Is finishing early on a Friday an outdated perk?

[rogerthefish]

Been driven in a taxi yesterday to find myself in a huge tailback at 4.45, the cab driver said its because of the NHS staff finish at 4 on a Fridays?, now is this something that's rolled over from the past ? as this perk appears to have stopped in the private sector...

[Kinky]

At my place we finish at 5 on a Friday.

[YesItsAVW]

I finish at 2pm on a Friday! It's to make up for the short lunch and longer days in the week.

It's nice, but I often end up staying because there is so much on!

[acf8181]

In summer we get to leave at noon on friday (in winter we're often there till 9 mind!)

[alfaman]

I used to have this in the late 90's - brewing sector (HQ office) lunch break was cut to about 30 mins in exchange for 3.30 pm finish Friday - was VERY useful for getting away for a wknd an avoiding some o the traffic.

Not sure if it is still in place.

(now work in SG where locals take full 1 hour lunch breaks !!.....)

[Hackney]

At my place we finish at 4
Recently - and in a blatant attempt to curry favour before we all filled in the survey for the Sunday Times Best Places to Work survey - they announced we'd finish at 2 on the last Friday of the month (provided you started at 8:30 and didn't take a lunch.

In truth though, they certainly get the hours our of us in the rest of the month / week.

[Eric Mc]

Never been a factor in my working life. And now that I work for myself, I still don't particularly mark out Friday to be any different to any other working day.

[GT03ROB]

At mine we finish at 5ish on a Thursday every other week!

[D-Angle]

I work in the NHS. My department does offer flexi time, the nature of the job means you have to start a bit early or stay a bit late sometimes, as people's health doesn't work to a schedule. But we still have to complete our 37.5 hours a week, there is no such thing as a paid hour off on Fridays, especially not with how things are at the moment!

Because of the above, it's not uncommon to reach your hours for the week well before 5pm on a Friday. We ensure someone is always there in normal office hours, so some people are there until at least 5pm on Friday and if they end up working more hours than they should as a result, they get it back the following week.

It's my first job in the public sector after years in the private sector and while they are definitely the most accomodating employer I have had, the image of picking fluff out of your navel while waiting to sod off home in time for Countdown is far from accurate.

[hyperblue]

^^^ As above, but in the private sector. We have flexi-time, so by Friday if people want to leave early, they'll have put in an hour or 2 "extra" earlier in the week.

[Pints]

Eric Mc said:

Never been a factor in my working life.

Very much this. I work to the job, not to the clock.

[Johnnytheboy]

As an office contractor I'd say we're very slowly encountering more firms in all sectors introducing POETS Day.

TBF we generally finish in clients' premises by 3-3.30 any way, but we've had a slow trickle of places saying "please don't come after lunch on Friday any more".

Manufacturing has always been like this and public sector has generally been like this unofficially, but now it's more general.

[Hackney]

Pints said:

Very much this. I work to the job, not to the clock.

And that's why we have the longest working hours in Europe.

[Pints]

Hackney said:

And that's why we have the longest working hours in Europe.

And probably in a slightly better situation financially than the rest of Europe too.

[Puggit]

I'm measured on my results

[Brigand]

When I was in the RAF finishing early on a Friday was the done thing in all of the jobs I worked, with the exception of shift workers.

My civvie job now sometimes has a slightly early finish on a Friday, usually 1700 instead of 1730. Not that it effects me though as I'm still a shifty and stuck with 12hr shifts!

On a similar note, do most places have a 'dress down' Friday? We do, although our boss has some strict rules on what is classed as dress down, pretty much usual work attire but no tie, if you're a bloke.

[Heartworm]

We finish at 2 on a Friday, Controls industry here. Only if we are in the office though, if on site it's a work till it's done principle.

[YesItsAVW]

We don't have "dress down" days, but the women can wear what they like all week.

[Pothole]

Taxi Driver In Talking Utter bks Shocker!!! Somebody ring NOTW....oh yeah, sorry.

[JonnyFive]

We work 8-6pm Monday > Friday.. Why would you have one day thats shorter than the others?

Not saying I'd turn it down if it was offered to me