Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm wondering what other people think of this situation. In a few jobs that I have had, you have a few people - usually women (I am female also) - who spend a lot of time chatting during the day, yet they pride themselves in coming in early and staying late, therefore putting in "overtime." How is this perceived by managers?
I come in at the time I'm supposed to be there, I usually do not take a lunch more than once or twice a week, so I give 3-4 hours already there. If I'm working on something, I stay later. What I do is make a list of tasks that I want to accomplish for the week and break it out into days. Almost always, I'm done with my task list for the day by the time it's time to go home. I keep socializing to a minimum and usually just keep to myself and work on my stuff.
I feel as though these people who work either the same or less time per day than I do but spend 10-12 hours in the office, are seen in a better light by management. I've been told I'm shy and quiet. I'm a little shy, I'll admit, but only at first while I get to know you. I tend to avoid people who are really chatty because I don't want the boss to walk by twice and hear us talking about last night's TV and I don't want to stay an hour after just because someone wants to talk.
Where is the balance? What does management think about each type of person?
As with most situations, the answer is "it depends", and I am curious as to what the real underlying question you have is. It sounds like you are either trying to avoid potentially being cut or trying to figure out how to move up. That's typically why people care how they rank against their peers.
As someone who is both shy and management, my thoughts are that it typically takes all kind of people to get things done. There is plenty of value for the focused worker who is heads down and gets their work done. In many workplaces where project work is the norm and projects are becoming increasingly integrated across departments, social interaction is basically networking and a key component to getting the more complex tasks which often require teamwork or at least someone finishing their work on time so that you can perform your work. Socializing can play a big part in being successful in the workplace.
You sound like someone who is good to have as a component on the team. Everyone likes someone who gets thing done without being disruptive. That's great, but typically, if the majority of your work can be accomplished without you having to get on the phone with people or leaving your cube or office, then you have to take a look at the value of the work you are doing. Typically, if you are doing all task work, upward potential can be limited. You can be the master of your domain, so to speak, but you may not get opportunities that people who better market themselves get.
In the end, management cares about results, and good managers typically know if someone is working overtime because they have an above average load of work assigned to them or because they are not efficient at getting it done. Knowing the right answer and giving the right advice depends on more details for the situation including what you do, what your co-workers do, what the company culture is and whether or not your managers are on top of things.
Thanks for your input. I'm trying to move up. I just started last week, so I'm still in the early stages of getting my workflow and tasks assigned to me. I will be interacting with all people in the office in different capacities.
Basically what I'm saying is that I don't want to spend 12 hours in the office. Without any extraordinary issues, I get my work done in 8-9 hours. The reason is that I am very organized and I don't spend a lot of time chatting about not work related stuff.
I guess what I'm asking is does it look better to management to be here 10-12 hours and get your work done, or is it OK to be here 8-9 hours and get the same work done?
Get your work done as efficiently as possible. If your boss wants you to stick around late he'll give you more work. The more work you do the more valuable you are, to smart bosses anyway. And bosses like people they can count on, that they don't have to bird dog, you appear to be that kind of worker.
Keep your nose to the grindstone, it's an unusual workplace in which doing less work is valued over doing more.
Yes, I realized from my waitressing days that if you come in when they call you on your day off, you'll get better shifts going forward. Being dependable is my trademark
I guess part of the reason this question is coming up now is because at another job I had, the boss told us that we should stay 30-1 hour after it was time to leave just to make it seem to the CEO that we are dedicated or something like that. He said even if you don't have work to do, just sit and read the newspaper or something, just make sure he sees you leaving at 6 instead of 5. This drives me nuts, if all the work is done, I could understand getting a head start on tomorrow or working on a side project, but to sit there an extra hour and read the newspaper seems absurd. Maybe for single people, but some of us have food, shopping, dinner, doggie duty etc. Maybe when I'm CEO and can hire people to do these things for me, but an hour sitting around wasting time is too valuable to me.
I'm just afraid that in certain places this attitude won't get you anywhere even if you're the most reliable, efficient etc.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,580 posts, read 81,186,228 times
Reputation: 57818
As a manager with only 6 people I manage to wander around several times during the day and only have to stand there for a few seconds to break up such "visiting", and it's not only the women. If one comes in early and stays late we have to pay them overtime, and I have to authorize it in advance. A certain amount of "visiting" may be good for enhancing a team atmosphere and fostering relationships with other departments but when the work is behind or we are short handed with someone on vacation I expect them to minimize it.
Most managers in their right mind would wonder why it is that this employee can't get their work done on time, but it really depends how and if they'll act on it.
Does your company not have flex hours? We have people who come in at different times and leave at different times. For example, I am a morning person. My focus and creativity are at their peak in the morning hours until about 2 or 3. My "official" shift is 7-4, but I work 6-4 because I enjoy the quiet of the early morning before the phone calls and e-mails start rolling in.
It does frustrate me though, when some folks who choose to come in at 8 and work until 6 seem to think that there's something wrong with me leaving at 4, as if they are working harder since they are working later.
As long as the company offers flex hours, my boss is happy with my work, I don't dwell on what other people think. It's just more of a passing annoyance that they can't figure the math is the same. I work just as hard in my 9 hour shift as they do.
I also take my work laptop home and often log in a few hours in the evening as well. There are also some days I work my 9 hours and don't have to log in in the evenings (I tend to monitor my work e-mails through my phone). My reviews reflect that my manager sees my value and the quality of the work that I produce.
Bottom line - as long as your management is happy with your work and sees value in you, that's what matters.
Does your company not have flex hours? We have people who come in at different times and leave at different times. For example, I am a morning person. My focus and creativity are at their peak in the morning hours until about 2 or 3. My "official" shift is 7-4, but I work 6-4 because I enjoy the quiet of the early morning before the phone calls and e-mails start rolling in.
It does frustrate me though, when some folks who choose to come in at 8 and work until 6 seem to think that there's something wrong with me leaving at 4, as if they are working harder since they are working later.
As long as the company offers flex hours, my boss is happy with my work, I don't dwell on what other people think. It's just more of a passing annoyance that they can't figure the math is the same. I work just as hard in my 9 hour shift as they do.
I also take my work laptop home and often log in a few hours in the evening as well. There are also some days I work my 9 hours and don't have to log in in the evenings (I tend to monitor my work e-mails through my phone). My reviews reflect that my manager sees my value and the quality of the work that I produce.
Bottom line - as long as your management is happy with your work and sees value in you, that's what matters.
The bolded part is true. That is why at my last job, I was the last to leave and I liked it. At this job, I'm the first to leave for the most part. There are 5 of us on this side and two come in at 9, I come in at 8 and the other two come between 7:30 and 8:30 but are the ones chatting all the time and they are still here at 5:30 when I leave. The two that come in at 9 are also here past 5:30. I just feel weird leaving early, but I don't want to change my hours. At the previous job everyone was gone by 4:30, so staying until 5 was late, here it seems like 6:30-7 is late. I don't function productively that long if I've been here since 8.
As much as it is about the work, perceptions also matter. I didn't ask about flex time in the interview, it's not that important to me. I'm observing others and then will ask the boss about it in a couple of months.
The bolded part is true. That is why at my last job, I was the last to leave and I liked it. At this job, I'm the first to leave for the most part. There are 5 of us on this side and two come in at 9, I come in at 8 and the other two come between 7:30 and 8:30 but are the ones chatting all the time and they are still here at 5:30 when I leave. The two that come in at 9 are also here past 5:30. I just feel weird leaving early, but I don't want to change my hours. At the previous job everyone was gone by 4:30, so staying until 5 was late, here it seems like 6:30-7 is late. I don't function productively that long if I've been here since 8.
As much as it is about the work, perceptions also matter. I didn't ask about flex time in the interview, it's not that important to me. I'm observing others and then will ask the boss about it in a couple of months.
My point about flex time was that "when you leave" seems to be less important when flex time is offered within the company.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
