"Normal" work week?
Back home, it was fairly standardized....a 40 hour work week, borken into 5, 8 hour days and a 2 day weekend.
Here in Qatar it seems there is no standardization....different companies have different work hours (some take a break for lunch, while others do a straight shift)...and different companies even have different weekends!
So my Genaral question is whats a normal work week here in Qatar?
On a related note, I just wanted to voice my frustration with my schedule, and express some envy at those who seem to have so much time off to enjoy life, family, hobbies, or whatever.
My work week consists of 10 hour days, 6 days a week (yup only fridays off), and that's WIHTOUT overtime....frequently, there is overtime too. Now on top of that (and no one is to blame here but myself), I signed up for night courses to upgrade my degree, and so I have 3 hour classes 3 nights a week.
Partly a raw deal with work, and partly self inflicted short term sacrifice for better long term prospects, but I hardly have time to get enough sleep. I never have time for a lunch, and certainly no going out for social function. With some other threads discussing social outing and things to do in Qatar, i'm just wondering if there are many people in a similar situation as me? or I am just the only masochist in Qatar??
Yes, it's true. There is little to no chance of frequent social life in that work schedule. Little number of people socialize in between that long breaks that you end up only resting in that same hours. By the time you finished your work on 20:00hrs (plus change of clothes and transport), you'll end up meeting your group of people by 22:00hrs and it's better to sleep rather than socialize because you'll be needing that strength for the next day's work. And household chores (i.e. cleaning and laundry) are the other things you gonna have to do on that Friday free time, so it's not that free at all.
herne ..true...Straight shift is always better...becoz majority of the companies we deal with work double shift, there is no chance i am going to get a straight shift...
Owen you have the best timing...wish mine was similar
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"Nobody can hurt me without my permission"
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well, my work sched is Sunday-Thursday from 8 am-5 pm..i don't know if you consider this normal..but i think it is..:D
Yes, your is much worse. at least the 8 hours is good, but this split timing just takes all my day. What can I do after 8 o'clock, I am so tired by that time! The best would be to have from 8-16. But unfortunately I don't have that luck.
Sat~Wed = 630AM until 730PM
Thur = 630AM until 530PM
Friday = 630AM until 1130AM (can be extended until 530PM)
In excess of 8 hours we get paid for overtime.
Ramadan, Christmas, New Year we still work for a fee.
Herne.....u just have to work 8 hrs a day...its a good timing if they dont keep you in office after ur working hrs...Even i have the same timing but it get extended always...
Officially my work timing is 7-12:30 and 16 - 19:30..but i end up working another 2 hrs in the night with no over time.
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"Nobody can hurt me without my permission"
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i goto office at 930 and be back home by 6. i take an hour or 2 for break for lunch in the middle, go home, which is 3 minutes drive from my office and come back...
coll job... well no vacancy here
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I'm 0630 to 1430 Sunday through Thursday.
Now i also have a very bad timing, from 8-12 am and 16-20 pm with Fridays off. So there is no chance fro frequent social life, although if something is really important, I choose not to go in. not a nice souliton, but they didn't complain about it yet. :)
dear Ragnarock
It is better you check your contract. Most probably, it will say 8 hours per day for 6 days in a week which is normal working hours in Middle East. But, in some particular situations, comapny can ask you to work more hours depends on the work flow.( check your contract once again for that).
But mostly, all companies in ME do not follow the working hours. If all of company employees are working in this schedule, it is defficult to change it. Otherwise, discuss the matter with your management, as it proves you are overloaded.
Study more is a great thing.. Keep it up.
Like you, I am also in the finance sector but I seem to have an easier time of it. My work week is 5 days, Sunday to Thursday 8.00am to 5.00pm.
At times we are really busy and at others not busy at all. It depends on the deal flow. At the moment, things are quiet and are likely to remain so until after the end of Ramadan. We are using this time to design new products and services and get in front of potential clients.
I don't know who you work for, but they sure work you hard. I hope you are getting paid big bucks. PM me if you want any further info.
Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary. Mahatma Gandhi