Yep. Plus, if I'm going to spend 2 hours screwing around on the web, and have to spend 30 minutes deleting spam, doesn't that mean that I fritter away 2-1/2 hours?
I think that any white-collar worker that will look you into the eyes and tell you, honestly, that they spend more than 50% of their time at work actually "working" (on what they're actually getting paid for) is either an abject liar or deluding themselves.
They're talking, getting coffee, staring off into space, or otherwise occupying their minds. Always have, always will.
I admit nothing. My own sense is that you're generally right, Fred, but I wonder what Unf and Magik have to say, since I think that they really do work at work.
Thanks for the link. And, yes, I do know people in offices who really, really work at work. They are the valued executives, the salemen whose salary is tied to commissions, the coffee distributor, the receptionist/operator/security guard, and, of course the janitorial staff.
My point is not that NO work is done in offices but that part of the deal of having people work for uncompensated overtime includes a certain amount of frittertime... and, as we know here, the Web is the greatest item of Fritterware ever invented.
A) I have checked personal e-mail at work 3 times in the last 4 months.
B) I have spent maybe 4 hours reading unfogged at work in that time.
C) If you feel like frittering around, you can surf Web sites that talk about your field and log some "creative" time. This turns out to be a great way to stay on top of what's going on in your field, and turns up the occasional actually good idea.
D) Talking with co-workers is time well spent, even if you aren't talking about work. Studies have demonstrated that the most effective workers in white collar environments are those who are well-connected to their colleagues in different parts of the organization.
So... if you like your job, and you like your co-workers, you can slack off productively!
Yep. Plus, if I'm going to spend 2 hours screwing around on the web, and have to spend 30 minutes deleting spam, doesn't that mean that I fritter away 2-1/2 hours?
Posted by James Joyner | Link to this comment | 09-10-03 11:49 AM
I think that any white-collar worker that will look you into the eyes and tell you, honestly, that they spend more than 50% of their time at work actually "working" (on what they're actually getting paid for) is either an abject liar or deluding themselves.
They're talking, getting coffee, staring off into space, or otherwise occupying their minds. Always have, always will.
Posted by fred | Link to this comment | 09-10-03 1:57 PM
I admit nothing. My own sense is that you're generally right, Fred, but I wonder what Unf and Magik have to say, since I think that they really do work at work.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 09-10-03 2:08 PM
Thanks for the link. And, yes, I do know people in offices who really, really work at work. They are the valued executives, the salemen whose salary is tied to commissions, the coffee distributor, the receptionist/operator/security guard, and, of course the janitorial staff.
My point is not that NO work is done in offices but that part of the deal of having people work for uncompensated overtime includes a certain amount of frittertime... and, as we know here, the Web is the greatest item of Fritterware ever invented.
Posted by Vanderleun | Link to this comment | 09-10-03 6:05 PM
A) I have checked personal e-mail at work 3 times in the last 4 months.
B) I have spent maybe 4 hours reading unfogged at work in that time.
C) If you feel like frittering around, you can surf Web sites that talk about your field and log some "creative" time. This turns out to be a great way to stay on top of what's going on in your field, and turns up the occasional actually good idea.
D) Talking with co-workers is time well spent, even if you aren't talking about work. Studies have demonstrated that the most effective workers in white collar environments are those who are well-connected to their colleagues in different parts of the organization.
So... if you like your job, and you like your co-workers, you can slack off productively!
-Magik
PS, Now that is magik...
Posted by Magik | Link to this comment | 09-10-03 10:35 PM