I think this is why some employers do “on Salary” arrangements. It is a bit more respectful of the creative process. It also mines more creative juices in “off clock” situtations such as thinking about work in the shower.

It would be really handy if we could comp hours on task at home or during the commute in leiu of working on Friday afternoon!

I hate that my employer makes me ask/find things to do. If something needs to get done, it should be planned out. If they want me to plan it out for myself, I should get paid as much as they do. What’s the point of having a manager if they don’t ever bother managing?

I have to agree about the creativity aspects. I used to keep a pad of paper and pen by my bed and wake up to write down my ideas. Some of the hardest problems are figured out in the most improbable moments.

I hate the time clock! But I am noticing that there are more and more people who don’t even give a full day of work so maybe for many it is necessary. Not the best solution but the best they can come up with.

Hi Carol….

maybe a better solution would be to address the cause of people’s disengagement. Nah, that’ll never happen. 🙂

It always amazed me how diligent and effective organizations are in bleeding the joy and satifaction out of work.

back in my consulting days I wrote a piece called the “myth of Motivation” the premise was most people come hardwired with motivation. the trick is just to avoid throwing water on those fires.

but most managers love their fire hoses. 🙂

I lost my sanity a year ago, and i am only 24. Why did i take four years of calculus and 4 years of physics to ‘digitalize’ calculations that were done 40 years ago…

I want to further technology, not maintain it, the quality and efficiency is fine and thus i am bored.

Can i start designing an Annihilation Reactor for 1000x the output Energy Levels? at 1000% less the cost?
At least that may help us travel throughout the Universe…way more interesting then the overlords’ enslavement here on earth.

I hated chasing up clients who failed to pay their invoices on time. Most of the time they got offended and started to kick off. Leaving that job was the best thing I did.

According to my attorney friend, some attorneys have to log their time down to 6-minute increments! I guess that makes sense when you’re billed out at $300+/hr. Time spent creating your timesheets isn’t billable, of course, and so is unpaid.

Creativity on demand is near impossible for me. And as a fairly intelligent person the mundane is a death sentence. The only time I appreciated a mindless job was when I was in the thick of my studies–I was thinking so much back then I needed a job that required no thinking on my part.
The best job I ever had was as a teacher. Sure there is a time clock but there is also flexibility. The administration outlined the curriculum, but I implemented it as I saw fit. The boss(es)left me alone for the most part. I got to create how things were done. When my creativity was gone I relied on past lesson formats or quiet independent student work. Teaching down time (but still on the clock)was not always spent on school work. Sometimes I read for pleasure, meal planned or whatever my personal life needed. Likewise some of my time off the clock was spent creating lessons or grading or whatever for school. It was a good fit for me. The problem, for most, is that the salary vs cost of the college education required. Me, I scholarshipped all the way to MA Ed. so I didn’t have that stumbling block.

What drives me crazy is the having to put in 40 hours (minimum) no matter how much I actually achieve. I tend to think (and work) faster than most people. I also don’t spend my time while working surfing the net, on Facebook, etc. So I’m a pretty driven worker. But still, 40 hours minimum. I’m technically salaried too, so any hours over 40 don’t get me more pay. BUT….. if I work less than 40 I have to make up the difference with personal or vacation leave, etc. Go figure. I can work 50 hours and get paid for 40 but if I work 30 hours the next week, I have to make up 10 hours with leave time.

Another thing I hate is working for/with overpaid morons. Seems that people’s pay and job title expands with how useless they really are. So I have to contend with nitpicking overpaid mouse pushers who are unable to see the big picture and have no clue what I really do for work.

My present job does allow me to work from home when it’s possible so that’s a real benefit. A previous job didn’t allow that at all; 40 hours plus sitting in the cube staring at the screen. Ugh. Can’t do that.