Late to work... No biggie right?

[Guest]

Alright, question.

Lets say that I am late to work by like 10 minutes tops. It doesn't happen all the time per say but lets assume for the sake of argument that I am about 10 minutes late about 6 times a month on average.

Is that a big deal?








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Ok lets add to this, lets say that my work is outstanding, I exceed goals and do more than enough work for 2 people.

Does it matter now?





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Or what if I meet goals consistently, my work is good and you receive tons of compliments on me and my work. Plus you can count on me, in 90% of the situations, to work over time or stay late.

Do those 6 times a month at 10 minutes tops matter?














My situation, my personal philosophy is that I do not make a big deal about showing up precisely at 9a however, I will be either 10 minutes +or- a specific time, unless there is a planned big deal going on. Sometimes I'm 10 minutes early, sometimes I'm 10 minutes late, and 9 times out of 10 I'll be the last person to go home or volunteer to come in early if you need someone to.

Since this community is about social norms, and what we can do to work our ways around them, I figured you guys would be best able to help me work through this issue I have with corporate America.

I've heard the "Why don't you just set your alarm 15 minutes earlier?" To which I would reply, "I will just hit the snooze until 15 minutes later." It's not that I'm lazy, far from it. It's not that I feel that my time is any more valuable than someone else. Nor is it that I wish to be rude. I sternly feel that what once made this country great was the leisurely pace in which we conducted ourselves in the past.

I am less stressed, I have the ability to think things through and analyze problems more efficiently, and I feel I am generally much happier with my leisurely pace. I do not have a need to speed things up for "everyday work" that will be there waiting on me like clockwork. I take special interest in "special" projects and excel very much at those I even volunteer for extra work, and will show up early for special assignments, and while I understand the importance of the more mundane work, I, quite frankly in fact, feel that my health is to the benefit of the company, so instead of stressing on when I get there, I choose to stress over how much work I get done, which isn't hard because the work is easy and a trained monkey or computer can do it, in most instances that is the case with more and more companies switching to automated software.

Obviously this is not how society feels. Help me understand.

What do you think? Thanks for you help.

[Guest]

rules of American society are as follows: you are perceived as having a set value on first impression (hence the 3 second rule in pick up and the impress them as you walk in the door rule of interviews). Once we are assigned value it is extremely hard to increase that value ( you are shy when you approach but have a great joke the joke probably won't even be heard and if you are 10 minutes early all the time and produce 10% more than anyone else you just do what you where hired to do well.) On the other hand, pick your nose in front of her or show up late 10 minutes and they notice it and devalue you. It's the same thing in pick up or a job, they don't care if you go the extra mile once you are there but do something that lowers your value and they notice. you don't have to do well, you just have to not screw it up.

There is a double standard though that really annoys me. I used to have a Prussian Generals attitude about being on time. You could check my sign in times at any job I had and I would sign in exactly on time. I would be there doing what was necessary to do my days work. My boss gave me shit in a review because even though I signed EXACTLY on time I wasn't doing my job. I was turning on my computer, checking messages, digging through my daily paper work but I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing (I did Phone support for Mcafee). So I asked him if the things I was doing were required for my job and he agreed they were necessary but I needed to do them before I signed in. You know, when I wasn't getting paid. So yes, you can get shit for not doing your job when you aren't getting paid to do it.

the answer? Fuck 'em, start a business.

[Guest]

;-)

[Guest]

to be promoted, you have to network. your hard work somewhat comes into play, but networking is still key.

i know i-banking is all about ass-kissing and hard work (coming in before boss and leaving after the boss, excel model being right), nothing in between or one of the other. even if you finish your work on time, the boss still wants you to come before him and leave after him.

this is how it really is... [url]http://flipchartfairytales.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/corpchess1.jpg[/url]

[Guest]

I arrive early and leave late, but in between I get shit done.

Both are noticed and as such I never worry about showing up a few minutes late or leaving a few minutes early from time to time OR taking an hour 1/2 long lunches so I can workout.

Remember, when you trade your skill and time for dollars you have sold yourself out. You are their slave and as such you are replaceable. Everyone in a company is, jobs are actually structured this way so that if you were to leave the company could still get by and they could find a replacement for you with relative ease. Obviously, this becomes less true the more senior you become.

[Guest]

[quote1246307145=Bull Run]
I arrive early and leave late, but in between I get shit done.

Both are noticed and as such I never worry about showing up a few minutes late or leaving a few minutes early from time to time OR taking an hour 1/2 long lunches so I can workout.

Remember, when you trade your skill and time for dollars you have sold yourself out. You are their slave and as such you are replaceable. Everyone in a company is, jobs are actually structured this way so that if you were to leave the company could still get by and they could find a replacement for you with relative ease. Obviously, this becomes less true the more senior you become.
[/quote1246307145]


Isn't that the problem though? I was under the impression that I was selling my time for X amount of work. I agree to work 8 hours a day for $45k a year, does it matter when, how, or in what capacity I get those 8 hours in if I am just as productive or more so than the next guy?

Obviously it does matter, I'm just wondering what the basis behind it mattering is

[Guest]

It only matters if they deem it to matter...remember, you're selling yourself to them, and as such you have to comply with their reality...

[Guest]

i come and go when i want becaause my review score is in the top 10% of my company (not to mention my boss loves me)..

but the reality is that in a corporate enviorment, being fair is required. if youre continually late and your boss doesnt say anything, this will open doors for poor performers to come in late. if this happens and your boss writes up the poor performers and not you, this can create a ton of issues...HR will have a field day with that.

but to answer your question, being late shouldnt matter if you get your work done, its just all a formality. unfortunately, managers use that as one of the ways to evaluate your performance, believing that it reflects your work habits. on time=good performer, which we all know is not true....

[Guest]

I'm gonna throw in my .02 here. 6 times a month seems like a lot to me. Most of the jobs I have had I would have been fired for that. That's 72 times a year. Many jobs have a 6-10 time late policy and you are out.

As others pointed out you are working for someone else. It is their reality that counts. Not yours. If they see you strolling in late at a leisurely pace 72 times a year they are going to be sour about it. Doesn't matter about the quality of your work. It is the impression of your work that counts. They have to *think* you are doing a great job, even if you truly aren't. Your tardiness will not make it seem like you care. Even if you actually do a great job at your work it will seem as though you do not care.

In business attitude is everything. Skill means nothing with the wrong attitude. Strolling in frequently late conveys the wrong attitude.

My advice: If you care about this job, show up on time. If you don't give a shit, keep showing up late.

If you want to show up 10 minutes late every day start your own business and create your own reality.

[Guest]

There are quite a few factors that go into this. Corporate culture, type of job, industry, and most importantly your boss.

Bottom line, like the Bull said, your manager/their management is the only thing that matters since it's their reality.

I manage an international team. I have no idea when they show up, when they leave. I'm sound asleep for over half of their working day. I manage people locally as well.. I work remotely sometimes myself. We are often called upon to work outside of normal business hours due to the nature of our business. If they perform, I really don't care when they show up, when they leave. I care about results. I expect everyone to conduct themselves professionally. We are all exempt employees(no overtime pay), i personally don't believe that to foster a team attitude, a "do whatever it takes mentality", benefits from micromanaging their time on a daily basis however i'm cognizant to the issue and i reinforce that they are empowered and expected to get the job done independently, and this message gets reinforced. That's [b]my[/b] management philosophy. If i chose to have a different philosophy, it would be completely within my right as a manager to run the team as I saw fit, as blunt as that sounds.