Some comments:
On Tue, 21 May 1996, GSCHERL wrote:
> In your current situation, if a worker wishes to work late,
> unauthorized, because they want to complete a job, or focus on some
> particular project, and never requests the overtime, do you make him
> claim the overtime? Or do you allow your workers the flexibility to
> take responsibility for his own work and his own projects.
>
> (A cautionary note I recognize is this could lead to the single
> workers being more able (time wise) to put in more hours than a family
> worker. This is where the role of the leader is so important --
> recognizing the value of an hours work by a worker, rather than just
> the output of work at the end of a week. )
>
> Gary Scherling
I'm one of those poeple who "take" the initiative, and do what I feel
needs to be done timewise regardless of what the "rules" say. Being that
I can't dis-engage my brain just because the hands on the clock point a
certain way-or engage it fully either for that matter, I feel the need to
make appropriate "adjustments". When I'm in a definately "off" condition,
mentally, I have a difficult time justifying what I regard as a waste of
my companies time, so I don't charge overtime for the work.
Conversly, If I'm struggling with a difficult task, I will take it home
and continue to "chip" away at it. Or if I'm "hot" and things are flowing,
I hasitate to let go. I make absolutely sure I don't steal time from my
company. I also make sure that I do charge for real time spent-but
complying with the rules that say-you do this when-and you charge
for-doesn't seem to reflect reality. I know the bean counters (and my
wife) hate this sort of thing, but I don't think you can truly "count"
creativity in terms of hours or units, nor do I believe you can turn it on
or off as you would some machine tool.
I don't know that I'm an example of the kind of worker being discussed.
Some say I'm that sort of "eratic" element they seek to remove from the
system because we can't be controlled, but then, I do things they can't
do-mostly due to this eratic element in my thinking. I don't set out to
make waves. I just (as popeye the sailor always said) am what I am.
I do know that the current method of tracking and paying for work doesn't
account for a lot of things (including me), but to have it being discussed
at all is a wonder to me.
later...
Michael Erickson
--Michael Erickson <sysengr@atc.boeing.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>