You are not supposed to work every minute of your shift

Yesterday, I went to a client's factory and heard about a new increasingly popular time tracking software, they were using. I have seen lots of ads on it, claiming savings of 100s of thousands per year, but I had never seen it in action. Shortly speaking, at every major "rest area" (entrance, toilets, smoking room, dining room etc) fingerprint readers have been installed. Every time an employee goes there, he has to register. This is simply so wrong in my eyes, an extreme micromanagement tool. Of course, the savings come from employee salaries.

Having been a manager for nearly a decade (now a CTO), I am probably the anti-thesis of micromanagement. I believe in energy management. A rested person is significantly more productive compared to a tired person, which is why breaks are needed and generally they lead to better performance. Personally, I have always been taking around 5-10 minute break (more like 5, as I am smoker, although quite often we start discussing work with others) every 20 minutes, unless meetings, M and never working more than 8 hours. To be honest, the best ideas happen during these breaks and it is always good to take your mind off the task for a second and have a fresh look soon. Working is not running a marathon, but a series of short sprints. In addition, breaks are great time to plan.

That is the reason, I also do not believe in overtime (our company has 40 hour work weeks, not hourly wages). From manager's perspective, I want to maximise the performance of my employees, not the time the employees put in. Additional time spent, does not necessarily lead to better work. A healthy and focused mind can do the work of 3 hours in 2, if not faster, compared to a tired mind and mistakes are far less likely to happen.

I truly hope this software does not get additional ground. It simply robs employees to increase the profit margin.

a reply to: Cabin

A 10 minute break every 20 minutes ????????????????

You are actually "tired" after working 20 minutes ????????????

a reply to: Cabin

you mean they get a break? At my job we are told we are not entitled to breaks. Only 30 minute lunch on 8.5 hour shift. And i work at a very basic retail job. It makes for long days if you smoke cigarettes like I do. Just before lunchtime you do not want to encounter me because I'll be grumpy because I WANT A CIGARETTE. And yes, management WILL watch videotape and see if you are working the entire time or chit chatting, etc.

a reply to: M5xaz

Generally more like 5 (I am smoker). Unless, I happen there with some team leads (Then we discuss work). 20 minutes of laser-focus makes you tired, after that attention slowly starts to drift away. It comes to intensity of work.

originally posted by: Cabin
a reply to: M5xaz

Generally more like 5 (I am smoker). Unless, I happen there with some team leads (Then we discuss work)

And you can't go, say, 1 hour between breaks ?

Every 20 minutes or 20 minutes on average seems highly excessive. You ADHD ?

a reply to: M5xaz

20 minutes of laser-focus makes you tired, after that attention slowly starts to drift away. It comes to intensity of work. I also tend to speed-read, which makes eyes tired. To be honest, also scientifically, in sales it has been found, that the average attention span of an adult is less than 20 minutes.

I found a lot of people think they know the job.. the work.. when they really don't.

You have to live it to know.

It's kind of sad that 'workers'' are measured like machinery... while products are just considered like widgets.

I think that's why 'workmanship' and 'craftsmanship' have gone by the way side... because there's no cell for it on the spreadsheet.

a reply to: Cabin


Hmmm...
I have seen these types of measures implemented before just really didn't think it was as prevalent as it seems to be now.
From a managerial standpoint with the capital to back it I guess I can see how that could work.
I also see a massive drop in job applications.
I myself do not ever want to be monitored in such a way.
Fortunately my time is monitored by my emails!
So I can be dropping one in the toilet and they wouldn't know otherwise.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: Cabin


Hmmm...
I have seen these types of measures implemented before just really didn't think it was as prevalent as it seems to be now.
From a managerial standpoint with the capital to back it I guess I can see how that could work.
I also see a massive drop in job applications.
I myself do not ever want to be monitored in such a way.
Fortunately my time is monitored by my emails!
So I can be dropping one in the toilet and they wouldn't know otherwise.

Respectfully TMI...

a reply to: Cabin

Its almost the opposite in my line of work. I can take a break whenever I want...however I supervise a team of lighting techs. If I am wandering away while work is being done I am not supervising the work which I am ultimately responsible for nor am I available to answer questions which results, a lot of times, in things being done wrong nad having to be redone. If the client or production management notice the reason they have to pay people for a bunch more hours is because I smoke a lot I won't get much work.

I too have to maintain laser focus most of the time during a load in. I have to ensure every aspect of the shows engineering is addressed and done properly which one some shows involves 100s if not 1000s of lights, networking multiple stations and equipment, and all of the power aspects...oh and ill the cable routing. These shifts can be anything from 4-16hr days...sometimes multiple days of that.

It always gets done and the show always happens...20min of attention is a joke!

a reply to: putnam6

Fair enough...respectfully
Fun game one can do!
Time your bathroom time and take into account the money you have made whilst doing so and at the end of the month you can figure in how much monies you made on the crapper!
I have too much time on my hands clearly.

Shortly speaking, at every major "rest area" (entrance, toilets, smoking room, dining room etc) fingerprint readers have been installed.

Yes, this does sound dramatic. However, I feel no sympathy. Having worked decades and decades for ''management'' types I learned that managers believe themselves to be a cut above. THE BOSS.

Now our OP may be an exception and I do not know OP but I can also be honest and say that managers who take cigarette breaks though out the day while claiming to be discussing the jobs is baloney. And sure, that does happen, those talks, but for the most part it camaraderie and cigarettes. I would bet that non-managerial types have tons of stories of bosses like that.

So this seems more to be, to me at least, that here is a manager who is afraid of losing some of that company paid free time to lollygag and socialize.

The rest of the working world is coming under increasing pressures to produce, to work harder and faster, no doubt. Machines are taking jobs that people used to perform. Now, it appears that management will be getting a nice dose of this as well.

that the average attention span of an adult is less than 20 minutes.

Are we being told here that this company hires average people and then promotes them to high management positions like Chief Technology Officer.

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire

that the average attention span of an adult is less than 20 minutes.

Are we being told here that this company hires average people and then promotes them to high management positions like Chief Technology Officer.

Hmm.... Inquiring minds would like to know that answer.


But we all know the answer to that....and it's not the one most want to hear.

Smokers taking regular paid lazy breaks was so annoying, because while they smoked outside I’d have to do their work and mine. Strange as it may sound yes you are paid to work for those hours, and if others are having to do your work because you are taking breaks when they are not then know a lot of them probably dont like you.

originally posted by: Cabin
a reply to: M5xaz

20 minutes of laser-focus makes you tired, after that attention slowly starts to drift away. It comes to intensity of work. I also tend to speed-read, which makes eyes tired. To be honest, also scientifically, in sales it has been found, that the average attention span of an adult is less than 20 minutes.

Ummm....Engineering exams in college were 3 HOURS LONG, and you usually needed the full 3 hours to complete these exams, no time for ANY break.

In light of this, that 20 minutes average attention span claim seems dubious at best....

....although with the GenerationZ/Alpha raised to be constantly on their phones in need of 3 minute tik/tok videos, perhaps, sadly, we have devolved to that.....God help us......

a reply to: Tortuga

I smoke cigarettes and as a smoker I can tell you, you are 100% correct.
I never smoke around my employees or take a smoke break.
I have lozenges for that because when someone takes a smoke it can be unfair if the other person doesn't take advantage of that 15.
Now that is on them but should never be that way.
One person's habits is not others.

Guessing that you don't really have any stress in your job.

In a hyper competitive and rapidly shrinking economy, employers will be looking for ways to simply stay open. It's an absolute abomination how workers (especially lower paid) are treated, however, we're too easily replaceable, unless you really stand out....

I wouldn't look for fairness in a system designed to extract maximum profits, it ain't there.