Are jobs getting more difficult?

[J R Hartley]

Certain jobs are evolving for sure, my job is the busiest it’s ever been. We’ve fallen into a pandemic induced state of being constantly in crisis mode.

That’s partly to do with it being an office (home or work) based role, as they are immeasurably different to how they were before Covid.

I see lots of my colleagues feeling like they have to work longer hours and putting themselves under unnecessary pressure.

I think we underestimate the impact of Covid at our peril. We’ll be living with the negative impact of lockdowns and Covid for years to come.

Ive gone the opposite way after Covid. I am salary and would regularly put in 50-60 hour weeks when contracted for 40. Start early, work through lunch, work late. Through covid, to keep others on furlough, I was regularly putting 60 hour weeks in and when I asked for a bonus, as in reality myself and others working extra hours meant they could keep more people on furlough, it become pretty evident that our efforts were not appreciated but taken for granted.

I have now become more militant and started working to rule. I might work the odd extra hour, or through my lunch, mainly if we have people on holiday, but the days of me putting in an extra 10-20 hours a week are long gone.