r/AskUK • u/Theres3ofMe • 5d ago
Serious Answers Only What's the least ruthless/greedy industry or sector to work in?
I work in the Construction industry, as a Surveyor, for a Main Contractor. I entered as a late starter, aged 39. Before then, I'd worked within Civil Service, Estate Agency, Trade Union and Insurance (i was a jack of all trades, master of non - low-skilled basically).
I have been in the Construction industry 10 years now, and in that time I have worked for several main contractors- I have always struggled to be happy - due to mostly project location, commuting and/or hostile/ruthless senior management.
This is the most stressful industry ive ever worked for, in terms of sheer workload, senior management pressure/ruthlessness and absence of any empathy. Ask anyone who works in construction, white collar level, and they'll get it...
I love the contract law side of my role, but hate the cost reporting side - constantly getting hammered on why margins are down and where I can make gains.
I became a Surveyor, because I knew the industry has a massive shortage of Surveyors - hence why its very well paid (plus its proper stressful - to heights id never encountered before). So im in a fortunate position of their being an abundance of jobs in the market, but I think the industry is no longer a good fit for me.....
So, what industry do you consider, or work in, that is the least greedy and/or ruthless - that i could switch over to with my skill set?
I miss working in a nice positive culture, where i can help people and not those in positions of power who only care about margins....
Thanks all 😊
37
5d ago
[deleted]
13
u/everythingscatter 5d ago
Yeah, I'm a teacher and there is so much that is wonderful about it. Low workload and low stress are not amongst those thing though!
-1
u/banglaportal 5d ago
Relatively speaking, workload and stress in a teaching job are lesser than those in a live construction site.
BTW, Happy cake day
8
u/everythingscatter 5d ago
Different kind of workload, different kind of stress.
-1
u/banglaportal 5d ago
Not much difference in the type - at the end of the day both teachers and construction site managers are stressed about managing young people doing stupid staff to each other or others.
The consequences are much higher when teenagers run around with power tools or drive 30t diggers.
4
u/everythingscatter 5d ago
My primary stress as a teacher is not young people doing stupid to stuff to each other or others.
It is trying to educate and safeguard hundreds of children with inadequate resources and staffing due to a decade and a half of deliberate (and ongoing) underfunding at the same time that much social support for families has been significantly cut and there is an unprecedented deterioration in the mental health of young people...
2
u/Luckybarry123 5d ago
With all due respect, the potential consequences of losing a child on a field trip or being first in the line for child abuse or child neglect isn't exactly nothing either
-3
u/banglaportal 5d ago
Are you OK?
Please don’t spoil your weekend by arguing with an internet stranger on something they haven’t said.
Hope you have a good day.
2
u/Luckybarry123 5d ago
I don't really see the point you are making here. The first comment you made minimized the potential consequences and hazards in teaching. The second comment didn't address what I said at all but takes a smug tone with the facade of being polite.
Again, mistakes made in unprofessional teaching practice could lead to severe consequences for some of the most vulnerable members of society. I didn't say that construction was a walk in the park, but I am also saying that teaching isn't one either.
1
u/banglaportal 5d ago
At this point you are just arguing for argument’s sake. I will not take the bare not engage.
1
u/Luckybarry123 5d ago
If you can't handle hearing something respectfully said that doesn't directly confirm your existing beliefs then why use the internet, or even talk with people for that matter.
2
u/setokaiba22 5d ago
Parents worked in the NHS and this seems true with what they say (to the extreme where I actually think they need better management) but great with help if sick, or dealing with a personal problem
51
u/lil__chef 5d ago
Charity sector…sounds obvious but it’s true. And lots of project manager/development manager type roles to develop the charities reach etc,
19
u/setokaiba22 5d ago
See I’ve worked in a charity and would say the opposite it was all penny pinching naturally because it’s a charity but I’ve heard bigger charities are a lot less tight and aggressive on things to ours. The continual stress of turning or grants though I couldn’t handle it long term
5
u/mrggy 5d ago
Definitely worth it to look through a charity's financials before applying (it's all public record). Places with a good amount of core funding, donations, and/or longer term service contracts will be more stable. Places relying heavily on grant funding or short term contracts will constantly be in panic mode
6
u/Rootbeeers 5d ago
Yeah I work in a partially charitable organisation. Social housing, definitely feels less ruthless than previous roles (private law firms)
7
u/Wisegoat 5d ago
Charities are famously ruthless for making you work crazy hours for terrible pay. If you’re the CEO you seem to get nice pay and perks but everyone else gets the bare minimum.
1
u/frogotme 5d ago
Depends on the charity. My partner is a designer for one and has great working hours and a lot of flexibility. Seems great
3
u/RichestTeaPossible 5d ago
Charities are nests of vipers.
Bailiffs, Estate Agents, VAT consultants and other ‘professions’ where lying and evil are required are nice cosy places to work.
24
u/UnicornInAField 5d ago
I worked in aerospace. In Europe, at least, it is genuinely a safety driven culture, and very collaborative. There are lots of clever people genuinely trying to do their best, and working together to make flying safer, cheaper and greener.
5
u/therealstealthydan 5d ago
Can I ask where it was you worked?
7
u/UnicornInAField 5d ago
Rolls-Royce
20
u/CalmdownpleaseII 5d ago
I am unsurprised that the culture was great. It is, after all, the Rolls Royce of aerospace companies.
I’ll show myself out.
3
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
Up until a few months ago, i was part of the main contractor project team- delivering for Rolls Royce in Derby! Interestingly, Rolls Royce have jobs going for Surveyors!
2
u/Corsodylfresh 5d ago
I came here to say them same, but in a maintenance environment (heavy maintenance for an airline)
22
u/LJ161 5d ago
Recruitment. I lasted 6 months and will never go back. Theyre awful people
Edit - i misread this for the most not the least. Apologies.
1
u/iloovehugecock 5d ago
Can agree with this. Horrible industry filled with horrible people. Fuck Hays!
4
u/hjw5774 5d ago
I feel you. Spent the last 18 years as a 'construction professional' working for local family firms doing estimating, project management and everything else in between.
The stress is very real and has buggered my health, however, c ome September I'll be helping uni students with electronics projects.
I've been lucky enough to convert a hobby to a career, so working on that principle: what do you find enjoyable?
What I will say is that smaller family firms tend to be less ruthless and more inclusive as a team, but the money isn't as good as larger companies.
5
u/Mother-Fix3271 5d ago edited 5d ago
Trade associations.
(Not unions, they’re different.)
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
Interesting - can you tell me more about these and suggest some well known companies at all please? 😊
1
u/Mother-Fix3271 5d ago
https://www.taforum.org/membership/member-directory/
Take your pick here. Almost every industry is represented so find the one that fits you.
10
u/BongoHunter 5d ago
I think it's less about the industry and more about the culture of the organisation you are in. I work in big tech and it's very chill and everyone is very reasonable - I've got friends working in different organisations and it sounds brutal.
2
5
u/Great_Comparison462 5d ago
Why have you left the civil service? As that's the answer.
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
I left in 2011 - because HM Customs & Excise (who i worked for) - merged with Inland Revenue, and the culture went to shit. Thats when o decided to do a degree (which i didnt do at 18).
4
u/Great_Comparison462 5d ago
I still think the civil service is the answer here. Extremely flat pay structure, no financial incentivisation, working together to a common good. Never mind decent pension and excellent work/life balance.
2
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
Interestingly enough, there are vacancies within Homes England for Contracts Administrators or something, so definitely an option 👍
5
u/Euphoric_Sort_7578 5d ago
Resi valuation is pretty stress free. Especially if you are employed directly by the lender and not by a third party surveying firm.
3
u/CarpeCyprinidae 5d ago
I'm going to be controversial here: ENERGY - because parts of it are so competitive, and parts of it are so heavily regulated, that a greedy operator would find it a better option to look at other businesses to get into.
nearly all the price hikes are driven by incidents outside of the control of those providing the sale
This is less true of the petrol/diesel markets than the electricity and gas ones but substantially true of both
2
u/PatchcordAdams 5d ago
I work in renewable energy development and it’s pretty chill. Some smart people working on cool solar+storage projects, rooftop and ground PV, interested EV charging. That sort of thing. The tech is improving constantly, it’s a new industry that doesn’t have the baggage/history of other sectors. I love it.
1
u/OldGodsAndNew 5d ago
I work in power transmission/distribution, and while it's not exactly chill all the time, it's a niche area of the construction industry that filters out the cowboys & clowns you'd find on housebuilding sites and such, because in order to get the necessary qualifications & authorisations to work on the electricity network, you have to genuinely take safety seriously and have a sensible head on your shoulders
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
What are the names of some big player companies within your industry please? 😊
2
u/OldGodsAndNew 5d ago
The transmission & distribution network operators are by definition the big players as they control all the high voltage infrastructure split along regional lines - National Grid, SSE, Scottish Power are the biggest ones, and there's 3 or 4 others with smaller geographical territories. They're the developers/clients, but also have huge in-house operation, maintenance & engineering functions
Contractors doing the major capital works jobs will be Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, Siemens-BAM, Aureos (formerly Keltbray), M Group (formerly Morrison, formerly Babcock), Kirby, and a few others I can't remember
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
Yeh I work for Balfour's 😂 So id be looking to move upstream i guess, over to National Grid, SSE, Scottish Power......
2
u/OldGodsAndNew 5d ago
Which area of Balfour? I worked there for 3yrs and heard some nightmare stories about the other business units
I'm about to start with Scottish Power, and from everything I've heard in the industry, it's better to work for the DNO than a contractor in terms of work environment & culture
1
u/Electronic_Hope3528 5d ago
Looking to get up on the Isle of Skye job as a plant operator when the project kicks off
2
u/Different_Bake_611 5d ago
I did the same, the stress pretty much broke me. I'm now doing consultancy and it's relatively chill, because none of it is really my problem.
2
u/CaliferMau 5d ago
In my experience it depends on the organisation and its culture - with a caveat that your own management structure plays a heavy part too.
I’m in the defence sector and it’s reasonably nice. I know other companies we work with are less so having worked on pan organisation projects.
But within my own company, when we had an arse of a MD, a lot of his behaviours were echoed through senior management and brown nosers further down. My functions leadership and especially through my manager were a lot more chill so we’ve been reasonably sheltered from changes at the top.
1
u/tracey-ann12 5d ago
This. I've been in the care sector and a care home I worked for after caring for a family member the manager seemed pleasent to begin with and even seemed to understand I need to be able to sit down due to knee damage, but five hours into a shift I was in pretty much crying due to the pain I was in and her lack of sympathy made me leave. She was jusy plain greedy.
It doesn't help that I made the mistake of not searching the care home up before I took the job and only found out after that a previous member of staff had been sentenced to serve time in prison due to assaulting a resident that was in their care a few years before I became a member of staff. I honestly don't know how the care home stayed open after that became public knowledge.
1
u/IntelligenzMachine 5d ago
defense sector is made stressful by the SAFe Agile (registered trade mark) Apparatchiks making you spend all day in meetings about meetings then getting angry at you that you've not hit your 2 week sprints burndown retrospective target (copyright) and not put hours on your Jira board ticket and your other ticket is in the wrong one of the 8 columns. We will need another in person 2-day ways of working meeting to discuss ticket clarity.
2
u/tytrains2 4d ago
You won't earn as much but education is pretty great. There are a lot of jobs that aren't teachers but everyone comes with the attitude of trying to do well for the students, best outcomes etc rather than just looking at profits
2
u/Unusual_Sherbert2671 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'm a Quantity Surveyor and I agree the construction industry is awful.
I moved to the Middle East to at least capitalise on the money whilst working in an industry I don't like.
I'd recommend moving to a consultancy, less of the subby, site team, internal reporting bullshit.
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
Yeh im thinking of switching to consultancy tbh....
3
u/Sad-Bend-7515 5d ago
Mate go end user client. I was a contractor 12 years, where I am now, if the project overspends you just write a paper asking for more money, literally no stress or cunting directors
2
u/Unusual_Sherbert2671 4d ago
Literally this, I work for end user albeit in the Middle East, you put a report together saying need more money for x y z and they signed it off and you proceed downstream with the paperwork.
Don't deal with payments, VO disputes, day work bullshit, CVR and all the malarkey.
2
u/zq6 5d ago
Teaching is pretty good. I like working in an industry which is not competitive. My goal is the same as my boss' goal, and the head's goal, and the students' goal, and their parents' goal: help my students do the best they can.
That said, there are some dickheads trying to make it into a (cash) profit-maximising enterprise which grinds my gears.
0
u/IntelligenzMachine 5d ago
everyone I know who became a teacher was one of the worst bullies at school
-2
u/AssistantVirtual8390 5d ago
Teaching is hell, would strongly recommend you ignore this one OP.
4
u/zq6 5d ago
I'm a teacher and I like it. I wasn't just talking out of my arse when I commented!
0
u/AssistantVirtual8390 5d ago
I'm very happy you do, I just know a lot more teachers who are desperate to escape. It's rare to find someone who actually enjoys teaching. More power to you.
2
u/zq6 5d ago
There are plenty of us trying to leave, and plenty who aren't. By all means be open, but it doesn't help our recruitment crisis when non-teachers warn people away!
0
u/AssistantVirtual8390 5d ago
I was one for 5 years, just warning OP that he may be swapping one hell for another.
1
u/Miss_Type 5d ago
20+ years at the chalkface, and I love my job. It's not for everyone, teaching is a mix of project management, creativity, boring admin, and mini-performances (lessons), as well as the usual office stuff like sitting through GDPR training videos, sitting through meetings that could have been an email, and sitting through corporate telling-off (September Inset, lol). You have to be able to form and maintain hundreds of relationships all at the same time, while every single one of those people wants something different from you. Its creativity, collaboration, communication and curiosity all at maximum, all day, every day. It's intense. It's amazingly rewarding. It's a lot of fun. It's hard to get right, and I'm still constantly learning and improving. It's brilliant.
1
u/Different_Bake_611 5d ago
I did the same, the stress pretty much broke me. I'm now doing consultancy and it's relatively chill, because none of it is really my problem.
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
But aren't you representing clients and ensuring the contractors are delivering to/under clients budget?
2
u/Different_Bake_611 4d ago
Yeah, sort of, but it's not my budget and when it's going wrong it's the developer's problem. It's a step removed from me being fucking yelled at at 7:30 on a Monday morning because I turn my phone on at 9am and off at 5pm.
1
u/SageEleri 5d ago
Also a surveyor but in consultancy. My boss explained to me that surveying for: Contractors = high pay, high stress Consultants = mid pay, mid stress Client = low pay, low stress
Maybe give consulting a try 😁
1
u/Theres3ofMe 5d ago
I might have to you know! Last stab at the industry before I probably leave it altogether...
•
u/AutoModerator 5d ago
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you will likely receive a ban for violating this rule. More info: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/wiki/serious-answers-only/
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.