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  1. #1

    Would you rather have a $5200 a year raise or work 6 less hours per week?

    The story behind the question-

    Its end of the year financial time. We typically assess our small businesses profit/loss reports and then increase manager salaries as % allow. This year the % was really close to $100 per week so we just rounded it up. When me and business partner were discussing it, I made the comment something similar to " I did the same job these managers do now for years and years and honestly I would have taken lowering the scheduled hours from 51 per week to 45 per week over the extra money. " which led to us discussing the merits of each. He feels most of our team would take the money. Knowing most of them, he is more than likely correct. But there are some that are older, or have kids, or sick relatives or go to college than I'm sure would at least consider working less hours.

    Plan is to visit with each manager and ask if they would prefer one over the other. Would hate to get into a situation where some our taking one and some are taking the other. Feel it would lead to issues down the line. "He isn't working as much as me" " he makes more money than me" kind of things.

    The math works out that breaking down hourly wages averaged they will come out just slightly ahead by working less hours over taking the money.

    Thought it was interesting enough to post here for expanded thoughts.
    People working 2 jobs in the US (at least one part-time) - 7.8 Million (Roughly 4.9% of the workforce)

    People working 2 full-time jobs in the US - 360,000 (0.2% of the workforce)

    Average time worked weekly by the US Workforce - 34.5 hours

  2. #2
    The Lightbringer
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    I’d take the extre money myself since my family is stable enough as it is, and I could always use more cash

  3. #3
    More cash is more I can put towards retirement savings. Plus, I can use the higher salary to command more money when I leave my 51 hour per week job.
    And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

  4. #4
    Six less hours per week, no question.

  5. #5
    Immortal jackofwind's Avatar
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    6 hours less per week is nothing, not even a full extra day off. I'd take the money for sure, though $5200 isn't a ton either.
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  6. #6
    $5200 over the course of a year is not a lot of money. I think I'd take the extra free time.

  7. #7
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    I just came out of almost exactly this decision. I was so exhausted and frustrated at my job because our small company is struggling. I went to the table last quarter for a raise and they said I was valuable, but they just couldn't afford to give me anything at the time. Well, I also can't really handle much more stress right now - cancer in my family plus the flu over the holidays, I knew I was going to them with an ultimatum.

    I need more money, and if they say no again, i'm going to demand the same pay for less hours.

    Well, thankfully, they came to the table with a 20% raise because I pinned them on how effing badly they were underpaying me and how much harder all the work had gotten. It probably didn't hurt that I do the 1099s and business licenses and those are all due this month, too.

    But yes, I was fully willing to go down to "30 hours" of actual butt-in-chair-at-office for my same pay if money wasn't an object. Working at home on the couch is no skin off my back, and it's at my own pace (just to keep me ahead in the days following, at my discretion) so if I'd gone less hours, my stress would have gone way down. It's just getting up and being at that hellhole of a chaos pit that's grueling. I actually like the work...

  8. #8
    Immortal Stormspark's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tyrathius View Post
    $5200 over the course of a year is not a lot of money. I think I'd take the extra free time.
    This exactly. If I could make the same as I do now, working less per week, great.

  9. #9
    5200 is way too little. 6 hours paid work accross the year would be way ahead for me.l

  10. #10
    I work a salaried position and while we have some rough guidelines on when we're supposed to be there in practice it's really just until the day's work is done. Actually guaranteeing I get my six hours less every week would be difficult so I think I'll take the extra money.
    Last edited by LordSothe; 2018-01-12 at 02:40 AM.

  11. #11
    If your business can function with them working 6 less hours a week why not do that anyway. Give them the raise, then cut the hours and pay by what that equivalent is and they'll be making more per hour but working less. In the long run it will be more efficient for your company especially when you start to have turnover and hire new managers at lower pay and the lesser hours.

  12. #12
    With those numbers I would definitely rather have the time off. $16 per hour is less than I'm worth.

  13. #13
    Not really worth it, since I am salaried. It'd have to be a full day off, but I'd worry that my actual workload would not decrease, so I'm cramming 5 days into 4.

    Right now it's more of a "get the work done", so I already work like 25-35 hours a week anyway, work smarter not harder and all that.
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  14. #14
    Over 9000! Milchshake's Avatar
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    Personally I'd take the hours, but never admit to it in a open group. Considering most managers went through some stupid training that emphasizes game theory and other praxeological bullshit.

    They would see taking fewer hours as "not being a team player", and then the knives would come out.

    Just take the money, and take 5 hours a week of "executive time" for yourself.

  15. #15
    Elemental Lord callipygoustp's Avatar
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    I'd take the free time in a heart beat.

  16. #16
    I mean, are we just skipping over the part where they currently work 51 hours per week scheduled?

    My answer is I would just leave and find a better job.
    “Nostalgia was like a disease, one that crept in and stole the colour from the world and the time you lived in. Made for bitter people. Dangerous people, when they wanted back what never was.” -- Steven Erikson, The Crippled God

  17. #17
    Herald of the Titans Gracin's Avatar
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    The money. For me the extra hundred bucks a week far outway the 6 hours less of work.

  18. #18

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Xar226 View Post
    I mean, are we just skipping over the part where they currently work 51 hours per week scheduled?

    My answer is I would just leave and find a better job.
    Did not read that part lol. Same, 40 hours are enough. At my current rate 5200 is too little. The paid time id gain is more then double that.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Xar226 View Post
    I mean, are we just skipping over the part where they currently work 51 hours per week scheduled?

    My answer is I would just leave and find a better job.
    You say that like it’s a lot? I’d stab a puppy to work that little.
    People working 2 jobs in the US (at least one part-time) - 7.8 Million (Roughly 4.9% of the workforce)

    People working 2 full-time jobs in the US - 360,000 (0.2% of the workforce)

    Average time worked weekly by the US Workforce - 34.5 hours

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