How many hours per week do you work? 1

[astructurale]

Along the lines of commute time (thread731-125181)...
(Which I should add is fun to read!)

How many hours are engineers working per week?
And...
How flexible is your schedule? (Are you an "8-to-5"er or were you able to choose your hours?

I'll go first,

40hrs per week (99% of the time)
8am - 5pm M-F
(But of course I'd love for my scheudle to be more flexible. I'm curious as to what the rest of you are living day-to-day; and are you lovin' it?!)

 

[EngJW]

In the first years of my career it was company policy to work hafl day on Saturdays, needed or not. Most people spent it reading magazines and BS'ing.

In 30 years, I have never worked a single hour of overtime that was either necessary or productive. Now I don't want any or the money either. You can't buy back your life.

 

[MJR2]

Pretty much 8-4:30 now and that's flexible.

I have done several four month stretches of 12 to 16 hours x 7 days over the years. Lots of years of 12 to 18 hours x 5 days. No OT or comp time. That's why I don't record vacation days anymore. Except I stay close to the allocated amount. Some years there was no vacation time taken.

Don't ask me to work saturdays in hunting season. I've only worked maybe four in 27 years. Sometimes you draw a line.

In case you think it has been a crazy schedule I took vacation last week to make hay. Sun up to sun down. Back here to rest up. If it was easy everyone would do it. And yes I checked email three times a day.

 

[AndrewTX]

My current employer is very flexible.

I usually put in between 42-50 hours a week. My hours are not set in stone, and I usually come in between 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning and leave around 4:30.

However, if I roll in at 8:00 or 8:30 it is no big deal. I work a little later, or just make sure I am in very early the next day.

 

[PSE]

Generally flexible hours (within +/- 1 hour of standard office hours) averaging between 43 and 45 hours per week. When project "season" comes along with new launches the hours jump up accordingly.

 

[UNLengineer]

7-5 Monday through Friday, although I am on call pretty much 24/7. Shutdowns and such can involve 14 days of 14-16 hour days.

 

[waskillywabbit]

At least 50 hrs/week on average, M-F starting at 7 a.m. until...sometimes more, sometimes less. Very flexible so as to run needed errands, pick up sick children, take needed "breaks" and a day or two off here and there. Non-salaried, so the OT is nice!

Brian
Pressure Vessels and Autoclave Systems

http://www.mcabeeconstruction.com

The above comments/opinions are solely my own and not those of McAbee Construction.

 

[EngJW]

MJR2, I'll bet you don't check email during hunting season. Some things have to be sacred.

 

[astructurale]

Wow, so many of you are pulling heavy work weeks. I hope you are also being happily compensated for your time. Seems to me that a lot of engineers are "work-a-holics" by nature...

 

[jenn454]

40 hours a week, but we work nine hour days which acculumates time to have every other Friday off. I figure what's one extra hour a day compared to a three day weekend.

 

[corus]

36.5 hours though I do sometimes think about work while sat on the toilet. Management don't compensate me for this overtime work however as they already consider it as time off in loo.

corus

 

[sms]

Typical week is 40 to 45 hours, but the normal schedule is 9 hours a day with every other friday off. I love that. I also work outages and emergency call outs occasionally, so averaged over a year it is probably more than 50 hours per week.

 

[Roadbridge]

I’m a site based R.E. working contractors hours 7 to 7 Monday to Friday with one Saturday in the month. Dame those long summer days.

 

[kchayfie]

If you don't count time asleep, and if you include time spent driving to or from work, I think I'd have to say...

all of them!

 

[nnjunger]

I work in a manufacturing facility and the typical day starts between 5 and 5:30 AM, usually out around 4:30 PM Monday thru Friday (the plant operates 24/7). We alternate weekend coverage, so I work 9 hours on Saturday and Sunday every fifth week but get an extra Friday off the next week (god I love those three day weekends). I don't get any overtime pay, but there is a fair amount of flexibility with the schedule if you need to take care of something (doctor's appointments, etc.).

 

[EngJW]

Anyone ever seen this before-

Vacations are Monday through Friday, so the Saturday before and after can be a workday.

Thanksgiving holiday is Thursday and Friday, but Saturday is a workday.

I worked for a turd who believed this, and several of the people in the department went along with it. They were also subject to coming in for so-called routine emergencies while on vacation or would cancel a vacation after they had the plane tickets. I am talking about drafters and designers, not people in high positions of responsibility.

 

[walkes]

Our typical work week is 37.5 hours (My average week is 40-50 hours). 8:30-4:30 during the winter, 8-4:45 M-T, 8-12:30 F during the summer (I will sometimes take Friday mornings as well to compensate for the OT).

But I generally start work anywhere from 6 AM to 7:30 AM and leave around 4:30pm, I don't function well in the evenings.

If the phone rings too much during the week I pick up a couple of hours Sunday mornings before the family gets up.

 

[geekmaiden]

I am suppose to work 40hrs. Salary no over time.
I am also in the power industry so Spring and fall are busy.
12-14hrs a day 7 days a week for 4-5 months straight with a 2 month lull and then it starts again. The hours can be unpredictable. My boyfriend use to call me if he was going to bed and I wasn't home yet. Just to check if I was dead in a ditch. Now he knows I am out in the shop with problem or spending the night on a Turbine Deck.

I may have an addiction.
I think about work 24/7 I even dream about it.
I think it is typical for Engineers to think about work even when they are not in the office.

 

[waskillywabbit]

geekmaiden,

Call me untypical then cause once I walk out the door I leave work on my desk. I work to live, not live to work. I don't know many people if any who on their deathbead wished they had more time to work...



Brian
Pressure Vessels and Autoclave Systems

http://www.mcabeeconstruction.com

The above comments/opinions are solely my own and not those of McAbee Construction.

 

[HgTX]

geekmaiden--is it a safe bet that during the "lull" it doesn't correspondingly drop well below the 40 hours?

Hg

Eng-Tips guidelines: faq731-376

 

[buzzp]

My first career was 80-115 hrs per week. No kidding! Needless to say it about killed me, especially for straight time overtime. The next jobs were 40hrs per week with occasional few extra hours.
My current position is very flexible. I usually come strolling in around 9am and leave by 6pm. There is about 20% travel (which is compensated by comp time) where I usually work 50 hrs / week. No need to pump up the hours, in my mind, to get the bosses brown blessing. If something absolutely must be done then fine, otherwise I am out the door after 8 hours. My first job taught there is more to life than work - go experience it.