Work Life Balance...........

[Misplaced]

.............according to reports on the ABC News 2010 one fifth of workers in Oz work more than 48 hours a week and that the work life balance is no longer evident.

 

What do you guys say on here? Is this true or just another University trying to make name for itself knowing news channels will jump on it.

 

So come on you settled peeps are you working alot more hours and have no work life balance?

[Guest helene73]

48 hours!!! that would be a luxury for me I am self employed here in the uk and sick of working my butt off for the tax man so that will do nicely

[AussieRob]

I think you can make of it what you want.

 

I've worked in 3 companies since migrating and one of them was definately the kind of place you didn't want to be the first to leave even if it was time, it would have shown a level of non commitment. I also went for a job recently working for an american mining company, and during interviews the building was still pretty busy past 6:00pm, and it was also expected to give up some evenings for telephone conferences to the US. On the whole though I work less hours here and now I live 5 mins from work, i have a great work life balance.

 

I do notice though that an awful lot of people on here want to live in places like aldinga but work in the city, that's a good 1 hour trip, 10 hours per week, over 2 days every month spent in the car away from their family. It's nice to live by the beach, but you would be better off living nearer to work and driving to the beach, it would save a lot of time of your life, and creating a better work life balance. We are all different though and have to make choices that suite us personally.

[Guest ebstar]

.............according to reports on the ABC News 2010 one fifth of workers in Oz work more than 48 hours a week and that the work life balance is no longer evident.

 

What do you guys say on here? Is this true or just another University trying to make name for itself knowing news channels will jump on it.

 

So come on you settled peeps are you working alot more hours and have no work life balance?

 

 

Well we have only been here two weeks but i can already see for us the balance is far better here.My oh works 08.30-5.00 sharp.he's home evenings and weekends,although will do 1/2 sat mornings once settled. In the UK he would leave home at 7.30 and get back between 10/11.30 most days and very rarely had a sat or sun off.

If you visit a shopping centre near closing time it's amazing to see the shut down.They anounce it's closing time,pull down the shutters and the workers are in the car park and off before you.Within like 5 mins it goes from hustle and bustle to dead.I know it would'nt be the same in all jobs but theres alot of people here that see knocking off time as just that.There is much less open on evenings and weekends from what i've seen so far too.

[Guest Squareman]

I work in an industry that is synonymous with long hours. I am accustomed to being at work at 7-30am, leaving at 7-30pm, coming home, wolfing down a meal and then sitting on my laptop again until midnight.

 

Over here, I am at work for 8-30am, often the first to arrive and I'm one of the last to leave at around 6pm. It's absolute heaven.........!

[Guest Leeo]

There is a Myth that if you leave the UK and come to oz that you will work less hours. Australians work the same sort of hours than that of the UK and Yes 48 hours is fairly typical.There is a difference though. In offices, Australians like to think they work hard but what many of them do is just "play the game".....Yes they turn up to work early, yes they always comment they are busy.....but actual reality is they are sitting at their desk clicking their house aimlessley and surfing the web.They also believe within themselves that they take their crappy jobs "seriously"....they dont really know how to have much office banter (despite ozzies thinking they are laid back and funny in general) and many benhavge like total jobsworths.English as a generalisation, actually work hard during their time spent at work, more productive and a better laugh.If any of you are thinking you are going to get over to oz and have sopme life which has loads of leisure time yopu need to wake up - whether your in England or Australia you have to work all week and get 20 days a year holiday, which is perhaps anopther discussion but over in OZ you have to acrew your holiday first before you can take annual leave.

[Guest Guest5035]

I work 4 on 4 off 12 hour shifts, love it, except the 5am start on the 2 day shifts !! So i work only 6 months of the year, with only a 15/20 minute drive.

 

Stevo

[Guest Sachertorte]

We found it really depends on the line of work and your circumstances. In general people here in Adelaide seem to work normal hours. However, a considerable proportion have to work 2 or even 3 jobs to make ends meet.

If you have a young family and you were used to childcare vouchers, here it is a privilege and not the norm. If you work for the public service, Universities you can get them as salary sacrifice. If you don't get jobs were they are provided you will find that will impact your income greatly. Childcare and OHSC fees are very high here and not always refundable. Obviously you can opt for a second out of hours job (I know of a few who do that) or mum staying at home. The second choice will leave you worse off financially but again it depends on other circumstances that can offset the salary (small mortgage, low outgoings etc)

 

Also if you are not a permanent resident, the rebates for OHSC fees and approved childcare do not apply.

 

So if you have no need for childcare, you should be fine in my opinion, otherwise adjustments may be necessary.

[jim and adel]

I work longer hours here than in my previous roles in the UK (apart from early in my career when overtime was available) and for quite a bit less money. Some people will work less, others more - it's partly a personal choice and partly what comes with the job. I'd say that generally there's little difference between working hours here and in the UK. I always wonder when statements are made by prospective migrants that one of the reasons for making the move is to spend more time with the family (actually it has to be 'quality' time whatever that means). Must be a great situation to go from long hours in the UK to short hours here; sadly that's not happened to me!

 

Jim

[Guest Leeo]

If you migrated here from the UK 6 years ago and had a load of equity during the housing boom in the Uk and then moved here and got $2.9 AUD to the Pound then you will probably have a very small mortgage and afford to maybe work part time. As for new migrants - cost of living in australia is much higher than the Uk, you get $1.5 AUD to the pound and many of you will come over with little or no equity. Thererfore, unless your really lucky - most couple with or without kids will have to work full time 40 hours + to be able to afford to pay rent and bills.

[Guest Sachertorte]

Agree with you guys- who came here when the exchange rate was over 2.5 AUD to the Pound and at peak of property prices in the UK, and bought Australian property around 6-7 years ago then those had the cake and ate it!

Don't get me wrong.... good on them

[Guest Rachael Reeve]

If would be very nice to only work 48 hours, we have our own boby shop and its never ending.looking forward to some time off and having a life!

[Guest Peachie]

very realistic view Leeo it is getter harder all the time for newbies something to think about it you are giving up a well paid job to move!!

 

We work the same here as Uk (me slightly less) hubby does 8.45 till about 5 but has to travel a few weeks a year I used to do 30hrs with a 2 hour commute (round trip) now do 24 to 30 depending on shifts and 10mins each way commute like the work better here too