William Hague, the man who really ought to be Prime Minister, says he wants managers to work harder in order to revitalize the UK economy. Who his comments are directed at is unclear, but I suspect that many managers who already put in vastly excessive hours will be rather put out by these naive remarks.
When I worked for the NHS, which I did for many years, I never restricted my working hours to what my contract said. In the early years, there was. at least, the carrot of overtime payments, though I rarely claimed them. As I progressed through the ranks, overtime became a necessity of the job and was simply expected. By the end, when I had reached the exalted status of Director, it was unusual if I didn't put in at least 60 hours a week and nearer 70 was probably more common; all this while receiving a salary that was a fraction of what could be earned in similar posts in the private sector.
I strongly resent the implication of Mr Hague's remarks that 'managers' do not put in enough hours. Many, perhaps even most, voluntarily work many more hours than their staff and with little or no direct reward. To add to the insult, those who dare to earn a significant salary are now assailed by prohibitive tax rates due to the revised rules for allowances recently introduced by the government. Frankly, why would anyone put themselves out in such an environment ? Their unionised staff rarely put themselves out in similar fashion. In my experience, this can be extended to many senior medical staff who would regularly refuse to work beyond their contracted hours without additional, and sometime exorbitant, additional pay. So much for the 'caring professions' that are so beloved of government.
Mr Hague needs to get off of his high horse and have a look at what actually goes on in the real world, rather than the imaginary one inhabited by politicians. He also needs to stop insulting and alienating the people who would normally be his natural supporters, even though this seems to be current Tory policy.
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