So, I've been thinking a lot lately about why we work the way we do (5 day work week, two day weekend, more time during the day at work or sleeping than actually doing something for ourselves, etc) and then today something came up. One of colleagues is being forced to let someone go from her company by management during a layoff. The reason the particular person was picked was because they miss on average, a little over one day a month for vacation time, sick time, etc. Once a month is a big deal. I never really thought about it, but why is it a big deal? One day a month? We work 20 days a month (if you work a regular M-F gig) or more depending on the way the schedule falls, why is one day off a big deal? I consider myself to be blessed to work at a firm that isn't that strict with time off and half days, etc. but I know that's rare. Thoughts?
I don't know why more companies don't do the 4/10 shifts... I'd love the opportunity to do that. I'd be more productive during the week, and I'd actually have a day to myself (not cleaning or running errands like I typically do with my weekends) where I could truly be lazy. Also, people could actually schedule appointments, or leave town without taking away from work. And it'd be slightly better for the environment because you're not REQUIRED to drive that extra day. Traffic congestion could be better too, if enough companies participated.
Controlling your own work schedule is key to happiness. When I travel I work a lot....when I am at my home office it more than evens out. DD
Because being absent from work for 5% of the year shows you lack dedication, commitment, loyalty and discipline to your company and its stakeholders. Tell your former co-worker to wash her hands more often.
Yes, hopefully there was more too it than just her using her vaca/sick benefits. If not, that's a terrible way to make a choice (unless they were obviously abusing the sick time). I often think about how the 40-hour work week got started. I like my job and definitely appreciate it, but I hate the routine and only getting a few hours a day on my own time. I'd work 4/10's in a heartbeat, as long as it was Mon-Thurs. I can't complain too much right now though...I work at a university with half-day Friday's during the summer. Except we have to make up the extra 4 hours during the week, so it's 9 hour days Mon-Thurs.
yeah, i would love to do 4/10's! I don't know why my oil based company is not participating...my fiance and a friend are doing this with their companies. Oh well.
Well the layoff was part of a company wide layoff due to the economy. They cut 2 jobs in this person's "group" of 7 people and this person was picked based on time off the job. The other person that was picked was the shortest tenured in the group. Anyway, this thread isn't really about this particular situation, but more about in general why we work the way we do. I'm dedicated to my company and feel I have a stake in its success, but I don't think most people do. Why do we work so much?
Its probably b/c most folks are inefficient in the time that they spend at work. They are probably doing things like surfing Clutchfans on company time. http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307353133 4 Hour Work Week is a good book, that talks about the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule). To summarize it says we get 80% of income comes from 20% of the work done.
What do you think is too much? When I first started out I worked 40 hour weeks and got 2 weeks vacation and probably 1 week sick time (at various times, the sick and vacation time were combined as "personal" time). As I have progressed through my "work" life, I now get 6 weeks vacation and can accrue 4 weeks of sick time. I have been fortunate that over the past 24+ work years I have probably taken less than 10 days of actual sick time. I generally work 50 hours a week counting the time I work from home and there are a few weeks a year that probably jump to 60. Compared to hours that Asian companies work, Americans don't work too much.
I am a believer in the Golden Ratio, I apply it to every aspect of my life. Accordingly, we should work roughly 4.326 days of each week or roughly 225.587 days out of each year. The Golden Ratio: 1.618...embrace it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio
If I found out the reason I was layed off was for taking approved company vacation time from my benefits, I'd pretty much be furious.
If there are 6 equally qualified people and 1 has to go, then I can understand that the person who spends the most time away from work (regardless of whether or not the time was approved) would be low (wo)man on the totem pole.
I work this schedule (sometimes). My office has a 4.5 day schedule (7:00 - 4:00 Monday - Thursday, 7:00 - 11:00 on Friday). Since I almost always work over Monday - Thursday, but only occasionally on Friday, I work roughly a golden ratio week.
The candy store paupers lie to the share holders They're crossing their fingers they pay the truth makers The balance sheet is breaking up the sky So I'm caught at the junction still waiting for medicine The sweat of my brow keeps on feeding the engine Hope the crumbs in my pocket can keep me for another night And if the blue sky mining company won't come to my rescue If the sugar refining company won't save me Who's gonna save me? But if I work all day at the blue sky mine (there'll be food on the table tonight) Still I walk up and down on the blue sky mine (there'll be pay in your pocket tonight)
My work had a 4/10 a few years ago. Only the day off had to be a Wednesday or a Thursday. I jumped all over it. It was nice having that day off, but a 10 hour work day (doing that job) was murder. It didn't last long. Now, I spend my days trying to stretch 2 hours of actual work into an 8 hour workday...
