Countries can pass all the laws they like on working conditions. That doesn't mean they will be obeyed.
We have fairly strong laws in Australia relating to working conditions, health and safety, pay etc, etc. We also have tribunals, courts, and statutory authorities to police those laws. However, most are woefully underfunded and understaffed.
Therefore, every day there are articles in the papers about staff being underpaid, being forced to work in unsafe conditions, etc, etc. Unscrupulous bosses abound everywhere. The reality is that vulnerable people are too scared to complain as they need the job, or they are unaware of their entitlements.
I would like to think the situation is improving in Australia as more and more people become less afraid to put their hand up, and finger the crooks.
But, it would appear that working long hours has become the norm, it is expected of you, if you want to get ahead etc. How did this happen?
Part of the problem is that organisations are sacking staff to cut costs, and less people now have to do the same amount of work. People like my colleagues I mentioned in my earlier post, have more work heaped on them. But they were their own worst enemies. They would not say no, or have a discussion with their managers about work loads etc. They would sit there and complain about the work load, but then were off to time wasting meetings 4 or 5 times each day. I used to spend a good part of my day answering phones and taking messages for all my colleagues who were hardly ever at their desks!
In relation to the last organisation I worked in, I often remark to friends that in 47 odd years of work, I never worked in an organisation that had so many meetings as this one. Almost every meeting I attended was a complete and utter waste of time, and often there was no need for me to even be there. As you can imagine, the organisation achieved nothing, and still achieves nothing. But that's the Civil Service for you!
From Australia, Melbourne
662We have fairly strong laws in Australia relating to working conditions, health and safety, pay etc, etc. We also have tribunals, courts, and statutory authorities to police those laws. However, most are woefully underfunded and understaffed.
Therefore, every day there are articles in the papers about staff being underpaid, being forced to work in unsafe conditions, etc, etc. Unscrupulous bosses abound everywhere. The reality is that vulnerable people are too scared to complain as they need the job, or they are unaware of their entitlements.
I would like to think the situation is improving in Australia as more and more people become less afraid to put their hand up, and finger the crooks.
But, it would appear that working long hours has become the norm, it is expected of you, if you want to get ahead etc. How did this happen?
Part of the problem is that organisations are sacking staff to cut costs, and less people now have to do the same amount of work. People like my colleagues I mentioned in my earlier post, have more work heaped on them. But they were their own worst enemies. They would not say no, or have a discussion with their managers about work loads etc. They would sit there and complain about the work load, but then were off to time wasting meetings 4 or 5 times each day. I used to spend a good part of my day answering phones and taking messages for all my colleagues who were hardly ever at their desks!
In relation to the last organisation I worked in, I often remark to friends that in 47 odd years of work, I never worked in an organisation that had so many meetings as this one. Almost every meeting I attended was a complete and utter waste of time, and often there was no need for me to even be there. As you can imagine, the organisation achieved nothing, and still achieves nothing. But that's the Civil Service for you!
From Australia, Melbourne
Your latest Posting reminds me of a Saying/Quote/Humor John.
"If you talk to a colleague for more than a few minutes, you are chit-chatting & IF your boss does it, he's in a meeting".
As regards SB Panicker's suggestion about Ordinances, not sure why or how he came to the conclusion that such steps would solve all such problems.
Every country has Laws to address various types of criminal acts.....far serious than what's being discussed in this thread. Has crime come-down? In fact it has increased EVERYWHERE without exception......only the modus operandi changing depending on local factors/circumstances.
Negative traits, crime, etc can ONLY come down when people CHANGE.....which can happen ONLY when their thinking CHANGES......which can further happen ONLY when concern & empathy [NOT sympathy] for others develops or is inculcated in everyone.
As long as the attitude of 'me & mine' remains without any semblance of 'we & our's' in people, I guess we will keep discussing this issue for eternity.......except that the scenario, context & level-of-enormity keep changing.
Rgds,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
"If you talk to a colleague for more than a few minutes, you are chit-chatting & IF your boss does it, he's in a meeting".
As regards SB Panicker's suggestion about Ordinances, not sure why or how he came to the conclusion that such steps would solve all such problems.
Every country has Laws to address various types of criminal acts.....far serious than what's being discussed in this thread. Has crime come-down? In fact it has increased EVERYWHERE without exception......only the modus operandi changing depending on local factors/circumstances.
Negative traits, crime, etc can ONLY come down when people CHANGE.....which can happen ONLY when their thinking CHANGES......which can further happen ONLY when concern & empathy [NOT sympathy] for others develops or is inculcated in everyone.
As long as the attitude of 'me & mine' remains without any semblance of 'we & our's' in people, I guess we will keep discussing this issue for eternity.......except that the scenario, context & level-of-enormity keep changing.
Rgds,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
Some have relaxed work schedules giving employees greater leeway when it comes to clocking in and out of the office. Others encourage working from home and shared transportation. Some are even taking offices closer to where their employees live so that they can worry less about the commute and focus more on work.
Life in modern times.
Beating traffic blues: Companies like Philips, Microsoft butter up employees with ease of work ideas - The Economic Times
From India, Pune
Life in modern times.
Beating traffic blues: Companies like Philips, Microsoft butter up employees with ease of work ideas - The Economic Times
From India, Pune
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