TLDR: No-one pays for hours, they pay for value. Nothing else matters (to quote metallica). I think some companies (and people) need to change their thinking:

TLDR: No-one pays for hours, they pay for value. Nothing else matters (to quote metallica). I think some companies (and people) need to change their thinking: One might be thinking intensely about the problem for 2 hours, and spend 1 hour writing the code, they might report 7 hours. Not because they're lazy slackers, but because they're backburning, seeking flow and inspiration, getting interrupted and all the other stuff that gets in the way of coding.. I code mostly the first hour when I arrive, when I've got the clear idea from all the backburning that I couldn't help but do the night before when doing house chores, playing Apex Legends and on the drive to work. When that's been flushed, I read some articles and "wait for it to come back", then there's lunch, and after that I will read another article or two, listen to music, do reviews, and then think hard about the problem.. Then for the last 2 hours, "it" will be back, and I will write the code down. Am I lying when I've logged the days time? No. That code costs a days worth of salary, it does not matter how many lines it is, or even how hard it was to write. What matters is that my employer is satisfied with the value they got for that amount of money in that amount of time. If they can't accept that, they'd have to find someone else.. But would they want that? Would that guy who sits and types the entire day produce more code than me? Maybe not, maybe he's doing more interation. Maybe, maybe he's just better (tm) than I am. Maybe not, maybe he's writing more, but worse. But it does not even matter. Would the money for a days work be better spent on him than me? I wouldn't know. But I can't feel bad, because I'm doing the best I can, and my intention is good, and nobody can ask for more. I've been here for 6 years and never heard a word for it.