Do the FRENCH get it regarding a work week?

[Ragnarok]

Heard on the news that the French work a 35 hour work week, get plenty of vacation time, and, a few other perks along the way. The Prime Minister now has a council investigating whether or not "NAPS" should be allowed during the work day!

So folks, are we killing ourselves at work? Should our work week be shorter to motivate us to get the work done in less time and to focus? How many hours a week do you put in? Does your company offer any incentives or ways to motivate their employees? :wave:

(Rags can't answer this one herself as I am retired. However I use to work up to eighty hours a week at the hospital. Half the time I could not find north from south I was so dam tired!)

 

[DanC]

do a little research on the history of the French "work" week, and it's effect on the economy, etc. It is a typical socialist story, sliding toward ruin.
Unfortunately, we are on the same path with ever-increasing government entitlements.
<<<<<<< descends from pulpit>>>>>>>>>>..

 

[K Ma]

I have been on both sides as an employer and an employee.
Anything under 40 hours, vacation/sick/personal time and any other incentives shouldnt incorporate a "nap time," - although I think it would be a good idea for some kind of resting time be offered for those with medical exceptions, like pregnancy and then that time be deducted as sick or personal to be fair to others.

I was so tired at the beginning and end of pregnancy I could of used 20 minutes of snoozing to help me. I know there were days that I would just zone out for a little bit. Near the end, during a Saturday, I laid my head down on my desk and slept during lunch. MGR on duty just told everybody to let me be.

Anything over that amount of hours or less vaca/sick/personal would be benefical to incorporate a nap time. Many studies have shown how sleep deprivation effects us in many ways. Rags, I dont know how people do the 80 hours!

 

[Ragnarok]

Rags, I dont know how people do the 80 hours![/QUOTE]

I can tell you KM that in the field of medicine, doctors, interns and residents work a horrifying schedule. There have been many studies carried out on the number of mistakes interns and residents make with their patients just due to lack of sleep! Yes, it has been battled against now for years, but, the "old goats" that control the "powers that be" do have a mentality of "Hell we survived and they need to be able to do the same!" Petty and mindless and the patients suffer.

One night, after working seventy hours straight, I actually passed out from exhaustion on a poor woman that we had just carried out a C-section on! Luckily, her epidural was still going strong! It is a true danger for people to push themselves past the limits of physiological acceptance.

My philosophy is if you can't get it done in fifty hours, take a break for a day or two and come on back refreshed. Many a pregnant woman I would counsel about their work schedules and the need to take the maternity leave!

So ole Rags says "Hurray for the weekend!" or "Hurray for days off and vacations!" :wave:

 

[eabu]

as long as work ethic erodes, more production and services will continue to be exported to inda and china

 

[pinkflutterbys]

I'm a high school teacher. I used to work about 10 hours a day my first two years teaching, but this is my third year and I've got a better handle on things now, so I only work about 8 hours. Of course, that's only for 10 months out of the year... I think everybody needs two months off. It is really refreshing-- I'm pretty burned out by the end of May, but go back to work in August feeling much better and excited about my job.