How do you feel about the American working ideology?

[tzhu07]

The Superbowl ad above has a nearly 50/50 positive/negative rating. One of the more controversial commercials in recent history.

Do you think we've got it right? Or do some of the other industrialized nations know better? FYI, for full-time employees in America, there is still no legal obligation in 2014 for any employer to offer even one vacation day. Unreal.

[juliog]

"You create your own luck" -> Steal from the other 99% without being too obvious

The american dream is dead.

[Rayme]

One of the biggest regrets of a dying man (look it up) is that they wish they didn't work so hard.

Work your life away.
IMO if standard business days were 4 instead of 5 we'd all be better off.

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by Rayme

One of the biggest regrets of a dying man (look it up) is that they wish they didn't work so hard.

Work your life away.
IMO if standard business days were 4 instead of 5 we'd all be better off.

Maybe but my job and a lot of others are in operation 24/7 365

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by Rayme

IMO if standard business days were 4 instead of 5 we'd all be better off.

Except for the "making less money" part, yeah.

[mightyt73]

All of those European countries with lax working environments are really hurting now since their economy has taken a turn. They need more production/work, but everyone is taking month long vacations.

I think some people work way too hard, some just right, and most not enough. We are becoming a society of hand-outs and the lazy are starting to realize this.

[Rayme]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

Except for the "making less money" part, yeah.

I'd take 4 days of 10 hours per week over 5 days of 8 thank you.

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by Rayme

I'd take 4 days of 10 hours per week over 5 days of 8 thank you.

Except companies will pay you for 4 days of 8 hours per day, not 10. And expect the same results from you that they expected for 5 days of work. And if you can't deliver what they need, someone else can.

[tzhu07]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

Except for the "making less money" part, yeah.

Well this thread was more to get people's general beliefs regarding the issue, but if you want to get into logistics a little bit.

People do not necessarily have to accept less money if they only want to work four business days versus another employee who is willing to work all five. It's a case by case scenario in how one goes about achieving that, but people should make their working lives suitable for themselves.

For example, at my workplace, on paper I am considered a full-time salaried employee. Yet, during many weeks it feels like I'm working part-time. That's because I get shit done quickly and with high accuracy/precision/quality. Combine that with the fact that my manager trusts in my ability and does not micromanage me, it leaves me with a lot of extra time that I'm able to reallocate into my personal life or other interests. Additionally, due to the nature of my job (I'm a web developer), I'm also able to save more time and money by being able to work remotely many days.

[Rayme]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

Except companies will pay you for 4 days of 8 hours per day, not 10. And expect the same results from you that they expected for 5 days of work. And if you can't deliver what they need, someone else can.

The concept is not as alien as you might think. I'm dead jealous of my friend's constant 3 day weekends. There so much more you can do without taking vacation time this way.

And he definitely gets paied his hours.

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by tzhu07

For example, at my workplace, on paper I am considered a full-time salaried employee. Yet, during many weeks it feels like I'm working part-time. That's because I get shit done quickly and with high accuracy/precision/quality. Combine that with the fact that my manager trusts in my ability and does not micromanage me, it leaves me with a lot of extra time that I'm able to reallocate into my personal life or other interests. Additionally, due to the nature of my job (I'm a web developer), I'm also able to save more time and money by being able to work remotely many days.

You're one of the lucky ones. You could be a salaried employee stuck in a cubicle working for a micromanaging manager and receiving subpar reviews because you don't work "suggested" overtime.

[tzhu07]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

Except companies will pay you for 4 days of 8 hours per day, not 10. And expect the same results from you that they expected for 5 days of work. And if you can't deliver what they need, someone else can.

Hourly employees will for sure face that hard fact. But salaried is a different story. There are many companies that are execution-based, so they don't care if you work the typical 40 hours per week, or just 20. So long as you complete your tasks in a timely and quality manner, you get your salary and keep your job.

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by tzhu07

Hourly employees will for sure face that hard fact. But salaried is a different story. There are many companies that are execution-based, so they don't care if you work the typical 40 hours per week, or just 20. So long as you complete your tasks in a timely and quality manner, you get your salary and keep your job.

The problem with working at an execution-based company is that if they're paying you for 40 hours of work and you're getting it all done in 20, they end up giving you more work until you're working the full 40 hours like they pay you for.

[tzhu07]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

The problem with working at an execution-based company is that if they're paying you for 40 hours of work and you're getting it all done in 20, they end up giving you more work until you're working the full 40 hours like they pay you for.

So don't let them know that you have so much free time.

And if the company does pile on more work to do, think of it from this angle:
"Hey, I execute so fast that I'm like two employees in one. I could probably leverage that to negotiate a higher salary." Make your company see the value you bring. If they don't see it, then start looking for a company that will.

FYI, my manager is actually aware that I have a lot of idle time, but no additional work is being piled in front of me. If companies start to pull stuff out of their ass for you to do, you could actually call them out on it if the work is low priority or frivolous. YMMV, depending on company/manager.