What exactly is the western 9-5

[golden1]

We are supposed to be at work 9 hours including a 1/2 hour lunch and 2 15 minute breaks, but they don't care what hours you work.  I am generally here from 6:30-3:30 so I can avoid Boston traffic.

[Rural]

Mine varies wildly. On some (rare) days, I'm only three about three hours, and then there are days lik today, when I worked 5:30 am to 10:30 pm.

[Vilgan]

I'm currently in consulting, so as long as I have 40 billable the hours don't much matter. Sometimes I'll eat at my desk, sometimes we'll do a working lunch, sometimes I'll take a break and it won't be billable. More often than not my hours are very close to 9-5, although sometimes I'll get in earlier and leave earlier.

[pachnik]

I work as an assistant in a lawyers' office.  My work hours are 8:30 to 4:30 and I take a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch.  I go out for a walk during that time and eat my lunch at my desk while I work. 

[MrsPete]

I teach so contact is 7:45 am to 3:00 pm.  I normally work 7 - 4 or 4:30 pm.  I get a 40 min lunch, but use it to help students or get caught up on e-mails or other items.

I'm also a teacher, and I am required to clock in by 6:45; students are in my classroom at 7:00.  Officially I'm done with students at 2:15 and I'm allowed to leave at 2:30.  Realistically I'm usually out the door at 3:00, and I'm one of the early-leavers because I'm FAST at everything I do. 

In between, we get 26 minutes for lunch, and every other week we're required to spend that in the cafeteria supervising students. 

[OutBy40]

Back when I used to commute into an office, we had certain "core hours" during the day.  Usually, the day started for most people between the hours of 7 and 9am and ended between 3 and 5pm - you can pick a 7-3, 8-4 or 9-5 schedule.  Of course, the idea of "only" 8-hours of work each day can seem like a bit of a thing of the past nowadays, unfortunately.

Luckily, I work from home now and completely make up my own hours.  Lovely.

[alsoknownasDean]

Government employee - we are expected to work a standard 76 hours per fortnight over the 10 business days but start and stop times are flexible within a given range. Can start any time between 7.30 - 9.30am and can finish anytime between 15.30 and 18.00, unpaid lunch break any time/length between 12.00-14.00.
Outside those timeframes we have to give an explanation/get permission.
The Australian fair work act states that full time employment is 38 hours per week and after 5 hours of work employees must take a 30 minute break (generally unpaid).

This. I usually work from about 9:00-5:30, with a lunch break in the 45-60min range. Used to do 9:30-6:00 in my old job.

Some in the office get in earlier and leave bang on 4. I've got a degree of flexibility, but meetings start from 9.

I'm a teacher.. I only have to be at work 8.30-2.15.

But really, it's 7-2.30.

Schools finish at 2:15 in Queensland?

A lot of businesses 'use' to be open 9-5, but the employees might have gotten there sooner and left later.  Its not really true anymore except for banks.  I've also often heard the phrase "banker's hours" used to describe basically the same thing.

(most)Banks are open 9am-5pm.  Of course the bankers are there from 8:30-5:30 but the doors are unlocked from 9-5 so everyone always assumed that is when bankers actually worked.

Haha, I've seen that banks are often 9:30-4 or 4:30.

[wynr]

One start-up where I used to work, the boss said "We have flex time - you can come in anytime before 9am, and leave anytime after 9pm."

It was only partly in jest.  Although they did provide lunch and dinner.

[mnsaver]

My current department is very flexible and all of us work different hours depending on what works best for our work/personal life. I do things that other people need to do their jobs and I'm a morning person so I start at 6:30 or 7 and generally work to 3 or 3:30 (unless I take a long lunch and run errands), one of my co-workers start at 8 and 3 start at 9ish. My boss is frequently on conference calls to the West coast is a night owl so generally doesn't start till 10 ish but frequently works till 11 or midnight. We all work from home most days.

[SpendyMcSpend]

In my office most people work 8:30-6 but a lot of people stay till 7-8.  Nyc

[retired?]

8-5:30/6pm was usual unless it was busy, and then longer.

Really depends on A) whether one is salaried or hourly or B) whether you have a job that is repetitive.....same thing on a daily basis.

The less defined a role, the more variation in one's work day.

Of course, consultants and attorneys regularly put in 80 hours.

[retired?]

In my country we work 8-5 with a 1 hour lunch break at mid-day.

When I read about western capitalism a working day is described as 9-5. Is that the norm? Does that include a 1 hour lunch break?  Sounds so much better to have that extra hour of sleep.

Actually, now that I reread your original post, in my view the phrase 9-5 while initially might have been to describe "working a regular job", now often means a boring or routine job.....rather than referring to actual hours worked.

If someone says "I have a 9-5 job", these days it likely means "I work a boring job solely for the money".

[accolay]

Enjoyed this guys take on his "9-5" experience. Not sure if he's FI or not, but it looks like fun:

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

I work 8:30-4:30 but get an hour for lunch, so really a 7 hour workday. My office is open 8:30-5:30 each day, but employees generally either work 8:30-4:30, 9:00-5:00, or 9:30-5:30. Those who are higher up the ladder often work longer days.

[LalsConstant]

As a programmer.. I need to work at least 5 or 6 hours... should generally be in from 12-4pm.. anything else is gravy.

I'm also a developer and its fascinating how a software company wouldn't expect more from you/your team. If they had a team coding for a standard 8 hour a day that would easily translate into more money for them.

According to economists we should only be working 4 or 5 hour days in an information age society.  A fundamental misunderstanding that equates information workers with agricultural or industrial workers consumerism and the cultural baggage of baby boomers who still mostly control these policies keeps us in the saddle longer than needed most days.

As for me I punch in at 0630 out at 1600 with half hour lunches and 4 hour Fridays.

[Hedge_87]

The whole rigidity of my work schedule really annoys me 8-4:30 with 1/2 hour lunch. There are days  I'm rolling and getting shit done and feel I could knock out the next big step if I could work a little late. We do get OT but you better be able to justify it. Then there are days when I don't feel like being there at all and I'm not getting much done just trying to look busy. I would love to have the freedom to just have a "to-do list" or something and as long as things are getting done on time and satisfactory just leave me alone.