I was talking about the 'olden-days' with my parents last night and at his print-works in the 70s and 80s they used to knock off at lunchtime on a Friday.
A couple of guys would stay behind and do machine maintenance prepping for the next week, and a few of his press-minders used to drive to Manchester to do a Fri and Sat nightshift on the big weekend papers (where they'd earn more money for 2 nightshifts that a week working for my dad!).
Friday lunch knock-off used to be a thing for many industries but does it still routinely happen anywhere?
Unless you are self employed, I'm going to guess no. At least to lunchtime.
We have no early finish concessions, apart from a very begrudging Christmas eve and even then it tends to be 1500 onwards. My daughter's employers (digital marketing) have an early finish on a Friday of 1600 in winter, and 1500 in summer. This is pretty unusual.
A few of the factories round Ilkeston still front load the working week and finish by 2 on a Saturday.
Let's not speculate about all those folks shirking from home on Fridays...
Currently working in Leamington Spa and lads are from Nottingham mostly - I let them clear off at 2pm on a Friday
When we are in the far flung reaches of Essex for example, it'll be a 12-1pm finish.
We do an extra 1/2 hour on a Monday, to finish 1/2 hour early on a Friday, and often have a 1 1/2 hour lunch.
No one really watches/cares though, we are all grown up enough to not do it if there is work to be done instead, which, on a Friday afternoon is mostly admin before cracking open the office beer fridge between 330 and 4.
We are pretty relaxed about it – many of our employees front-load their week so they can finish a bit earlier on a Friday and we are happy for this to happen as long as we have a reasonable amount of cover should anything come in. But, as tomhoward said ^^^, everyone is grown-up about it and only finsih early if they know it won't be disruptive.
And I am planning on finsishing early today 🙂
My daughter's employers (digital marketing) have an early finish on a Friday of 1600 in winter, and 1500 in summer
My daughters boss (digital marketing) told her to go and find a beer garden to work in the other week
We work semi flexible times. Core hours are 1000 - 1500 so we need to be at work during those hours. But some people start earlier s d finish earlier, others start later and finish later.
That being said it gets pretty quiet from 1530 on a Friday afternoon.
We have a degree of flexibility at out place, in so far as so long as you get your hours done in the week you can leave at 1:30pm on a Friday.
Most people will work a bit longer in the week and then clear off between 1:30 and 2.
I normally end up working until around 3pm. I could finish earlier most weeks, but don't want to feel like I am taking the mickey; even though I get my hours done every week - it's just an old hang-up of not wanting to be seen as a "part-timer".
I work from home on a Mon & Fri, which feeds into this thing of not wanting to give the impression that I am 'shirking' on a Friday.
Large, corporate FS firm here.
Officially, absolutely not.
Unofficially, if anyone puts a meeting in the diary after 3:30pm Friday afternoon they can expect some scorn from those invited. And head office is all but empty by 3pm. People will still answer their phone and respond to urgent messages, but that's about it.
As someone has said above, we're all adults who are largely left to manage our own diaries and many will have been logging on early/off late for the rest of the week.
Unofficially, if anyone puts a meeting in the diary after 3:30pm Friday afternoon they can expect some scorn from those invited.
Earlier this year one of our senior management team put in a call for 1630 - 1730. No irony.
I’ve got an hours work in central London (when the permit is sorted), then home. I managed my week so I could squeeze in a job earlier in the week, leaving a hopefully early day.
Not self employed.
I’d have been on my way home now if the client hadn’t sorted parking while they sort permits.
On the flip side, overtime can be unexpected and necessary.
We have a flexitime system that allows a lunchtime finish on Fridays.
The only caveat is that at month end an employee cannot be more than 5 hours in debit. This means most people work extra time Monday to Thursday in order to finish early on Friday and still fulfill monthly hours.
I think I have only worked on 4 or 5 Friday afternoons in the last 5 years.
Nope. When I started there were a few diehards alcoholics who still went out for a few pints at Friday lunch and then went back to work, but it's all stopped now. I have a never ending flow of work, so couldn't really skive off even if I wanted to.
Banger if you can get it.
The extra hours through the week to facilitate an early finish on a Friday doesn't really appeal as I do stuff on those days too. Much happier to have a flexible system allowing early starts / finishes as required.
We finish at 12 on a Friday but the extra hours have already been worked in the week (8am start and 30 mins lunch). Holiday allowance is in days not hours so also adjusted down to account for a week off only needing 4.5 days. I'm salaried and usually end up doing a few hours Friday afternoon anyway to get stuff finished. Very useful for doing jobs at parents, grocery shopping, popping to builders merchants etc.
Vodafone used to have 1715 finish, 1630 Fridays. With more flexible patterns I doubt it's like that now. When I started with them mid-90s Friday lunchtime pub was a standard activity.
I now work in a results-based, flexible role rather than being measured on hours. We do have "learning time" scheduled 1500-1700 on Fridays which does mean other meetings don't get scheduled then.
OP yes I think it does in manufacturing, I know of a few places, start earlier builds up hours, as mentioned before maintenance is one aspect but also 'looking' after the workers! maybe other historic reasons.
7:30 to 3:30 for the workshop, 8:30 to 4:30 for the office (which is usually empty on a Friday)
The workshop staff have requested Poets day several times but the same senior managers who are never in the office on Friday always push back against it.
Since being self employed, I have always tried not to work Friday at all. Having the time to do a bit of shopping or housework makes for a much better family weekend.
Engineering time for a bike ride is an absolute!!
You don't want to be on the roads at 2pm on a Friday round here. All the trades are already starting to drink on their way home.
My work is pretty flexible. Often work 7-3.30 regardless of the day.
I work for a 4 day working week employer. So I get paid for 35 hours but only have to work 32 hours Monday to Thursday.
I’m not complaining.
I work from home 2 or 3 days a week including a Friday and I think in terms of email traffic and meetings its noticeably quieter on a Friday PM but as others have said, if something needs doing urgently then you can forget about coasting the last few hours of the week.
I do miss the Friday feeling end-of-the-week vibe/drinks that we used to get in town when everyone was in the office/city centre but then again these days I go cycling at 6am on a Saturday morning so wouldn't be partying it up that much I guess. Still, shutting your laptop lid in your spare room at 5pm on a Friday just isn't the same.
I think it became a thing when they were trying to reduce the working weeks below 40 hours. But as the political direction then changed to having mass unemployment as a preference instead of sharing the available work it largely faded out.
To answer the exam question, yes, I'm finishing in about a half hour.
I work in manufacturing in a factory in the north of England. We finish at 12 on Friday, we always have done.
I work in social care there's no chance of an early finish ever.
In previous company, used to be Friday lunchtime in the clubhouse for a team effort to do the Times/Torygraph Friday cryptic crossword over a pint, then basically no serious work until 4pm home time.
In the next one, we actually did the opposite, and intentionally planned the weekly wash up meeting for 4pm, followed by the planning meeting for the next week. That concentrated people's minds. And gave them no excuse for Monday morning 9am faff working out what the plan is for the day.
Makes more sense to knock off early than it does having people doss about clock watching on company time.
BAE Systems in Glasgow has a half day on Friday.
Pretty standard in Spain - most offices empty out at 3ish year round. Summer (July/Aug) working hours are 8-3, we do 41 hours/week the rest of the year to compensate.
And FWIW: the stereotypical image of a Spaniard having a siesta isn't really a thing, in fact Spanish working hours are above average.
We're very flexible.
Actually, people tend to overcompensate, no-one will disappear at 2pm if there's work to be done. Equally, I've gone out riding at quiet times, often done a couple of hours road ride in the day.
Usually (not always) with the full knowledge and approval of my manager.
At my previous job, digital magazine publishing, we started half hour late on Monday, and finished half way through (what would have been) lunch time Friday.
Current job, print magazine publishing, finish two hours early on Friday.
I’ve just finished at 6, due to people forgetting to make requests for Monday delivery until Friday afternoon…
Yes, I came from a big automotive/aerospace/defence manufacturing business that finished at 12.30 on a Friday & went to a tech/software business that finishes officially at 2.30, but everyone is usually done by lunchtime.
I don’t think i could work somewhere that went through until 5pm now.
Weirdly my current contract finishes at 1:30pm on a Friday. We do more hours early in the week.
I say Weird because its theanagement/office staff who do this. The factory do a more regular pattern and finish at 3 every day. I think historically the factory ran a two shift day so that is where that came from.
It's great. I did a 3.5h ride on my way home today.
I don’t think i could work somewhere that went through until 5pm now.
Weird, isn't it? It's only a couple of hours but it makes the weekend feel so much longer!
I'm supposed to do 0830-1700 Money to Thursday and 0830-1300 Fridays. I'm in the office. The factory does 0700-1700 Monday to Thursday.
Harder to be flexible in the factory as every bit needs every other bit working.
However, the office is fairly flexible. I was at home today, skived a couple of hours to help my neighbour unblock a drain, going to finish off this evening instead. As per above we are all grown ups, as long as things get done no one really cares when or where that happens.
We have a real mix, official and otherwise. A few on 9 day fortnights so every other Friday off (it could be another day but usually friday), a few on 4.5d weeks, our contract is 36hrs as standard and officially that's as 3x7.5, 1x7 and 1x6.5 mon-weds, Thurs, Fri but reality is pretty flexible. Basically, do your job / don't take the piss.
My unofficial but agreed hours are 0830-1700 with half hour for lunch Mon-Thurs, and then 0830-1230 on Friday. Reality is my role as mgmt means I say Friday is 0830-1400, block off 1400 onwards in my calendar as 'no meetings unless agreed' and thats really to give me flexibility to nick off early if I want to, if there's nothing to nick off for or something important that needs doing i stay and do it. I'm an adult, it's my choice.
Yesterday was 0830-1945....but it was our open day with nearly 3000 members of the public on site so not exactly representative! Absolute organised chaos, but so fulfilling; added to Tues being a day just for schools to visit, I've a fair bit to catch up on next week
BAE Systems in Glasgow has a half day on Friday.
Many companies in Fife and Lothians still do this.
Lothians schools too, I believe.
I think you're meant to work an extra half-hour Mon-Thurs but pah!
20 years ago I worked for an engineering firm that had half day Fridays. During the winter I would do overtime setting up the rig for testing on Monday. In the summer I'd go ride.
These days I work for an engineering firm where the boss likes to demand unexpected reports from us on a Friday afternoon because he has a meeting with our parent company on Monday morning, and he's done no prep for it. I'm lucky if I finish on time on a Friday now.
These days I work for an engineering firm where the boss likes to demand unexpected reports from us on a Friday afternoon because he has a meeting with our parent company on Monday morning, and he's done no prep for it. I'm lucky if I finish on time on a Friday now.
Yeah, I have a UK client where they work on a Friday afternoon. I log off at 3ish, they're welcome to ask for anything else - I'll do it on Monday. If they really want a report on Friday afternoon they can pay for it.
Engineer here. We have a 35hr week doing 8:30-4:30 M-Th and 8:30-2 on F. The fabrication side of the businesses around here all finish at 12.
In NZ it was a normal length day on F but the Engineering Manager would at least bring the beers round at.
I don’t think i could work somewhere that went through until 5pm now.
Dunno how you’d have coped at my last place - I worked five 12-hour days, 6.30 - 18.30. But I did get the next four days off, then another 5x12-hour days.
Followed by five days off, four x 12-hour days, then five days off. Not a stressful job, although as it involved working outdoors, if the weather was dire, especially through the winter, the gloss could be rubbed off your day the moment you woke up! 🥶
20 years ago I worked for an engineering firm that had half day Fridays. During the winter I would do overtime setting up the rig for testing on Monday. In the summer I'd go ride.
These days I work for an engineering firm where the boss likes to demand unexpected reports from us on a Friday afternoon because he has a meeting with our parent company on Monday morning, and he's done no prep for it. I'm lucky if I finish on time on a Friday now.
I had a Treasury client that insisted on Friday afternoon meetings throughout a lengthy project. We'd try to rush through as fast as we could to join the rest of the office at the pub but the prick would act like he had all the time in the world... I reckon he had some reason he didn't want to go home.
One of my firms, absolutely we do presuming there isn't anything outstanding to be done. If you're all done by 1230 on a Friday then off you go. It works really well and it's a great little perk.
My last employer in the UK used to do a 36 hour week so we finished at 12:30 friday. That's automotive design and development. That was slowly eroded, when i left they were on a 38 hour week and AFAIK they are now on 39 hour contracts.
Current place we don't have working hours, or core time, so i can leave (and start) when i want. As long as the tasks get completed.
Currently doing about 50 hours a week... Because all the tasks are going sideways.
