Four day week

I wish I'd ever had a job where I had the time to clear out cupboards
growstuff that is a preconception; it is entirely dependent on what was in the cupboards/freezers.

My first job was in the Hospital Secretary's department of a psychiatric hospital. It was a very busy job and I always had plenty to do - as did my colleagues.

Following that, I mostly worked in the private sector, spending the majority of my working years in provincial and central London law practices. In the last few years of my working life I re-trained as an adult literacy teacher for adult education services - and that was a job which was emotionally rewarding but extremely hard work and, given the number of hours required to do the job properly, very poorly paid. In the end, I was so exhausted and out-of-pocket that I had to return to work in a law firm.

When my children were very young I did a lot of temping in both the private and public sector. Some of these jobs were very busy and stressful, and some were not - and that wasn't dependent on whether they were in the public or the private sector. However, private sector jobs were generally better paid.

Whilst some jobs are not 9-5 type jobs, it is possible to adequately cover the hours needed through the use of shifts. This is done anyway in many jobs, such as nursing, public transport, etc, etc.

As I said before, any change in working hours or pay is always met with people throwing their hands up in horror and saying that it is not feasible. My feeling is that workers who are not physically and mentally exhausted are likely to be far better employees - and parents - and generally more productive within our society. People who are tired and trying to do too much over the course of a long working day are also likely to have low morale, poor motivation and little commitment and loyalty to a job or employer.

I accept that it would be quite challenging to try and make changes to working hours, but just because difficulties are likely to be encountered at first and adjustments made to meet them, that is no reason to just dismiss the whole idea. After all, radical changes were made in the past and the country didn't fall apart.

Callistemon Clearing out cupboards was a job to be done during holiday time.

This was such a brilliant informative discussion of aspects of working life I had no experience of. Thank you.

It was spoiled by your attempts growstuff to seek to belittle pantglas2, about her honest account of her working experience years ago, which added to the conversation, whereas for some reason you chose to make a very personal challenge to her. Unnecessary and arrogant. No idea why you would wish to do that, unless it was because you like to feel superior.

Ginny It wasn't an attempt to belittle, so no need to have a go at me. No, I don't like to feel superior.

However, if somebody isn't working the hours he or she is paid to work, that person is not providing good value to the organisation. There are a number of reasons that happens, some of which are historic. Management doesn't always take into account changes resulting from technology, etc. It's more likely to happen in large organisations because managers themselves are protecting their roles.

There are also cases, particularly in the public sector, where additional relatively low skilled and low paid jobs are created to provide a cheaper alternative to highly paid workers doing work below their capability and pay level. Unfortunately, such moves don't always result in higher productivity. It means that the workload can e spread unevenly, with some people rushed off their feet and others waiting for instructions because they're not in a position to use their own initiative.

I rest my case.

Thanks Ginny 42 for your comments and also to Growstuff for not wanting to belittle me and my efforts to explain the poor management decisions which lead to over manning and eventually, poorly motivated staff.