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So, as a CEO, if you have an employee who wakes up early and wishes to put in a few hours early, you're OK with making that difficult by restricting the hours d

So, as a CEO, if you have an employee who wakes up early and wishes to put in a few hours early, you're OK with making that difficult by restricting the hours during which emails can be sent? What about the employee who likes to work for a while after putting his kids to bed? I've had both kinds of employees, and I'm happy to facilitate their unusual work hours. The employee with young kids would often leave in the afternoon, and I was totally OK with that. His wife was a doctor and did not have flexible hours. He took the kids to soccer games. And he was the most awesome employee I’ve ever had the honor of managing.

Retric 9y ago
Nothing prevents you from composing an email outside of business hours, but not sending it. In an actual emergency email is a terrible communication medium, thus no email should ever be of a time critical nature.
- lotsofpulp 9y ago
  Then what is the problem with sending it? The sender should know email is not for time sensitive things, it's for posterity and referencing. If you have an urgent matter, then call.
- greglindahl 9y ago
  As a manager, answering emails in my off hours enables others to do useful work during their unusual hours. What you really want to attack is the expectation for employees to respond when they are not working— something that I do not expect.
jedberg 9y ago
I accommodate them and reply and respond, and we set clear expectations that I may not respond in my off hours, and I don't expect them to respond in theirs.
TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
To be fair, the parent did provide a solution to this problem by suggesting emails be saved in the drafts folder until regular work hours resume. Also, there's the argument that by implicitly encouraging out of hours work you may unknowingly be creating an expectation to some observers.
- greglindahl 9y ago
  How is it a solution to handicap both manager and unusual worker by prohibiting emails during their preferred work hours? The real problem is elsewhere. And yes, I actively manage the expectation of who should quickly respond to an email— frequently I will say it is not an emergency and can wait for their normal workday.
  - TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
    Ah, right, fair enough. I see your perspective now.
  - shawn 9y ago
    Reliable 9-5 hours are also very difficult for narcoleptics. This is important to consider in matters of law, because it’s a disability and must be accommodated. E.g. if they’re in a managerial position. Unless we’re suggesting narcoleptics may not email anyone outside of 9-5. Which leads to the situation you pointed out.

Retric 9y ago

Nothing prevents you from composing an email outside of business hours, but not sending it. In an actual emergency email is a terrible communication medium, thus no email should ever be of a time critical nature.

lotsofpulp 9y ago
Then what is the problem with sending it? The sender should know email is not for time sensitive things, it's for posterity and referencing. If you have an urgent matter, then call.
greglindahl 9y ago
As a manager, answering emails in my off hours enables others to do useful work during their unusual hours. What you really want to attack is the expectation for employees to respond when they are not working— something that I do not expect.

jedberg 9y ago

I accommodate them and reply and respond, and we set clear expectations that I may not respond in my off hours, and I don't expect them to respond in theirs.

TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago

To be fair, the parent did provide a solution to this problem by suggesting emails be saved in the drafts folder until regular work hours resume. Also, there's the argument that by implicitly encouraging out of hours work you may unknowingly be creating an expectation to some observers.

greglindahl 9y ago
How is it a solution to handicap both manager and unusual worker by prohibiting emails during their preferred work hours? The real problem is elsewhere. And yes, I actively manage the expectation of who should quickly respond to an email— frequently I will say it is not an emergency and can wait for their normal workday.
- TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
  Ah, right, fair enough. I see your perspective now.
- shawn 9y ago
  Reliable 9-5 hours are also very difficult for narcoleptics. This is important to consider in matters of law, because it’s a disability and must be accommodated. E.g. if they’re in a managerial position. Unless we’re suggesting narcoleptics may not email anyone outside of 9-5. Which leads to the situation you pointed out.