Total time taken for breaks in a days work

[Sviatoslav Tulin]

Most good workers, i khnow are self-employed people, that said something, isn't? 

[gdh]

11 hours ago, Sviatoslav Tulin said:

I am in that business 30 years ,no one can do in tractor 10 hours ,with out drugs ,or sleeping half of that time ,i did lots of farming in my time ,so i khnow all those granddad stories .

Not sure if you're if you're just trying to wind people up but most tractor drivers regularly do long hours during harvest. Last month 4 of us spent a couple of weeks working from 8-9am until 10-12pm and only stopping for 20minutes for chips while baling straw .

 

No sleeping or drugs involved. 😉

[carlos]

11 hours ago, Sviatoslav Tulin said:

BS .

so if someone works longer than you its BS or else they weren't really working properly!! 

oh and in 25yrs you have never met a better worker than yourself??!!!

kinda setting the bar high aren't you ?

[trigger_andy]

ALL. 

Well, you’re very wrong.

[Haironyourchest]

Amazon has a productivity monitoring system which combines wearable tech and cameras to assess their employees body movement.

 

A.I can tell if the workers are scratching their arses too much.

 

The day will come when this tech can be applied to any jobsite... Satellite surveillance, wrist and ankle trackers, a central site sensor up in a tree etc. Algorithms will be developed for different trades and jobs. Select "conifer hedge (dimensions)" from the drop down menu, number of men, distance to chipper etc... 

[Floclimber]

On 01/10/2021 at 07:12, doobin said:

I'd be more concerned personally that your 'foreman' seems unable to manage either his own time or that of those under him. That, I feel, is the crux of the matter here.

 

A feckless foreman will make even the keenest youngster slow down or start their own show.

You hit the nail on the head! 

[SteamedTomatoes]

I personally don't like to take more than 1 hour of break time across an 8 hour day, regardless of whether I'm working for myself or subcontracting.  I'm there to work, eating is just an inconvenient necessity.  My ideal day is arrive on site around 9.00, 15 minute break around 11.00, 30 minute break around 1.00, 15 minute break around 3.00, leave site around 5.00.  If it looks like the day is going to be significantly over 8 hours, I like another 15 minute break at 5.00 so I don't start making stupid mistakes due to hunger.

Doesn't always work out like that, but that's my preference.

[Rich Rule]

I think it is all subjective.

 

Back in the Uk we used to work job n knock.  Basically if you wanted a break, have a quick one then crack on.  As long as everyone is on the same page it works very well.  Back home by 1-2pm job done and no time wasted.

 

Over here in Norway people tend to take breaks.  Usually 7. - 7.30 on-site and start work.  Depends on who I am contracting for.  Work for 3.5 hours and then have 25-30 mins for lunch.  Work from 1100 for another couple of hours and on the road by 1400-1430.  Have a break for water of water we if you need it.  One of the guys stops regularly at 13.30 - 1400 for 30 mins.  If I am working with him I will often work up till 16/17.00.  Job dependent.  He pays by the hour so a 10 hour day can be quite profitable.  That doesn’t include driving to and from the job.  It does cover driving to multiple jobs though if we do more in the day.

 

Works for me.  Many moons ago, I worked for Greenwich Council.  I lasted just over 6 months as the forced breaks drove me mental.  I would have much rather done the same amount of work and been home by 10.30 and then had another job in the afternoon.

[Joe Newton]

Some guys I work for like to graft and be having a tailgate beer by 1pm, others want to spend a full day on site because they have nothing to go home to and enjoy the social, so they'd rather have a couple of coffee breaks and a chat. I'm okay with both ways to be honest as I generally work with people I get on well with. If I'm driving to a firm and their lads are boring twats I'll general do my work and bugger off though.

 

I've got a needy 2 year old and an annoying Mrs so sometimes I don't want to finish early. 

[Gav73]

Many years ago I introduced scheduled breaks into an office I worked in. Before this time people just took a break as and when they wanted one. Over the course of the trial the amount of actual break time went up by 50% (some people didn’t take breaks) but overall productivity went up 20%. People were happier and more motivated and it became part of the normal working day.
Set scheduled breaks in this industry wouldn’t work as well as you can’t exactly stop a tree dropping halfway to make a cuppa, but the same principle can apply, just the breaks come at a natural point to stop.
I’m a firm believer in the fact you get more out of people and they are happier if the working conditions are right for them. So I also think there are times when pushing through and finishing a job to go home earlier is the right call.
Ultimately safety comes out on top. If people are tired, hungry or thirsty, that’s when mistakes are made and it becomes dangerous. Better to have a break and made sure everyone gets home in one piece.