3 ms·

As a manager I friendly told people to leave after 8h of work and then kicked them out after a nudging them friendly and a grace period because I believe develo

As a manager I friendly told people to leave after 8h of work and then kicked them out after a nudging them friendly and a grace period because I believe developer productivity is limited (as shown in studies) and you should have a life outside the company. This regularily got me into fights with other execs and CEO who said "Stephan, when I go through technology at 8pm there is no one there, don't we know we're a startup?" When a friend and I was on business in Japan we wanted to meet someone at 11pm at night. We were waiting in the business complex and lots and lots of people were leaving at that time (11pm!), then we got a call he could not leave. What a sad working culture.

hacktavist24 4y ago
Not only that, but people should be encouraged to take time off entirely. IMO, if you're not taking at least 3 weeks a year off, you're probably damaging your ability to do your best work. (Are there any studies on this?)
- maccard 4y ago
  > IMO, if you're not taking at least 3 weeks a year off, you're probably damaging your ability to do your best work Make that more like 5 weeks. The legal minimum here in the UK is 33 days (well, it might be 34 next year but we'll see), which is 5.5 weeks. Every job I've had as a professional has had more leave than that, usually 38-40 days (7.5-8 weeks), and in the last 3-4 years I've also had a weeks office closure during the summer. The feeling of taking a weeks break and coming back and you _not_ having to catch up on what's changed since you left is incredible.
  - fargo 4y ago
    it's actually 28 days but the rest of your points stand
    - maccard 4y ago
      So it is! I thought it was 27+8 bank holidays but I was wrong!
- simonswords82 4y ago
  Only three weeks a year? My team have at least five and usually more. Are you in America?
  - hacktavist24 4y ago
    American, but I'm factoring in holidays, too. That gets you more than another week, and you can stretch them out by strategic use of PTO days.
Tempest1981 4y ago
> When a friend and I was on business in Japan we wanted to meet someone at 11pm at night Do you think this is a carryover from the 1980s, when Japan was a world-leader in semiconductors and personal electronics? Is the thinking that this culture was the reason? And an attempt to return to the glory days? Or is it more of a social thing? With peer pressure?
- salty_biscuits 4y ago
  Social/cultural thing. Can't leave before the boss leaves. Have to arrive before the boss arrives.

hacktavist24 4y ago

Not only that, but people should be encouraged to take time off entirely. IMO, if you're not taking at least 3 weeks a year off, you're probably damaging your ability to do your best work. (Are there any studies on this?)

maccard 4y ago
> IMO, if you're not taking at least 3 weeks a year off, you're probably damaging your ability to do your best work Make that more like 5 weeks. The legal minimum here in the UK is 33 days (well, it might be 34 next year but we'll see), which is 5.5 weeks. Every job I've had as a professional has had more leave than that, usually 38-40 days (7.5-8 weeks), and in the last 3-4 years I've also had a weeks office closure during the summer. The feeling of taking a weeks break and coming back and you _not_ having to catch up on what's changed since you left is incredible.
- fargo 4y ago
  it's actually 28 days but the rest of your points stand
  - maccard 4y ago
    So it is! I thought it was 27+8 bank holidays but I was wrong!
simonswords82 4y ago
Only three weeks a year? My team have at least five and usually more. Are you in America?
- hacktavist24 4y ago
  American, but I'm factoring in holidays, too. That gets you more than another week, and you can stretch them out by strategic use of PTO days.

Tempest1981 4y ago

> When a friend and I was on business in Japan we wanted to meet someone at 11pm at night Do you think this is a carryover from the 1980s, when Japan was a world-leader in semiconductors and personal electronics? Is the thinking that this culture was the reason? And an attempt to return to the glory days? Or is it more of a social thing? With peer pressure?

salty_biscuits 4y ago
Social/cultural thing. Can't leave before the boss leaves. Have to arrive before the boss arrives.