posted
In western countries we normally work 7,5 hours every days from monday to friday ( normal business hours from 9 am to 5 pm). If you are a nurse, poliseman etc and you have to work also evenings and maybe nights, you do in average also 7,5 hours each day and you will get extra salary if you do evening or weekend work.
Then we have in my country 5 to 6 weeks vacation every year, summer, winter and couple days during christmastime.
Basar sellers told me they work from 11 am to 24 middle night seven days a week!!After 4 weeks they have week free. Waitress in five star hotel told me they work from 5 in the morning till 12 and then again from 17 afternoon to midnight and again 7 days every week!
How do they manage to do that and stay healthy??
If you are a teacher, businessman etc. what kind of working hours and vacations you would have?
Is it sun or more relaxed workculture what gives Egyptian people power to work so much...? In my country it is so busy and demanding that people get stressed even with their 7,5 in a day...
Posts: 118 | From: Finland | Registered: Jan 2006
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If people work more, it doesn't necessarily means they work better.
But for Cairo, i think something justifies the ability to work a long time and to stay focused longer. In fact this comes from demographic pressure, if someone is not able to work really hard, then someone else is going to take the job.
Because unemployment rate is high down in Egypt. And social legislation is unfortunately ignored: firing a worker is simple like saying: you're fired.
Though the working culture that prevails in egypt is less hard for people nerves as the persons tend to get more warm and personal. This defrustrating working atmosphere adds to the well being of the worker and may impact as well on his productivity.
And i don't know in which field you're working and if the same situation prevails in your country but i know that in France, some doctors working in hospitals and some lawyers work as much as 80 hours a week.
Posts: 1473 | From: France | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Truedevotion: In western countries we normally work 7,5 hours every days from monday to friday ( normal business hours from 9 am to 5 pm).
LOL ... I never, ever had a job back home in Europe where I only had to work for 7,5 hours a day.
It's not the same in all Western countries and even within the same country your number of working hours depends on the field you're working in, company policy etc ...
posted
Divers in Egypt normally work 8 to 6, 6 days a week, or 7 days a week in the high seasons waiters, hotel staff, animation staff work all the hours God sends!!!
Posts: 4238 | From: USA | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Cheffie works in 5* hotels. Like a lot of hotel staff, he normally works a 7 day week, saving up the theoretical 1 day off every week to get a week back with his family every 6-8 weeks. I think the longest he went without a day off was 8 weeks. His working hours are supposed to be an 8-10 hour shift (3 shifts a day - the kitchens are busy 24/7) every day.
In the hotel where I met him, last summer when they were very busy, the executive chef made him do 12 hours on shift, be lucky to be granted 8 hours 'rest and sleep', then back for another session and this went on for several weeks with no breaks. He was like a zombie. He quit in the end (other issues as well) but got another job within a couple of weeks. I also noticed that a lot of the waiting staff would be on duty in the morning and then again at night and they would be constantly picked on by the dining room manager. I think the tourist industry gets a bad press on this forum - most of them work very long, very hard hours, far from their families. (I confess to having been a chambermaid in a remote mountain hotel in a foreign country when I was 18 so I am very sympathetic!).
Posts: 148 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
In my country we have legislation which says, if you work over 7,5 hours a day, you will get extra free time from work or more money. If working is like this in Egy, I donīt blame women if they desice to stay at home;)
NO wonder if lots of traffic accidents happens, if they had to work that much. It is proven that human canīt stay alert and be effective much more than 8 hours a day. Rest is just pretending to work or doing it more effective way. Maybe that causes also lazyness and "tomorrow" sense.
Posts: 118 | From: Finland | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Truedevotion: In my country we have legislation which says, if you work over 7,5 hours a day, you will get extra free time from work or more money.
We have a similar legislation, too! But theory and practice are two different things... and you can't afford to stay home, because you need a job to survive!
I've worked 16 hours a day for a long period of time (almost two years), without extra money or free time... and believe me, i was focused like hell! When i've quit they hired three person to fulfill all my duties...
Can i come to Finland? It seems like heaven there... Posts: 1744 | From: Romania | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Let us change places;) We donīt have to work here that much, but what to do in free time? Enjoy outdoors in the dark , windy and cold weather...No thanks... We are just waiting summer to come, if it comes, it luckily lasts couple of weeks. Believe or not we may also lay on the beach here and swim in the sea if summer is good:)
How do people manage to stay healthy in that kind of working atmosphere? Do you have stress, sleeping problems, young having heart problems...?
It depends on your work, but it is proven, that human has natural limits, and if your doctors and pilots work like that I want to stay away your hospitals and aeroplanes!! No wonder why there is so many car accidents there. People sleep when they drive...
O mine, is there any country where everything could be in order? Weather, work, social life...Or is it just a dream...
In general I felt people are more happy in Egy, you have many other advantages than working culture:)
It would be interesting to hear opinions of people who are western and moved Egy to work:)
Posts: 118 | From: Finland | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
My in-laws are all government employees. They work about 6 hours a day, 6 days a week. Naturally they have to do some work at home to prep for the next day.
THen they have their own businesses. The hours is whenever they aren't at their government job.
When its all you've ever known you don't think about it. You just do what needs to be done.
Adversity isn't exactly a bad thing.
Posts: 5744 | From: Minneapolis, Mn USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I must be laziest person on ES! I only work 3 days per week-I worked full time for years, in a pre school where I also enrolled my son, but I changed jobs/careers and found that I needed less days to stay being able to be a mum AND be professional in my job.. So I was able to negotiate this to be more available for my son at school.I have less money,but as I live in a family owned apartment I think its stable for me to do this .Plus I really do only live within my means-I dont take on debt or whatever( like I mean buying stupid stuff on credit etc) I am studying too though-if you can call my really bad undisciplined late assignments study...I mean eventually I will have to go full time again isnt it. So I might as well try and get a higher paying job when that happens? But you know I really love the three day thing......
Posts: 872 | From: Sydney | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
So am I right they are only tourists who can enjoy coast, sun, culture...because Egyptians have to spend their lives only by working and sleeping? Posts: 118 | From: Finland | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Truedevotion: So am I right they are only tourists who can enjoy coast, sun, culture...because Egyptians have to spend their lives only by working and sleeping?
pretty much.
And its not just a time thing, but due to cultural standards how we spend our free time is pretty much a no-no for most Egyptians.
Posts: 5744 | From: Minneapolis, Mn USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Truedevotion: So am I right they are only tourists who can enjoy coast, sun, culture...because Egyptians have to spend their lives only by working and sleeping?
pretty much.
And its not just a time thing, but due to cultural standards how we spend our free time is pretty much a no-no for most Egyptians.
Don't be so sure !
Posts: 3903 | From: The Moon | Registered: Feb 2005
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