Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Ive never had 28 days holls in my whole liife, rarely a weekend but about to change going to spain soon, if its good i will be their more life is too short to spend it working for a tax man or bank manager.
What hours do you expect someone to work?
- Thread starter Neddy flanders
- Start date
Farmboymark
Member
When I was in full time employment I was doing 42.5 hours a week, 7:30-5 with an hour for lunch, more hours if we wanted it, Saturday mornings etc. Quite often we’d be finishing later when fertiliser spreading, lambing etc
Harvest 7 days a week unless a wet weekend,7:30-2230 or later
Harvest 7 days a week unless a wet weekend,7:30-2230 or later
Dan7626
Member
Currently work 8-5 Monday to Friday unless fert spreading. Weekends off until late July when harvest kicks off and then it's 7:30- 9:30-10:00ish. Then when drilling it's until 8ish. Paid hourly so I always felt it's fair. Always get days off if needed through the year, the boss is flexible with me so I'm more than happy to be flexible with him.
If I'm doing a job at 5pm and another hour will get it finished I'm happy to stay on and get it done.
If I'm doing a job at 5pm and another hour will get it finished I'm happy to stay on and get it done.
Presumably they get paid overtime for any hours over 40hr/wk?
One wonders where the employer would stand if an employee had an accident whilst doing a 100hr week - like the guy who fell asleep at the wheel and drove his LR onto a railway line as few years back? A bit like junior doctors who used to work 90hr/wk because that's what they had always done.
I know it's the norm in agriculture but one can't help wondering... ?
- Location
- norfolk
What about the ones that work 9-5 yet commute 2 hrs each way, or sit up half night on an x-box, if your awake for 18-20 hrs a day is there a difference? Long hours at harvest or planting are not that physically demanding anymore and with a lot more automation it’s getting less and less mentally tiring also
Some on salary some on time sheets. I see no different attitude towards hours from either though
I don’t think there are laws dictating working hours other than working time directive which all have opted out of at their request. No one forced to do anything and relief driver (me) is always available at their request if they feel they need it
As I said in my first post I am 100% flexible with them and in return I get the same flexibility back from them
It doesn’t happen often here but I do agree that 100hrs is too much so we are just about to invest in more machinery to reduce that pressure. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing those kind of hours on occasion if required and importantly you want to do so though but it should not be and is not the “norm” I agree
beefandsleep
Member
- Location
- Staffordshire
I expect a 7.30 start, finish 4.30 with a half hr for lunch Monday to Friday. Every other weekend 3hrs morning feeding round.
About 50hrs a week normally with extra hrs expected during harvest/silaging/drilling.
I’m looking for someone now but not getting very far, maybe it’s too much??
About 50hrs a week normally with extra hrs expected during harvest/silaging/drilling.
I’m looking for someone now but not getting very far, maybe it’s too much??
That's different, because employer 'pressure' is not there.
glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
Pieces_of_Eight
Member
I used to work silly hours on a farm, which was my choice. Our hours were 8 onwards and I was was paid for every hour I did. My commute was 40 minutes each way.
Now I'm on a salary plus overtime, which means everyone knows where they stand. The employee is getting paid for late finishes and the employer isn't paying for 3pm finishes.
If there isn't enough time in the day to get the jobs done during the quiet times without needing to spill into overtime, either you need to mechanise more or get more labour.
Don't forget that employees often promise the wife & kids that a day to the seaside will happen "when work is quieter".
Now I'm on a salary plus overtime, which means everyone knows where they stand. The employee is getting paid for late finishes and the employer isn't paying for 3pm finishes.
If there isn't enough time in the day to get the jobs done during the quiet times without needing to spill into overtime, either you need to mechanise more or get more labour.
Don't forget that employees often promise the wife & kids that a day to the seaside will happen "when work is quieter".
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
I'm not an employer but I would expect someone to work their contracted hours, (which are commonly 37.5) plus overtime when busy, with a 48hr opt-out to make sure it was legal at peak times. So at a slack time of year I would have no expectation to work longer than standard. Are workers not allowed a family life? Hobbies? Time to do some DIY? Perhaps a bit of time in the veggie garden, which is really difficult to combine with farming? When I worked as an assistant herdswoman (on a dairy and arable farm) sure, we did plenty of overtime when it was required, but we were allowed a life outside of work when it was not and we almost ran a flexitime system when it was slack, so it was known that an extra half day off could be traded against overtime if it suited us better.
Quality of life is increasingly important to people. Working 50 hours a week including weekends isn't going to be terribly attractive to someone when they can very often earn the same, or probably more, working less hours in another job with more flexible shift patterns.
I noticed my local supermarket were advertising for home delivery drivers recently. Various shift patterns including 4 on 4 off if preferred, with earnings of around £35k plus pension.
If all you want is a job to pay the bills then I can't see why you would put up with farming when jobs like that are available.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
I wouldn't have thought it too much?
Obviously pay is scaled to suit?
50-55 hours is fairly standard in the dairy industry here.... 15 hours is a busy week for this 'farmer' though.....
but then I work about a 48 hour week off-farm and spend half the night on tinternet...
- Location
- norfolk
Am I missing something, but isn’t everyone hourly paid salaried with overtime on top
Pieces_of_Eight
Member
Am I missing something, but isn’t everyone hourly paid salaried with overtime on top
On the farm I was paid a flat rate for each and every hour, now I'm paid a 40 hour salary plus an overtime rate for everything over 40 hours.
Some people pay a flat salary per month with different hours every week.
yorkie
Member
- Location
- pe34 norfolk,but not born there
that's a normal 40 hr week plus over time normal way to be paid,salery total amount divided by 52
Rowland
Member
- Location
- Northeast England
I’m not sure if that’s right! Supermarket delivery drivers get about £9hr most will only be contracted to about 20 hrs a week .
As for how many hrs employees are expected to work its should be what’s agreed.,then overtime.
I know of farmers who make staff finish a job 15mins into lunch hr not give back the time also start early into lunch hr often finish after normal finish time.
Farmers shouldn’t expect staff to have the same drive as them. It’s just there job .
40 hour week is nothing really, and if we are not careful we will be a nation of work shy lefties. The nhs roads transport pensions etc need paying for and look at countries like Greece where layed back work ethic does not work, the USA have a good work ethic as does China and so does the uk(just about) and with brexit we need strong form stable base to grow from.
I see it with my three boys, 11, 9 and 6. They actually like work and jobs and get bored and Argue between themselves if they have too much spare time on their hands. They play loads of sport and we spend lots of quality time as a family togeather but long summer. Holidays etc they do need some form of work appreciation. I am sure this is half the problem with all these stabbings and crime in London at the moment, too much wasted time when there is no reason they could not be working as most kids now don’t start work till they are 20 plus.
I am sure I will be shot down for being a Neanderthal or troglodyte.
I see it with my three boys, 11, 9 and 6. They actually like work and jobs and get bored and Argue between themselves if they have too much spare time on their hands. They play loads of sport and we spend lots of quality time as a family togeather but long summer. Holidays etc they do need some form of work appreciation. I am sure this is half the problem with all these stabbings and crime in London at the moment, too much wasted time when there is no reason they could not be working as most kids now don’t start work till they are 20 plus.
I am sure I will be shot down for being a Neanderthal or troglodyte.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
it is not their farm.
- Location
- Ceredigion
I just tell them what needs to be done at the start of the week and leave them get on with it . Staff work better without me there and it saves me getting stressed about it