be a bad thing.

If your job is fairly repetitive and soul destroying/not what you would choose to do in your free time, then definitely less hours.
 
Jono8 said:
Actually, I just want to clarify a possible exception to this - if you are lucky enough to do something creative which your are massively passionate about as a job then more hours might not be a bad thing.

If your job is fairly repetitive and soul destroying/not what you would choose to do in your free time, then definitely less hours.
Click to expand...
true.... for those people i am truly envious.
 
tamzzy said:
Less hours, can then choose to work more for overtime pay. Win-win
Click to expand...
This is the way the entire UK medical consultant body will likely go shortly. 10PAs, everything else at BMA rates.

Not quite industrial action but would be extremely effective at bringing about change.
 
Last edited:
something daft already!! said:
Less hours, same pay. Time is short and precious.
Click to expand...
Be realistic now :). An employee will agree, employer disagree.
People need to be given the flexibility, that's what's best. The answer to the question depends on age, where someone is in their life. There's no right or wrong answer. If young then why not, grab hours & overtime. As one becomes older time is more precious.
Moving towards a personal contract arrangement would be great for employees but am sure unions would kick up a fuss and to many companies an employee is just a statistic.
I know someone who doesn't ask for a pay rise but instead takes 6 months off every two years to go travelling. A personally negotiated contract.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom