3 ms·

Considering how little work people actually do at work we should be pushing for a 4 day work week instead.

wycs 8y ago
Much of the value is standby time. Even if workers are doing very little most of the day, the fact that you can spin up a worker instantly (between 9 and 9) in China can make their companies extremely efficient.
- sremani 8y ago
  Depends on what kind of work, if you are front-line developer the value of work is different from that of an executive. Executive game has more perception elements to it, in such the style is as much important as substance. Its has little or no similarities with the deep work needed from most of the knowledge workers.
  - DAaaMan64 8y ago
    I think I now what you're saying, but can you please ELI5?
  - camelCaseOfBeer 8y ago
    As so often brevity is the soul of wit, your comment is perfectly captured by this comic, published in the New Yorker. https://condenaststore.com/featured/i-get-up-impressively-early-too-tom-chitty.html https://condenaststore.com/featured/i-get-up-impressively-ea...
bitL 8y ago
Yeah, but how would you make managers feel important with the illusion of having control if they couldn't extend the time spent on their subordinates? Imagine the horror if an employee could do whatever they want for 3 unsupervised days in a row!
camelCaseOfBeer 8y ago
I know, right? I have like... 6 hours of focused programming in me TOPS. Even then, I'd need something I find personally compelling. What comes from those other 2 hours? Bugs... Mostly bugs... And fixing bugs I made when I was tired. Also writing HN comments while I poop on the clock. Yeah... Seems to me if an employer wanted to spend money more efficiently they should opt for the 6hr dev shifts. Engineers work on their own time. I don't get paid for the hour or two a day I spend on what biz people call, "professional development" but it benefits my employer. I guess it balances out, but I think I'd ultimately be a lot happier and productive if I got those two hours with my family every day instead of sitting on the toilet until my feet go numb. I mean who innovates, anyway? The punch-clock employees, worked to the bone? No. It's people working toward furthering their own goals and aspirations. How is it we understand so clearly what all these MBAs seem to have missed. Aren't they supposed to be the empathetic, "big picture" types?

wycs 8y ago

Much of the value is standby time. Even if workers are doing very little most of the day, the fact that you can spin up a worker instantly (between 9 and 9) in China can make their companies extremely efficient.

sremani 8y ago
Depends on what kind of work, if you are front-line developer the value of work is different from that of an executive. Executive game has more perception elements to it, in such the style is as much important as substance. Its has little or no similarities with the deep work needed from most of the knowledge workers.
- DAaaMan64 8y ago
  I think I now what you're saying, but can you please ELI5?
- camelCaseOfBeer 8y ago
  As so often brevity is the soul of wit, your comment is perfectly captured by this comic, published in the New Yorker. https://condenaststore.com/featured/i-get-up-impressively-early-too-tom-chitty.html https://condenaststore.com/featured/i-get-up-impressively-ea...

bitL 8y ago

Yeah, but how would you make managers feel important with the illusion of having control if they couldn't extend the time spent on their subordinates? Imagine the horror if an employee could do whatever they want for 3 unsupervised days in a row!

camelCaseOfBeer 8y ago

I know, right? I have like... 6 hours of focused programming in me TOPS. Even then, I'd need something I find personally compelling. What comes from those other 2 hours? Bugs... Mostly bugs... And fixing bugs I made when I was tired. Also writing HN comments while I poop on the clock. Yeah... Seems to me if an employer wanted to spend money more efficiently they should opt for the 6hr dev shifts. Engineers work on their own time. I don't get paid for the hour or two a day I spend on what biz people call, "professional development" but it benefits my employer. I guess it balances out, but I think I'd ultimately be a lot happier and productive if I got those two hours with my family every day instead of sitting on the toilet until my feet go numb. I mean who innovates, anyway? The punch-clock employees, worked to the bone? No. It's people working toward furthering their own goals and aspirations. How is it we understand so clearly what all these MBAs seem to have missed. Aren't they supposed to be the empathetic, "big picture" types?