Aussie bankers choose the easy life

Most Aussie investment bankers plan to have their feet up by the pool well before middle-age, according to the latest eFinancialCareers poll.

Just over 70% of those who responded reckoned they would have chucked in banking by the age of 45, with the rest being gone by the time they get to the big five-o. But most don't particularly want to retire too early either; just 40% want to be vegging in front of the daytime soaps before the age of 40.

But the rest of the world doesn't think retirement will come quite so soon. In the Asia/Pacific region excluding Australia, 46% think they'll still be at their desks past the age of 45. But the most pessimistic ñ or perhaps those who love their jobs the most ñ are those in Continental Europe with almost half ñ 48% ñ believing they'll still be at work after reaching 45.

It certainly can't be the long hours driving Australians to an early pipe and slippers; they seem to be getting the work/life balance right as well. In response to another of our opinion polls, the bulk of Aussie bankers (60%) reveal they spend between 35 and 55 hours a week in the office. Just under a third (31.3%) work over 55 hours a week, but only 17% manage to stay in the office for over 65 hours a week. By comparison, nearly 42% of UK bankers claim they work more than 55 hours a week.