Comments on: Work: being productive… or keeping busy? http://www.wayofthemind.org/2005/09/08/work-being-productive-or-keeping-busy/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:26:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Dehumanizer http://www.wayofthemind.org/2005/09/08/work-being-productive-or-keeping-busy/comment-page-1/#comment-126 Dehumanizer Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:03:20 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/?p=48#comment-126 Funny letter. :) But it wouldn't work, because bosses' superiors are exactly the same. But thanks for the support. :) Funny letter. :) But it wouldn’t work, because bosses’ superiors are exactly the same.

But thanks for the support. :)

]]> By: Kanzentai http://www.wayofthemind.org/2005/09/08/work-being-productive-or-keeping-busy/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Kanzentai Sat, 10 Sep 2005 06:58:58 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/?p=48#comment-125 "So why do bosses, managers, even CEOs insist on it so much? Why do they judge employees by it, instead of by the work they actually do?" It makes their job easier: they don't have to know if you're doing anything, they just want to show they're keeping their team working actively to the people above them. Ambition, really. Wrong means, but right end. A little letter to his superior wouldn't hurt, now would it? "Mr/Ms/Mrs. xxxx, your subordinate and my boss, mr/ms/mrs xxxxx, punishes us for working fast. The other day, I finished what would take 3 hours in an hour and a half and as soon as I stopped looking busy, he came in and asked me why I was slacking off. I told him/her I had finished my task. He looked mad at me for an instant, but then proceeded to reprehend me for not being busy! (the whole idea is so ludicrous I'm actually having a hard time writing it in a believable way) He didn't give me anything new to do, which surprised me even more, actually. In fact, some of my colleagues bring some random sheets of paper to work everyday, just fumble them all day, sometimes "reading them", sometimes writing on them, just as long as they look busy... Now, would you call this productive? Yours truly, yxyx xxxxyxyyy" Something like this, slighty less informal and slightly more serious :) “So why do bosses, managers, even CEOs insist on it so much? Why do they judge employees by it, instead of by the work they actually do?”

It makes their job easier: they don’t have to know if you’re doing anything, they just want to show they’re keeping their team working actively to the people above them. Ambition, really. Wrong means, but right end.

A little letter to his superior wouldn’t hurt, now would it?

“Mr/Ms/Mrs. xxxx, your subordinate and my boss, mr/ms/mrs xxxxx, punishes us for working fast. The other day, I finished what would take 3 hours in an hour and a half and as soon as I stopped looking busy, he came in and asked me why I was slacking off. I told him/her I had finished my task. He looked mad at me for an instant, but then proceeded to reprehend me for not being busy! (the whole idea is so ludicrous I’m actually having a hard time writing it in a believable way) He didn’t give me anything new to do, which surprised me even more, actually. In fact, some of my colleagues bring some random sheets of paper to work everyday, just fumble them all day, sometimes “reading them”, sometimes writing on them, just as long as they look busy… Now, would you call this productive? Yours truly, yxyx xxxxyxyyy”

Something like this, slighty less informal and slightly more serious :)

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