 | | "When people think times are bad" ... When people think there's a downturn in the economy, they are going to show up at the office more.
There is a benefit to being "seen" by your boss, doing actual work.
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»www.codecipher.com - Marking the way to tomorrow's solutions | |
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 |  AtlGuy
join:2000-10-17
Marietta, GA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... said by Devanchya:When people think there's a downturn in the economy, they are going to show up at the office more. There is a benefit to being "seen" by your boss, doing actual work. Not me. Just the opposite in fact. Going to the office in my case means nothing. My boss telecommutes from DC, while I live in the Atlanta area. | |
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| | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Yes and I would say that would have to be even worse in some respects. Instead of being able to meet or see your boss occasionally, you both are virtual entities to one another. While I am sure you have met your boss in person, I doubt its on a regular basis (assuming). Hence, when it comes time for promotions, raises, etc you are stuck lobbying off an email or phone call to plead your case versus an in person discussion. This is of course pending you didn't opt to fly down and meet, but that gets pricey. | |
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| | |  en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Most of my team is spread across the country.
Nobody's local. I've met my manager once in 4 years.. and I've had 3 different managers since 2003, and one more coming up.
Being in the office has its benefits - but isn't always feasible.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Without a doubt, that is true. I think in good times, telecommuting is a great thing. Companies are more likely to promote and not worry about the raises as much. The only issue is that in times of lean, job cuts are a huge worry. Those with face time often have an ally if they are in the good graces of their boss. I guess its as you said a mixed bag with mixed benefits. I think being able to work from home would be great. If you arent feeling well or have something to do that day, you can take time off to do it as long as you get the work done. | |
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| | | | | en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... said by jc100: Those with face time often have an ally if they are in the good graces of their boss. I definately agree on that one... my boss (who worked in the office) was recently canned. Now I have to train a new boss.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | | | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Ouch. Well I guess since you get to train the new boss, hopefully he's on your side. Let's hope he's a good guy. The only downside is that you have to make sure you dot all your Is and cross your Ts when training a boss. You don't want him or her to appear inept and the shit to fall from the top back down! If done right, then you should be in a good spot since he knows your name and you gave him the proper tools to do his own job. | |
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| | | | | | | en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Well, upper management knows what they're doing (not always what we're doing), and I have to pretty much ensure that what we're doing is not offshored or obsoleted. Basically I gotta sell my stuff to a new manager.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | | | | | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Sounds like "fun". I imagine you got to always stay on your toes and constantly remind them why your position is valuable. Sounds like a stressful job =). Then again, I doubt there is any job that isn't filled with it these days. | |
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| | | | | | | | | en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Pretty much sums it up... managers are like a revolving door. None are here longer than a year or 2.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Somehow I got a funny hunch that isn't because they are quickly promoted within the company? Let me guess, its because they opt to leave for greener pastures? That says something pretty negative if a company has that bad of a turn over. | |
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| | | | | | | | | en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Many different reasons...
I happen to work on projects that many managers don't want to touch (ie. too complex for many to grasp, and its a bit of a square peg/round hole issue).
Managers (of various levels - project, or delievery) end up either bailing (i.e. got their feet wet, and can't handle it), or attempting to climb the corp ladder quickly (just there for a project, and moving up), or the last case, round of layoffs and got canned, and have 'buddies' that upper management wants to fit in.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... Corporate speak:
1) Definition number one... managers being inept
Actual definition - I'm a good and smooth talker and was able to get my foot in the door, but now that I have to show I know the stuff, o crap. I didn't realize that was part of the job.
2)Joining to climb the ladder.
Actual Definition - I am friends with someone way up there so watch me do half assed work and get super recognized for it at the expense of others!! HOO YA!!
3) Round of layoffs
Actual definition - This sucks. Maybe I should have brown nosed more. However, this is the corporate world for you. Friend in high places make happy faces. No friends in high places make my job go to other places. | |
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| | | | | | | | | en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... I've seen (and still see) all of the above on a daily basis.
#1 Inept managers (typically) end up being middleman or front end defense for workers. Try to avoid them at all cost. Most don't know crap, but try to BS very well, and slime their way up the ladder.
#2 Haven't met many yet that haven't been there attempting to climb the ladder. Most stick around for 1 round of projects and attempt to get themselves promoted out... at the expense of those doing the work. Many are actually inept managers that actually got their foot stuck in the door because they didn't know what they were getting themselves into.
#3 Fact of business... big business is less loyal than small business, however, corp sees $$$ bottom line. Make an influence by either stirring the pot and getting management recognition, or 'find friends high up' - those with friends high up, are typically #1 on your definition. Management looks for a hole to stick them in as a favor.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Re: "When people think times are bad" ... I'm sure. The corporate world is synonymous for rewarding sheer stupidity. I can think of no other entity that rewards bad performance than the corporate world. In most jobs, if you fail you are gone. However, if you make it to be an Exec or CEO and screw the company good, you get a 100 million dollar severance package to leave. Of course, 6000 job cuts follow in order to pay the one guy off though. Yet, that is the name of the game. A lot of companies hire the worst performers only to see their bottom line shrink. Instead of writing in their contracts that their salary and bonuses are contingent on GOOD performance, the latter always seems to occur. I've got no issue giving a CEO big bucks if hes turned record profit. By all means, kick the guy 20 million if he made 1 billion profit. Unfortunately, it's the guy who loses 1 billion that walks away with 100 million. Amazing, huh?
As for people trying to climb the ladder of success, well I guess that's always going to be true. However, what also seems true, are the most deserving rarely get their time int he spotlight. It seems to be those who have managed to weasel and steal the limelight get the big promotions. I am sure there are many good guys in companies who have been passed over due to that manager that trumpeted a project. Those were my guys and I DID all the work! I'm sure that's what you were referring to on #1. It goes hand and hand with #2.
On to #3, well that's pretty self explanatory. I guess the person giving to the bottom line is loved, and the rest are seen with either a smirk or disdain. IE, the low guy is here to do his job but he's here or hes not, no big deal. On the other hand, if the low guy does well, fall back to #1 and #2 with manager or boss taking credit at his or her expense.
HEHE.. got to love the cynical nature of business. | |
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| | | Yep. If a boss views you as a faceless entity, you are less likely to be promoted and more likely to be cut when times are tough. It's a catch 22. On one hand, its good for you and allows great freedom to work from home. On the other, you are at the mercy of a company who looks at the numbers and not the human factor. If numbers come out low, your paycheck or career might come out the same. This is backed up by many studies that find face time is the best way to build repertoire and build interactions with other employees. | |
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| | | Many larger companies are now outsourcing any job that can be done from home so telecommuting can be just asking to be fired if you work for one of these evil companies. | |
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| AZinOH
join:2007-04-25
Swanton, OH Reviews:
 ·Windstream
| said by Devanchya:When people think there's a downturn in the economy, they are going to show up at the office more. There is a benefit to being "seen" by your boss, doing actual work. My employer allows only the most reliable-most productive ones to telecommute. All the others are kept in the office where a supervisor can keep an eye on them. We are monitored daily, and you better believe that anyone slacking off will have their privileges yanked. If new work is added or there are other changes-then I go spend a day at the office. I have had to spend 2 days there since 4/2007. We even get our annual evaluations remotely-hasn't been a problem. Of course, every situation is different...but my "benefit" is in staying home to work rather than driving every day. | |
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| | Change the Schedule Instead of 5-8 hour days, I think the normal should be 4-10 hour days. That's one less day of the week people spend rushing to work in the morning, worrying about getting kids off to school on top, etc. If the federal government started a Mon-Thursday work week, many other places would soon follow.
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"I sincerely believe the banking institutions having the issuing power of money are more dangerous to liberty than standing armies." Thomas Jefferson | |
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| | But they say it's not a commercial service... Many times in these very forums when customers complain of problems doing work-related tasks using their broadband connection we are reminded that the service to which we subscribe is an "entertainment" and not a commercial-quality service. We are told by the telecom companies that we should not be using our home-quality connections for work-related tasks and that we need their "business class" service for that.
Nowhere in the article did the author mention this little inconsistency. | |
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|  MacLeechThe one and onlyPremium
join:2001-07-14
SoCal
kudos:3
2 edits | Re: But they say it's not a commercial service... said by tirebiter:We are told by the telecom companies that we should not be using our home-quality connections for work-related tasks and that we need their "business class" service for that. Nowhere in the article did the author mention this little inconsistency. Probably because TWtelcom primary business is a "Business Class" service provider for businesses:
»www.twtelecom.com/about_us/about_us.html
Don't get this confused with TWcable which is a totally different company with totally different products. | |
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| | | | Re: But they say it's not a commercial service... There logo looks more like AT&t if you ask me. | |
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| | |  PaulgDisplaced YooperPremium
join:2004-03-15
Neenah, WI
kudos:1 | Re: But they say it's not a commercial service... That was my first thought as well. | |
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| | | | | | Re: But they say it's not a commercial service... Their logo has been that before AT$T started using it. | |
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| | It's about time someone started pushing telecommuting Time Warner has a vested interest in this, but with the price of gas and global climate change, there's few reasons why telecommuting shouldn't be adopted on a national scale. I'm surprised the Bush administration hasn't pushed for this solution...well, actually I'm not surprised...  | |
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| | Dude what are you talking about? Being seen is just a perception. It is the work that is completed and what you produce. You can be in the office doing nothing just as easily as doing nothing at home. Granted there is the old mentality with bosses that is if an employee is not seen doing work then, they are not. Our group has the option to work at home and we all do so. The work we do as network engineers allows us to be working anywhere that has internet access and cellular coverage. For the most part some of the fortune 500 company we deal with have closed offices and left a single office open for workers in a 100 mile radius to go to for meetings. The reason for that was to save in office leasing and MAC charges( Move, Add, Changes). Granted some companies like AT&T are trying to reign in the telecommuters so they can have oversight, maybe because they believe the workers are not working or because they believe workers can't work unless they have a manger hang over their shoulder. | |
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| | | Telecommuting Although telecommuting sounds blissful, the reality is that it's not always a feasable option for many jobs. In addition, there are many situations, for instance mentoring and evaluating new hires, where you need daily, personal interaction.
More worrisome is an issue that no one seems to address in this era of the global, multi-national corporations--the trend to reduce the number of "employees" through conversion to contract positions. In the US, for tax and other legal purposes, the traditional business law concept of "agency" is used to determine if one is an employee or independent contractor. Among the factors considered, is the level of control, whether busniess tools are provided and business facilities. The more corporations can back away from the various factors considered by courts and government entitites the more successful they will be in converting a significant portion of employee positions to independent contractor positions. Although this may not necessarily be bad in all instances, it will be yet another significant sea change for future generations. | |
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 hopeflickerCapitalism breeds greedPremium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1
1 edit | Greed! They are pushing this telecommuting simply because they want to charge users the $150/month business connection and a new $6/month telecommuting fee.
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Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, Controls people, Deludes people. | |
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|  RARPSL
join:1999-12-08
Suffern, NY | Re: Greed! said by hopeflicker:They are pushing this telecommuting simply because they want to charge users the $150/month business connection and a new $6/month telecommuting fee. By users do you mean the companies or the employees? If the former than the cost to the company of $156/month per telecommuter should be a business expense which gets offset by the reduced (or eliminated) office rental/etc. expenses. Thus it is a win/win for both.
If it is the employee who has to pay, the equation is less clear cut although I'd think that a significant part (if not all of it) of that $156 would be offset by the reduced gasoline cost as well as the Monthly Parking Lot fees (if the company does not have a free parking lot).
Just because the Telco is pushing this to make money, does not mean that it is a bad idea if the user is saving money due to their reduced or eliminated expenses. | |
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| | Much Ado Mass transit is neither energy-efficient nor does it eliminate gridlock.
Telecommuting is detrimental to your career, unless you're the boss/self-employed, in which case, it ain't telecommuting, its "work from home".
Most people CAN'T telecommute, and their company won't pay for the space anyway, just a DSL connection and/or a phone. Even though it might save the company $500/month.
Telecommuting won't take off until governments get out of the way, and allow the extra space to be built in homes and apartments without extra fees, taxes, valuation, etc. In our city, if you put in a 100' of home-office space, they'd declare it a bedroom and require an extra parking space. | |
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| Reviews:
 ·WOW Internet and..
·Time Warner Cable
| Re: Much Ado you talking about the parking spots at home is a business ran at home- not working at home for another company. When you work for another company from home the local gov'ts don't get in the way. They could careless. The only thing they want is the taxes they make off you working in that city. | |
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