Automate it. Robots. Think it's super unhealthy for people unless they dramatically reduce output expectations.
Principal Financial-Remote work
- Thread starter pfgemployee
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Automate it. Robots. Think it's super unhealthy for people unless they dramatically reduce output expectations.
Work from home does not work for every job. Does that mean no one should do it even if some jobs can be done at home effectively?
No devils advocate about it -- WFH simply doesn't apply to those roles. There's nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is... but, that's the role making that decision for them. Not a measure of efficacy in both places -- the option just isn't possible.
Oh man, just wait until he finds out some jobs pay more than others.
The best manager I had in the public sector roughly 15 years ago was someone who lived two states away.
They were very clear with what was needed and we only really heard from her if there was a problem (rare).
The manager title/duties eventually got handed to my colleague who could make a mess out of just about anything.
It's about the ability to delegate and if someone needs people in the office in order to 'manage' they're probably pretty weak at that part.
As an aside, I've also had it where the managers were the ones going around taking up others' time with with water cooler type talk, or nipping at their heals just to keep the dust kicked up.
my point is all these people that go into the office want some sort of war hero award for going in and half of them waste more time in the office on extended lunches, chit chat, smoke breaks and live and die by the clock. Half the people that complain are the ones that have a job that actually requires being there or has ROI with what your stating.
To answer your part about face to face interaction:
the building I am assigned to go into the office to has ~1,000 people that go there.
I have nothing to do with any of them.
My small team of 10 is located in DC, Maryland, NC, CO, AZ, FL, TN, MN, VA, TX.
If/when I am required to go back into the office (sounds like my company is going to be soon), I am driving to my assigned office, taking Teams calls with my team around the country and customers around the world.
So maybe there isn't a one size fits all approach is all i was getting at.
And yes...... I raised 3 kids commuting, dropping off at daycare, and learned how to put pants on, etc, so I get how that works, thanks.
Well said, good points here.
Always funny to me the "hero award" office-goers. They love to get (or believe they should get) credit for going into an office and promoting "culture" (or just saying words like "culture"). For many of us with global teams, nothing deflates culture more than forcing a group of people to take 1 - 2 full hours OUT of their day - some more depending on commute distance, kids in school, daycare, etc. - to go to a place (office) to sit on Teams calls by themselves.
Purposeful, intentional office time is fine. But most RTOs are just **** like this. Sitting on Teams calls in a different spot.
- Mar 27, 2006
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Similar to the "hero award" people are the "Extra Hours" flex folks.
"I always put in at least 50 hours, and most weeks more than that!"
Ok... congratulations on being taken advantage of? It you were getting overtime, that might be one thing, but you're a salaried system engineer. If you have to put in those kind of hours to accomplish your job, you've either got a manager who is doing you dirty, or you're not very good at your job.
I used to have two friends who were constantly comparing how many hours a week they worked. They thought it was a flex when they worked 60+ hours and looked down on the sane ones in my friend group who were like, "I put in my 40 and my work is done. I'm out." I always wondered how efficient they were if their jobs were requiring so many hours a week.
What if they actually like what they do? They are problem solvers maybe. As my kids leave home, I find myself doing more of my own stuff that I may have hired done and doing other part time jobs because I enjoy that stuff. I have free time and would rather do that than pound the pud somewhere either watching TV or hearing others complain about their work.
A friend was going in one day a week because they made her, even though they didn’t have a quiet space for her to take calls, mostly from India. She wound up working that day mostly in the women’s restroom or a hallway. Taking the train two hours for that. The killer was when they wanted to make her boss come in, who they allowed to be remote several states away when they hired her. Best boss she ever had. She’s already in her upper 60’s so decided she was done. Gets calls several times a week asking how to do her job and she quit four months ago.
It’s going to be hilarious if/when layoffs and down sizing happen there are going to be people that get asked “why should we keep you?” And they are going to say “I come in to the office!” And they are going to get canned like some crushed pineapple. Then we’re going to have ANOTHER aggrieved group or grievance trait attached to the already aggrieved aggrievers.
I'd be invoicing for consulting work. My phone doesn't even work if I'm on a day off or pto.
Our VP said that we dont have flex time and are expected to be here 8-5. We are salary and do work outside of hours now and then. The salary extra hours thing was fine (IT related stuff) until they said "no flex time". F that noise. A lot of IT is thankless enough, but being on call and getting extra hours with no flex is ******* dumb. We take our bites where we can now. Leave a smidge early, take a bit longer lunch etc. At this point as long as we arent harming our coworkers, we self govern appropriately. Its clear management is a bit out of touch in this arena.
Our leaders have made the point many times.
It's up to them to convince us that it's worth our time to come in.
Felt like Jerry McGuire.....you complete me!
- Mar 27, 2006
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Whether or not you enjoy being taken advantage of, doesn't mean that it's not happening.
The biggest epiphany I ever had in my career is to treat every job for what it is, a transaction.
That doesn't mean you can't be loyal. It doesn't mean you can't give extra effort. It doesn't mean you can't be the best employee in the organization. Just never lose sight of the fact that you are selling the most precious commodity that you have, which is your time.
We "sell" our time in everything we do. Heck, CF is pretty much a huge waste of time when you use that avenue of thought.
You also mentioned that you put in extra time via paid PT jobs or work on your own projects. Those generate a direct return to you. That's not the same as putting in extra time on a salaried job. Sure, if someone *likes* doing those things, that's fine. But putting in extra hours thinking it proves something or earns some invisible badge of honor - that's a choice.
If I have extra time, it's not going to my salaried role. It's going to advocacy, family, hobbies, sleep - however else I want to spend my time.
You mean you don't get enjoyment or, using the economic term, utility from posting on CycloneFanatic!?
