Been working 6 months now in my current company, and I put in my more hours than I intend to. Technically, there is flexible hours and we can go home early on any other days to balance the number of hours one stayed late in for. Surprise, surprise, it doesn't happen! We work probably 60 hours a week and we don't even get compensated financially for those extra hours!
What is worse is that my boss is breathing down my neck for not meeting targets. I work in a semi manual labour intensive job. This specific task requires someone to approve before I can move on. The problem is that everyone is busy with their own work to approve my own and we are understaffed. So, I get delayed, and my boss is not happy of course. She understands that it is the lack of someone to check my work as we are understaffed.
However, she did point out that I made too many mistakes in recent weeks. Fair enough, I have pretty good self-awareness that I make mistakes, admit it and correct it. In recent few days I made less mistakes. But, it is only because after realising that if only I give up social life after work, and not worry about not making it on time to some social events or meeting someone (I don't drive so I have to rely on public transports and you can imagine how bad it can be), then my mind becomes more focused on my task at hand! On top of that, they throw so many tasks, sending email, setting up meetings, correct someone's error, dealing with conflicting tasks, which no one could do in eight hours, that practically I am living to work, not working to live! How messed up is that?! And yet, one of my coworkers threw shade that I am slow with the tasks that's why I am not getting trained. But, there is no one else to check my work so how could I be faster?! My coworker had the advantage of working with more staff before, and I joined the company with just the five of us left. She was fast and have been trained to do other tasks because someone could check! If I push people then they get pissed. So that is ten times messed up! Plus, my coworker did say that she had to cancel some plans after work because she is staying late like the rest of us. Which just proves corporations demand the entirety of your life to satisfy them!
I reckon it's just my department because areas do go home on time, unlike us. But, I have a nagging feeling that they are intentionally doing this to milk more work from us. Not even the pay rise would cover it and we're experiencing cost of living crisis! My company is one of the winners of the best place to work awards and part of the Fortune 500. But seriously, it doesn't seem like it! I had a profound realisation that all the experience and education I worked for is to serve our corporate masters. Schools taught us to meet deadlines by doing homework and projects by certain date. This is to emulate what it is like to work in a corporate environment full of deadlines! I noticed that people in my workplace who are exemplary workers are willing to work more hours. But I'm not that person, I have hobbies and social gatherings after work! Companies want you to give your lives for them!