30 Hour Work Week

[onlyrp]

You're joking with this shit right? Who says you have to work 40 hours a week?

his mom and his wife

 

[onlyrp]

If you work in a regulated industry with little to no competition, trust me, they want to waste your time. And they don't care if you are a better employee either. Whats more important to these companies is that you suck up to them.

Most companies have zero focus on results. They don't even know what results are. Its more important to them that you sit at your desk for 8-12 hours straight than it is to get results. And they don't have any concept of not wearing down employees either. They don't realize that when you work 12 hour days, your last four hours are not as productive as the first 8 usually.

Also, results are not necessarily tied to the amount of work you do. If you overwork people they are going to make mistakes and not realize it. Employees who have enough time to themselves to think, will generally do their work SMARTER than someone who is overworked. Companies don't realize this.

what's an example? I'm not trying to argue with you, I'm very curious what you are talking about. ANd yes, you are right, if there's no competition, you might be an easy replaceable. You sound like you're referring to businesses where their employees have and require no skill, in which case yes, they're used as time wasters, but still they are paid for time most of the time. Suck ups are cheap, I'm still very interested in what you are talking about.

 

[Vessol]

Work hours and salaries are market adjusted, nobody is forcing you to work, and nobody is forcing you to choose the lifestyle you have.

This. Don't use violence(the government) to fix something.

 

[onlyrp]

This. Don't use violence(the government) to fix something.

People seem to often get stuck on

"I want $30K a year, because I need to buy this"
"I need a house, or else I can't be happy"
"How do you expect me to have a life if I don't have an SUV?"
"No, I won't work for minimum wage because I can't pay my bills"
"No, there's either $15 an hour, or there is volunteer slave work, there is no in between"
They forget that if we gave people the dollars they need for what they want to buy, prices will go right up.
If you know what you need, work for it.
You make your choices, and deal with it.
People who are picky on how much hours they work, how far they travel, how much they are paid still live in pre-recession luxury world, and unemployment benefits arent going to last forever.

I'm not against using government to fix a problem if it's actually a problem that CAN be solved that way, practically and morally, but this isnt one of them.

 

[dannno]

You sleep 8 hours a night on average, and work an addition 8 hours. That leaves a good 8 hours still at home. If that isn't enough time to excercise than cutting a few hours off of work isn't going to make you lose weight and get in shape

Ya but some people prefer 9 hours for a full sleep, that would leave them with 7 hours.

Most people have an our lunch break, which leaves those people with 6 hours outside of work. Getting ready for work and driving back and forth is probably about an hour on average, and longer for some people. That leaves some people with 5 hours. Then eating usually takes about an hour, especially if you are doing anything to prepare food.. Take an additional hour to prepare a nice meal or two, bam, you're down to 3 HOURS!! It's like to be able to relax and veg out, listen to some music, plus maybe you have to go to a store and get stuff..

I dunno, I feel what the OP is saying. I would really love to cut my hours, and also work the hours that I want to work on any given day. I think I could get about the same amount of work done pretty much because I'd be more focused at work. Unfortunately the laws in this country force companies to structure their employment certain ways, it's tough to be in a position where you can work less.

Ultimately I think the answer is to OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS.. Unfortunately we have a very unfriendly business environment with all of the regulations these days.

 

[onlyrp]

Ya but some people prefer 9 hours for a full sleep, that would leave them with 7 hours.

Most people have an our lunch break, which leaves those people with 6 hours outside of work. Getting ready for work and driving back and forth is probably about an hour on average, and longer for some people. That leaves some people with 5 hours. Then eating usually takes about an hour, especially if you are doing anything to prepare food.. Take an additional hour to prepare a nice meal or two, bam, you're down to 3 HOURS!! It's like to be able to relax and veg out, listen to some music, plus maybe you have to go to a store and get stuff..

I dunno, I feel what the OP is saying. I would really love to cut my hours, and also work the hours that I want to work on any given day. I think I could get about the same amount of work done pretty much because I'd be more focused at work. Unfortunately the laws in this country force companies to structure their employment certain ways, it's tough to be in a position where you can work less.

Ultimately I think the answer is to OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS.. Unfortunately we have a very unfriendly business environment with all of the regulations these days.

I am totally with you. Depending on how close you are to your employer, sometimes it can be negotiated.

In some instances, I simply said to my boss "Hey, how about I work 2 extra hours each day, and take Friday off? I promise I won't ask for overtime"
Not every business can afford it, but those that can, benefit nicely.
I didn't always cut my hours, but I made adjustments that helped everybody. I never got caught up on counting hours, I just made sure I was paid fairly, on time ,and my employer is satisfied with my results.

 

[tttppp]

what's an example? I'm not trying to argue with you, I'm very curious what you are talking about. ANd yes, you are right, if there's no competition, you might be an easy replaceable. You sound like you're referring to businesses where their employees have and require no skill, in which case yes, they're used as time wasters, but still they are paid for time most of the time. Suck ups are cheap, I'm still very interested in what you are talking about.

I worked as an auditor for a big accounting firm, then later a regional accounting firm. As an auditor your job is simply to follow rules. There's very little room for innovation in an auditing firm. Not to mention they bill their customers by the hour. So if you screw up and waste time, you end up making more money for the company. This is why employees get by on sucking up. Managers don't care about results or how to improve their process, so kiss asses move ahead.

This profession requires a lot of education by rule, but yes it does require little skill. Most auditors are idiots, and thats ok because the work is so pointless anyone off the street can do it.

One example I can use of them wasting our time is almost everyday at work around 5:30 I'd have all my work done and my boss would have no more work for me. But my boss would insist on me staying at work with him for 2-3 more hours just to hold his hand. In the big 4 accounting world, this goes on all the time. Even during the slow season, almost everyone puts in extra hours just for the hell of it.

Its important to note, because of regulations, most industries are like this. The technology industry is the only one I can think of where there are few regulations and where innovation can get you ahead. But even in that industry there's reports of companies like Apple opening sweat shops and working people to death. In reality there are very few companies that create a comfortable work atmosphere that focuses on results.

 

[onlyrp]

I worked as an auditor for a big accounting firm, then later a regional accounting firm. As an auditor your job is simply to follow rules. There's very little room for innovation in an auditing firm. Not to mention they bill their customers by the hour. So if you screw up and waste time, you end up making more money for the company. This is why employees get by on sucking up. Managers don't care about results or how to improve their process, so kiss asses move ahead.

This profession requires a lot of education by rule, but yes it does require little skill. Most auditors are idiots, and thats ok because the work is so pointless anyone off the street can do it.

One example I can use of them wasting our time is almost everyday at work around 5:30 I'd have all my work done and my boss would have no more work for me. But my boss would insist on me staying at work with him for 2-3 more hours just to hold his hand. In the big 4 accounting world, this goes on all the time. Even during the slow season, almost everyone puts in extra hours just for the hell of it.

Well, I hope some smarter business knows better and bills cheaper. Like you said, there may be less competition.

Thanks for giving me an example

 

[PaleoForPaul]

Remove the regulations that burden the businesses, null the fed's control of interest rates, and the manufacturing of products can actually happen in America, and be profitable. There is no incentive to produce due to the aforementioned interventions.

There would still be more incentive to produce overseas. Even if you can remove all worker and environmental protections then you have to offset the fact that foreign governments
Are willing to pay for businesses to produce in their
Country. For instance the Chinese government will often pay to build a manufacturing facility for big companies, and they will build a barracks to house the workers on site. Chinese workers will live where they work and do 10 hour shifts.

The only solution is to compete using the same tools (ie an authoritarian govt with little to no workers rights) Which is a race to the bottom. Or you can just have a tariff, like our founding fathers favored.

 

[xFiFtyOnE]

People seem to often get stuck on

"I want $30K a year, because I need to buy this"
"I need a house, or else I can't be happy"
"How do you expect me to have a life if I don't have an SUV?"
"No, I won't work for minimum wage because I can't pay my bills"
"No, there's either $15 an hour, or there is volunteer slave work, there is no in between"
They forget that if we gave people the dollars they need for what they want to buy, prices will go right up.
If you know what you need, work for it.
You make your choices, and deal with it.
People who are picky on how much hours they work, how far they travel, how much they are paid still live in pre-recession luxury world, and unemployment benefits arent going to last forever.

I'm not against using government to fix a problem if it's actually a problem that CAN be solved that way, practically and morally, but this isnt one of them.

Whos goal is it to get a job payin $30k a year? 30k doesn't fly when you have kids and a mortgage. Trust me.

 

[Travlyr]

A lot of people don't work for income at all and are quite wealthy. A lot more people work at meaningless tasks and make millions. The slaves work 40 hour weeks some for peanuts, others get cashews, and still others get macadamias.

If you wish to work less than 40 hours per week and be very successful in life, then you must work diligently for sound money, fully redeemable. Nothing else is more compatible with individual prosperity.

 

[Icymudpuppy]

It sounds like you know how to manage people. Most business don't. They want their employees to be slaves for them and don't care about anything else. They don't care if employees get the job done, all they care about is wasting their employees time. It appears most companies' goals are simply to waste their employees time.

I just have a business that makes it easy.

Of course I have to hire responsible people. I get a ton of applications everytime I have an opening, but usually only 1% are worth an interview, and only 10% of interviewees are worth training, and only 50% make it through training.

I do wildlife pest control. My employees keep their service truck and equipment at their own house. I send them jobs through microsoft outlook directly to their company blackberry calendars with the time the client made an appointment for. They leave directly from their house to the client's. Once a week they send their paperwork to my office for processing. I see them at least once a month for group training, and sometimes more often if they need special order supplies that I keep stocked.

If they are running ahead of schedule on any given day, they are welcome to call their clients directly and get them bumped up so they can finish early. We usually have long days in the spring when things are busy, and very short days in the winter when things are slow. Summer and fall are pretty average.

Obviously my employees have a lot of autonomy, and so I can't have people that need a foreman to stay on task. They work alone, and are expected to work to standard. If I get a customer complaining about the quality of workmanship, and I go out and inspect the work to find it below the standards they were trained on, they will lose all commissions on that job. The second time it happens, they'll lose their job. Failing to meet clients at the appointed times will also get them canned if it is a regular occurrence. Calling a client if you are running behind because of traffic and letting them know you'll be a little late relieves this concern.

 

[oyarde]

I work for myself. I often put in over 70 hours a week during busy season, but less than 20 during slow season. My employees are given tasks and go home when they've completed their daily assignments. I pay them a salary + commissions.

I love my job and don't consider it work at all really, except the figuring taxes and payroll deductions part. That is work, and decidedly unpleasant.

Most guys dump the tedious part of bookeeping off on the wife

 

[oyarde]

Whos goal is it to get a job payin $30k a year? 30k doesn't fly when you have kids and a mortgage. Trust me.

Probably better shoot for at least 50k , depends on where you live though , in a major city you would need more....

 

[Czolgosz]

I can work a 6 month contract and be completely fine to take the other 6 months off. Sometimes the contract is longer or shorter. For me, the key is to stay rather liquid.

If I could find something that pays as well but would allow me to work 20 hours a week, 12 months a year, I'd take it.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Productivity has gone way up but wages have not gone up at the same rate. The productivity has led to needing less people to do the same work and thus layoffs.
...
Anyways, I know I am sure this is not a perfect idea and there could be issues with implementing it.

30 hours is just as arbitrary as 40.

The 40hr week turning into 60-70 is another problem.

I agree with your sentiments in the OP. The 40 hour workweek is completely arbitrary. With massive increases in productivity, the standard amount each person has to work per week to sustain an average living should have decreased. Instead it has gone the other direction, with double income households often required to bring home the same buying power (of constantly devaluing Federal Reserve dollars).

The solution is the tricky part. Why do we have a 40 hour work week in the US? How many laws and regulations are in place that enforce that arbitrary number? Maybe we should first work on removing those laws. And how many Union agreements have mandated a 8x5 workweek? Can those be changed? To use an over-used cliche, it takes a paradigm shift in society.

The second issue is how much value can you get for your time or labor? Once again, that is a somewhat arbitrary number. (Let's take it for granted that any number you negotiate today will be degraded over time by the Federal Reserve's monetary inflation.) We should apply the most basic of economic laws when considering this: supply and demand. When supply exceeds demand, value decreases. When demand exceeds supply, value increases. The latter is the most ideal situation. That is a vibrant, expanding economy.

While we may all agree that government should not be involved in these processes, the government has and will continue it's interference in the market. All we can do is constantly work to minimize it. It's at this point where I will mention that Alan Greenspan eventually confided that in his economic manipulations he encouraged massive increases in the labor supply to reduce wage inflation (and the value of labor), which conveniently offset monetary inflation. This allowed government deficit spending and monetary inflation to occur, while hiding it with deflating labor value (which kept the "total" inflation number low).

 

[tttppp]

I just have a business that makes it easy.

Of course I have to hire responsible people. I get a ton of applications everytime I have an opening, but usually only 1% are worth an interview, and only 10% of interviewees are worth training, and only 50% make it through training.

I do wildlife pest control. My employees keep their service truck and equipment at their own house. I send them jobs through microsoft outlook directly to their company blackberry calendars with the time the client made an appointment for. They leave directly from their house to the client's. Once a week they send their paperwork to my office for processing. I see them at least once a month for group training, and sometimes more often if they need special order supplies that I keep stocked.

If they are running ahead of schedule on any given day, they are welcome to call their clients directly and get them bumped up so they can finish early. We usually have long days in the spring when things are busy, and very short days in the winter when things are slow. Summer and fall are pretty average.

Obviously my employees have a lot of autonomy, and so I can't have people that need a foreman to stay on task. They work alone, and are expected to work to standard. If I get a customer complaining about the quality of workmanship, and I go out and inspect the work to find it below the standards they were trained on, they will lose all commissions on that job. The second time it happens, they'll lose their job. Failing to meet clients at the appointed times will also get them canned if it is a regular occurrence. Calling a client if you are running behind because of traffic and letting them know you'll be a little late relieves this concern.

Too bad the cable companies can't run their companies like that. Being late and screwing up is a common occurrence for them.

 

[tttppp]

Whos goal is it to get a job payin $30k a year? 30k doesn't fly when you have kids and a mortgage. Trust me.

When I got my first job out of school, I made $50,000 a year and I still couldn't even afford a place of my own.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

I would think that in this economy, people should just be happy to have a job.

I would if I had one.

 

[Travlyr]

Everybody who wants a job would have a job if sound money was the order of the day. Sure, some jobs would be better than others, but there is a lot of work that goes undone because your overlords say, "No."

That's what Ron Paul means when he says, "Everyone who believes in freedom must work diligently for sound money, fully redeemable. Nothing else is compatible with the humanitarian goals of peace and prosperity."

There is no shortage of food. There is no shortage of money. There is no shortage of work. Shortages are all man-made. The world is abundant.

Work diligently for honest sound money. Understand it. Work for it. "Gold, Peace, and Prosperity" by Ron Paul