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It seems to me the first one in the office never gets credit for being first in but the last to leave gets credit for putting in the longer work day and working harder even if they work an hour shorter than the other guy.
I was riding the train home the other day and heard a guy complaining about this to a buddy of his and noticed I find the same thing to be true at my job. Because I have to commute into Chicago from the burbs I like to get out of the office at a decent hour to catch my train and in turn catch my bus.
I normally get in at about 8 where as most othres stroll in between 9 and 9:30 some as late as 10. I normally leave the office by about 5 on the dot as that's when I complete my work. Most others dont stay much longer than maybe 5:30.
Nobody ever says anything but everyone knows I leave early and I get the feeling I'm looked at as a bit of a slacker or at the very least everyone knows I'm out by 5 on the dot.
I probably wind up putting in a good hour or more longer than everyone else but when your the first one in people may know that but they dont know how much earlier you got in than them. When your the last to leave people see that and for all they know you stya til midnight everynight.
I guess my point being it seems like being the last to leave gets more credit than the first in even if the first in is actually putting in more time. I've brought this up with some friends and family and everyone I've talked to for the most part has noticed the same.
It makes sense. If no one is there to see you in the office early, but everyone is there to see you leave early it isn't ideal. It may also be an issue because you need to be there when others are there. If people rely on you it doesn't do any good to be there for 2 hours before everyone else and gone when people need you.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I don't need any credit, I just like to start early and beat the traffic home, so I start 6:30-7. No one is there to see me, but likewise, no one is there to see the person that stays late. We are evaluated on the work we do, not what time we come in or leave.
It makes sense. If no one is there to see you in the office early, but everyone is there to see you leave early it isn't ideal. It may also be an issue because you need to be there when others are there. If people rely on you it doesn't do any good to be there for 2 hours before everyone else and gone when people need you.
I meant to address this in the original post. If you need to be there to take client calls til 6 its obviously not good if you leave at 5 however my job was analytical running reports, etc so I didnt field client calls, nobody else was relying on me being there til they left.
Assuming your job can be done at anytime it shoudn't matter when you come or go assuming you put in a full day and get your work done.
I don't need any credit, I just like to start early and beat the traffic home, so I start 6:30-7. No one is there to see me, but likewise, no one is there to see the person that stays late. We are evaluated on the work we do, not what time we come in or leave.
I agree, I'm not looking for everyone to be like "he's the hardest worker, first in and last to leave" I don't need credit from anyone but there and I agree with you that the same way no one knows when I get in no one also knows when somene else leaves if they are the last to leave however I think it's viewed differently. I dont think people take into account when people come in but people definately seem to notice who leaves when.
Also like I said I'm not looking for credit but at the same time dont want to be looked down upon as a slacker when I'm actually putting in longer days than others.
My experience has been opposite for the most part. I work with people who like to get in at 6-7am. I'm a sleeper and usually stroll in around 8-830am but will work till 7pm on most days.
I usually get the grief (albeit jokingly) for getting in "at the crack of noon" while some of my coworkers like to pound their chest for how early they get into the office.
I guess my point being it seems like being the last to leave gets more credit
find a new place to work. i've worked in such a place where the boss cares about when you show up and leave and it was retarded and the workplace became stifling because of emphasis on non-productivity things.
i've also worked in a place where it's all about the work you produce and no one cares about your hours. that place was heaven because the focus was on results not on superficial stuff. bad managers focus on hours because it takes too much of their brainpower to focus on results.
As long as your management knows what kind of job you do and why you aren't really leaving "early" plus you track your successes to remind them (yes, toot your horn) the opinion of those in the general space shouldn't really matter, except in a situation in which your team or dept isn't doing great and they look for scapegoats. Popular opinion can affect that among absentee management especially.
I have a manager who gets very angry if you show up 5 or 10 minutes late but he could care less how efficiently you do your job.
You can take twice as long to do your work as the guy next to you, but as long as you are in your seat at EXACTLY the time you are supposed to arrive he doesn't care.
We aren't hourly employees either, but everything is about the clock!
Nobody ever says anything but everyone knows I leave early and I get the feeling I'm looked at as a bit of a slacker or at the very least everyone knows I'm out by 5 on the dot.
I had a job where my hours were 8-4. I had to put my son on the bus but I got to work at least 15 minutes early. I would start to work straightaway because it was an office job. This was not a sit and drink tea until the customers came by position.
I would leave at 4 on the dot because I had to get home before my son did. He was only 9 and could not be home alone. My boss never had a problem with this but other people would.
A few commented on "half day?" today or "going already?" but it wasn't said jokingly. I tried to laugh it off a few times but one guy was 'riding me' about leaving. He came in at 9-9:30 and was in a different dept.
Finally I got so annoyed at his attitude I said I WAS HERE AT 7:45. Where were you?
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