Quote:
Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot  Speaking for myself, I go to work 5 days a week, but basically no one really cares what time I go to work, and how long I go for lunch, or what time I leave the office. The general idea is that as long as I get my work done, no one should bother when I come and go. |
That's how it SHOULD be, and when it happens people are much more satisfied at their workplace. But at least out here, many still have the mindset that if you're not at your desk working 8 hours a day, you're ripping off your boss. We still have the assembly-line mentality.
At my last office, I more or less had the freedom you described, until the economy worsened. Then all of the sudden people were getting in trouble if they used the restroom more than twice a day. It became like a prison. I was a senior employee and I saw all those perks I had taken for granted, drift away over time. I was capable of managing my own work-load, and regulating how much time I devoted to each project, but the owner decided eventually that he wanted to make everyone's decisions for them (one person micro-managing the actions of dozens of people, all day), the company fell into total chaos. I'm not sure they're going to make it, and I'm glad I'm off the sinking ship.
Doesn't mean ALL companies are like this... but it is a big mental block for me when thinking of getting a new job. I most definitely was treated like a slave, and I was at the company longer than most others, and was more productive and efficient than most others. Eventually that stopped meaning anything to the owner.