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I recently finished grad school and just started my first job at a large, older corporation a few months ago, and it's been great! It blows my mind that people
by Xcelerate 9y ago
I recently finished grad school and just started my first job at a large, older corporation a few months ago, and it's been great! It blows my mind that people "voluntarily" work until 8 PM at a startup.
In fact, I recently asked my boss if I could shift my schedule earlier—instead of 8-5, I wanted to do 6-3 (with an hour lunch). I figured this would help me avoid traffic and give me more daylight hours in the afternoon. He said, "That's fine; we're flexible. Just make sure you're getting in 40 hours each week". So far, it's been amazing! And this is coming from the most morning-hating person ever. But finishing at 3:00 in the afternoon is a fantastic feeling (despite having to go to bed a bit earlier). Also, being the only person in the office from 6:00 - 7:30 means I get a ton of "deep work" time, and my productivity has shot up as well. I would give a hard "no" to any startup that wanted me to work 10-8. That's just absurd.
- ori_b 9y agoI've never been at a company that's actually cared about when I work. Is needing to ask your boss about coming in at a different time actually common?
- Xcelerate 9y agoNo idea. But it's my first real job and better safe to ask than sorry to assume things.
- JBlue42 9y agoIt's the right thing to do at most companies. People know when you're available and when you're not.
- Angostura 9y agoIf you're doing the kind of work that requires close collaboration with others, face-to-face or is customer-facing, absolutely.
- brianwawok 9y agoI have never worked at an in office job where I did NOT need to run my schedule by someone.
- yodsanklai 9y ago> It blows my mind that people "voluntarily" work until 8 PM at a startup. Some people love their job. I work in a public research lab and it's common to see people working on weekends or late at night simply because they like what they do. That being said, they also enjoy great flexibility to take days off.
- Xcelerate 9y agoI should have clarified better. I don't see anything wrong with staying until 8 PM at a startup if you love the work (I could see myself doing that if it was something I was really passionate about). What I have an issue with is the expectation. It was implied in the article that staying late at work was technically "voluntary" (hence the quotes), but in practice, you were expected to fit in with the culture regardless of whether you could or even wanted to.