[Myrkk]

Wondering if anyone can help.

Neither my hubbie or I are slackers when it comes to work, in fact this is one of our downfalls in the UK, we will always put in extra unpaid hours to get the job done or help out.

What are the hours like in New Zealand, specifically in IT. Are you expected to routinely go over 40hours a week or do people preserve their family time?

[Lara Croft]

Hi Myrkk.
I'd heard (from several forums) that in NZ you are expected to work much longer hours than in the UK, and I must admit I felt a little anxious about this!

I'm starting work in January (a large org in Wellington), and at my interview I raised this question - my future boss is a recent ex-pat, so in a good position to comment. He tells me that they tend to work smarter rather than longer, and where I will be working, the usual pattern is to start early, take a short lunch and finish early - a pattern I prefer anyway. However, this might not be true of everywhere... My contract states 40 hours per week.

I work in IT Project Mgt, what area are you both in?

Jane

[Bergita]

My OH has a job offer in IT in NZ. His contract says 37.5 hours per week, overtime must be pre-authorized, and paid for. Quite amazing for IT, I thought. My current job in SA is 42.5 hours per week, overtime is not paid for, you do it for the "love of the company". Please. They don't love me. :D

[dugdug]

I feel that irrespective of what the contract says we techies are always expected to be "Desert Warriors" at office. Read that as "Stay as long as it takes and move heaven and earth to get the job done" !!:mad:

Btw I usually work for 10 -11 hrs a day , 5 days a week .

Sameer

[incredible hulse]

The 2 jobs I've had have been 40 hour and 38 hour week contracts. OT and on-call are not available but sometimes required. It's swings and roundabouts to be honest - the contracted working week here is longer compared to my UK jobs, start time is typically before 8:30am here, but there is not so much OT expected/required (personally for me I enjoyed the extra income in the UK that OT brought). In general the expectations are lower here I think and the output certainly is. I actually think my job could be done in 20 hours per week and am frustrated that I have to hang around for the other 20

[jubjub]

Hubby's jobs have been 8-5, 8.30-5.30 and now he is 8.30-5, so it varies from company to company.

Rarely has he had to do very long shifts, or stay late unexpectedly (but that may be because he is in a senior role). Generally speaking there has been an "on call" rota for which he has been paid a little extra, but only one of the roles (out of 4) has offered paid overtime. If a weekend day was called for he used to get the hours off in lieu instead.

I guess, like a lot of things, it depends on the company, but so far he hasnt had to work as long hours as he did in UK some days.

[DMcG]

I'm in a software development shop and most people here put in long hours - that said, people are very flexible about when you work. I normally start at 6am, don't really have lunch and then leave around 3:30-ish (that way I miss the traffic in both directions :D ) If I need to be home for some reason, then I can usually work from home or come in later.

Dougie

[Moorf]

OH works in s/ware dev and he's 9-5 and been at the same company in Chch since arriving in NZ over 3 yrs ago.

I can count on one hand the number of times he's rung to say he might be late - and even that was only an hour or so.

[Myrkk]

cheers guys. It's primarily for my hubbie..... he's a software developer. Think his current title is senior software developer / project manager or some such. Just wanted to see how it compares to the UK, as we've been a little worried by some of the posts in the past. Don't want to go from long unpaid for overtime to even longer unpaid for overtime :)

My hours are always unpredictable.... veterinary nurse.

[northernfive]

I read this thread with interest - we have been here for 3 months now, and I have to say that this is the one thing we are disappointed by - my hubbie is in software development - in the UK he worked 35 hours and was always home to eat with the kids and help with bedtime.
Since he started his job in Wellington CBD he is averaging 10 hours a day and is not even seeing our three rugrats during the week. It's very hard to get used to and as I say, the only thing that disappoints us. Especially as it's LESS money than the UK too!!
We came here for a better family life - and I have to say, that the weekends are fabulous, but weekdays are pretty naff for him.
The company just expects it - and others are working even longer hours than him. No overtime - just expected,
Like others have said above - depends on the company I guess. Hubby took 1st job he was offered when we got here and will probebly start looking for something else soon - .Net developer if anyone knows of a good company to work for who needs people ?!
(PM me if so!)
We're not whinging poms (honest!) but it's taking some getting used to !

[Familyofmonkeys]

OH works in IT in Auckland. Contracted hours are longer than in UK...40 hours (seems standard hours over here) compared to 36.5, and he does core hours flexi-time. Has to be in from 9 till 4, so if he does have to work late one night, he has shorter day another day. He has only once in 6 months had to do any real OT (couple of hours only) due to last minute problem at work and he in seniour position. Did not get paid, but then again, when he had to pick my mother up from airport...they just told him do it and don't worry about making up time as once off.....seems like a fair trade to me!

Also...he has NEVER had to do any weekend overtime. Once when 'situation' arose where he could have worked at weekend and offered, his boss said "in NZ people go to the beach at weekend"......:yes

The working smarter rather than longer definitely issue here....productivity lower than used to. OH reckcons he could easily do job in UK type hours if people 'got on with it' and were more productive.

[Tay]

I read this thread with interest - we have been here for 3 months now, and I have to say that this is the one thing we are disappointed by - my hubbie is in software development - in the UK he worked 35 hours and was always home to eat with the kids and help with bedtime.
Since he started his job in Wellington CBD he is averaging 10 hours a day and is not even seeing our three rugrats during the week. It's very hard to get used to and as I say, the only thing that disappoints us. Especially as it's LESS money than the UK too!!
We came here for a better family life - and I have to say, that the weekends are fabulous, but weekdays are pretty naff for him.
The company just expects it - and others are working even longer hours than him. No overtime - just expected,
Like others have said above - depends on the company I guess. Hubby took 1st job he was offered when we got here and will probebly start looking for something else soon - .Net developer if anyone knows of a good company to work for who needs people ?!
(PM me if so!)
We're not whinging poms (honest!) but it's taking some getting used to !

I am a .Net developer, but a kiwi living in London and returning home next year.. I ahve worked in NZ and UK.. so I can relate to what your issue is.. and.... your OH is a fool to stay at this place. It is not the 'norm' in the industry... he is being taken advantage fo by a company that has a very bad culture. It sounds very similar to the software houses over here (and Investment banking), basically he needs to leave the software house arena and move into a in house team, for example working for the IT section of an insurance company.

I HATE software development houses with a passion, the culture the attitude are usually absolutely awful, but people get stuck in them from habit. The sales people decide on developement deadlines and then leave the developers to pick up the pieces and work long days.

Get him pout of there.. he will not have trouble finding something else. I dont think long hours is a country specific thing, its an individual thing.

(I used to work for a company called gen-i)

[Big Puku]

I read this thread with interest - we have been here for 3 months now, and I have to say that this is the one thing we are disappointed by - my hubbie is in software development - in the UK he worked 35 hours and was always home to eat with the kids and help with bedtime.
Since he started his job in Wellington CBD he is averaging 10 hours a day and is not even seeing our three rugrats during the week. It's very hard to get used to and as I say, the only thing that disappoints us. Especially as it's LESS money than the UK too!!
We came here for a better family life - and I have to say, that the weekends are fabulous, but weekdays are pretty naff for him.
The company just expects it - and others are working even longer hours than him. No overtime - just expected,
Like others have said above - depends on the company I guess. Hubby took 1st job he was offered when we got here and will probebly start looking for something else soon - .Net developer if anyone knows of a good company to work for who needs people ?!
(PM me if so!)
We're not whinging poms (honest!) but it's taking some getting used to !

Yup, it's not normal IMO - with a bit of experience someone like Gen-i might be a good move! Make sure he joins the Wellies IT Group (http://www.wellies.org.nz) too, good place for contacts and to see how/where other people work.

Me - I'm in IT Sales, and haven't worked over 37 hours a week in quote a while....(unless you include pub-time?)

Matt

[jubjub]

Northern Five, I would look at moving jobs if I were your DH. Sounds like he is being taken advantage of (along with the rest of the team if they are doing the same). hubby started going for interviews after being in his first job for only 3 months as once he was on the ground here and knew what the market was like, he soon realised he could do ALOT better...

[mgbridges]

I'm in IT Project Management in Auckland and the hours are pretty relaxed. I've never had to go beyond the standard 40 hours, and very few people do. Most people tend to arrive early and leave early - the office is pretty busy from 8am and almost always deserted by 5.45pm (except when the beer fridge gets opened on a Friday evening :cheers )

Martin

[Shoel]

im an it developer (c#) in auckland
from my experience in the past few months
timings are 8-5 (rarely till 5.15) and just one day did i stick around till 6
im doing an MBA in my spare time :)
back in india, the work culture was 8-8 ..kinda bad, cos we developers did the slogging and the bosses took the profits
here im really relaxed!