jjquantz
Full time employment: Posting here.
From the Economist: In search of lost time: Why is everyone so busy? | The Economist
Too many gems to summarize easily, but these two stood out for me:
"Because knowledge workers have few metrics for output, the time people spend at their desks is often seen as a sign of productivity and loyalty. So the stooge who is in his office first thing in the morning and last at night is now consistently rewarded with raises and promotions, or saved from budget cuts."
I saw this happen all too many times. Individuals with very low productivity, but high visibility were rewarded.
"Until the 1970s, American workers put in the same number of hours as the average European, and a bit less than the French. But things changed during the big economic shocks of the 1970s. In Europe labour unions successfully fought for stable wages, a reduced work week and more job protection. Labour-friendly governments capped working hours and mandated holidays. European workers in essence traded money for more time—lower wages for more holiday."
It's very difficult to fight this battle on your own. On several occasions I offered to work fewer hours for less pay but, not surprisingly, I was only taken up on this when I was teaching and when I was phasing out at a non-profit. This was a non-starter at my corporate positions.
Also, there are many great insights about why people "feel" like they have no leisure time when, in fact, they do.
I am so glad to be out of the rat race!
Too many gems to summarize easily, but these two stood out for me:
"Because knowledge workers have few metrics for output, the time people spend at their desks is often seen as a sign of productivity and loyalty. So the stooge who is in his office first thing in the morning and last at night is now consistently rewarded with raises and promotions, or saved from budget cuts."
I saw this happen all too many times. Individuals with very low productivity, but high visibility were rewarded.
"Until the 1970s, American workers put in the same number of hours as the average European, and a bit less than the French. But things changed during the big economic shocks of the 1970s. In Europe labour unions successfully fought for stable wages, a reduced work week and more job protection. Labour-friendly governments capped working hours and mandated holidays. European workers in essence traded money for more time—lower wages for more holiday."
It's very difficult to fight this battle on your own. On several occasions I offered to work fewer hours for less pay but, not surprisingly, I was only taken up on this when I was teaching and when I was phasing out at a non-profit. This was a non-starter at my corporate positions.
Also, there are many great insights about why people "feel" like they have no leisure time when, in fact, they do.
I am so glad to be out of the rat race!