Today's the day the TUC wants us to work our proper hours marking the fact that if the average UK worker's unpaid overtime ran from the beginning of the year, it would stretch all the way to today, writes Susan Smillie.
That's a long time to work for free. And by the sounds of things, most of it happens in the public sector: a report yesterday showed managers in the NHS, local government and schools work longer hours than their private sector counterparts, to the collective unpaid tune of £9.1bn.
The employment adviser Croner argues that working extra hours is symptomatic of a larger problem that is not solved by a rigid nine-to-five culture.
"A classic sign of stress is when an individual starts coming into work very early or working very late ... But leaving work on time every day, as the TUC recommends, won't help change anyone's life if they're still stressing about their workload when they get home," says Richard Smith, Croner's employment services director.
It's a fair point, and one the TUC is undoubtedly aware of. But heightening awareness of our long-hours culture is a move in the right direction.
So in the spirit of supporting the TUC's initiative, I'm sending my boss an anonymous telegram to remind her of the hard work I do, and printing off a couple of posters for the staff noticeboard. Then I'm off for a well-earned break with a cup of tea (well, it's long past 11am). And tonight I'll be out of the door bang on time. Anyone joining me?
