Boss Asks If He Should Fire Efficient Employee Who Finishes Work Early And Then Plays Video Games
At your job, are you getting paid for your work, or your time? In days past, when work was more likely to be manual and repetitive, bosses saw value in keeping their employees on the clock for as long as possible, in order to maximize their output. These days, however, with creative, project-based work more prominent, your efficiency in completing your tasks is more likely to be rewarded with greater free time. (Facebook cover image: Chase N.)
Not always though. This boss took to Quora to gauge people’s opinions on one particularly bright employee, who finished tasks so well and quickly that there was time left over for video games at the end of each day. The boss, harboring the kind of old-fashioned attitude that needs to be abolished in this day and age, didn’t like this at all. “Between the hours of 9am-5pm you are my bitch and you must work (or at least pretend you’re working) even if you have completed your daily quota,” you can imagine them saying to themselves while pondering whether or not to fire this excellent, but renegade worker.
Happily there are more enlightened individuals out there, and one response in particular had people on their feet applauding. Scroll down below to read it for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Here’s what other people thought about the situation
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Share on FacebookSeems to me that this employee is overqualified for the job he's doing now. A good employer would have considered to give him a more demanding job with better pay and not even think about firing him. This bad employer will probably find more tasks for the employee to do without paying him more. And the employee will either move on or become a slacker because working hard is rewarded by having to work even harder.
Why not ask him if he would like more work and an increase in payment? Good employees are so hard to come by...It is quite sad that many people rate work by the amount of hours spent rather than by the work done. Think of it from the perspective of Parkinson's law: "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". Thus, spending actually less time in the office is desirable for ALL sides involved.
at my work place everybody already knows that if you are efficient and good at your work, you'll end up doing everybody else's work as well
Years back, I had a very efficient and good-natured co-worker who left work 15 minutes early most days. The owner nagged him to work long hours (which were not needed). The co-worker left after his first kid was born. He was replaced by an irritable person who made lots of mistakes, then worked evenings to correct them. Bosses, be care what you wish for!
When I started working about 2 years back I was eager and determined. I would do my job and be done with a task in no time because I don't like to have a task hanging over me if I can do it and be done with it. I learnt that in the work place this is not necessarily a good thing. Completing my tasks on time or before time meant that I would be asked to help out colleagues who take frequent smoke breaks, who spend most of the time laughing and talking about I don't know what. So I have decided to be like them, take my time to do something or not do it all, just like them. The sad part for me is that this is pulling me down to their level of mediocrity. I like to excel in what I do, not to compete with others but with myself. I feel good when I know I have done good even if there is no reward. These days I don't even look forward to going to work simply because I do the same boring mediocre things. It is sad
Maybe you can keep doing your tasks fast, but send confirmations late. In the meantime, read a book, do some personal project, get creative etc. pretending that you're working.
Load More Replies...Employee could get flexible working hours. It's frustrating when you have to sit 8 hours at work, when there's no actual need for it. Salary stays the same, ofc.
Very few companies would allow this. Even if your pay is not hourly, most contracts stipulate how many hours per week you're supposed to work, and it's usually only short-term contract type jobs that would allow "get the work done by the deadline and I don't care how you do it" scheduling. For the most part, it's the job of the employer to keep their workforce utilized.
Load More Replies...Many years ago I worked in manufacturing of various components for electrical appliances. Each job had a "number" - the quantity you were expected to produce per hour. There was a bonus for extra - up to 20%. However if you were exceeding this or if you constantly achieved the 20% extra, they would raise the original hourly target and your workmates would hate you. Hence on some jobs which were easy you had to consciously slow down to make the work last until the end of the day.
I used to do this, while everyone slack off with their work I had worked three times as hard. I finished early but was not allow to leave early, I was given more work by helping those who were slacking. So I did my job, i did their job but we both got paid the same. Yeah, ok.
We do scrum at work, software development. This means the team agrees to develop certain features or fixes in a Sprint, 3 weeks in our case. If a task is finished, you take the next or help a team mate. If all tasks are done, there's always something to do, or you can go home early, since we have flexible hours. There is no, I play games the rest of the day, that would be considered rude and probably reason for termination. This also means we have a good team spirit as well as in the project.
I work overnight in the front office of a lodging facility. I always take care of my duties, then I'll admit, I binge on YouTube and WoW. But here's the thing, the moment someone comes in or something comes up, I immediately go into work mode and address it and I work on it until it's done BEFORE I go back to my game/book/whatever. This is why my boss doesn't care that I play. He understands that I will always take care of work first. I've had other bosses in the past that would just load more and more onto me, including a lot of stuff that THEY were supposed to be doing and getting paid for, until I finally lost my temper etc, but thankfully I no longer have to deal with them.
That's the way it should be. Congrats for finding the right job. The company wins and you win.
Load More Replies...This shows a flaw in the system that we take for granted. I'm also someone who gets things done quickly but feel it's a waste of time me staying at work just because we're there till 4.30 or whatever. If all the work is done for the day, they should let people go home as it's pointless paying someone to sit around doing nothing. It should not be about the number of hours you work, but about getting the work done. You'd also have a happier and more loyal workplace if people were often going home an hour or two earlier some days.
Some employers may be OK with that depending on the nature of the work and policies inherent in that particular work place, some may not, also depends on your managerial style and the employees specific job description. I am surprised though, that his boss who I assume is likely qualified and expected to meet the minimum expectations and responsibilities of a manager, needs to ask an online forum whether to fire an employee
Well, I think a person who is willing to admit he's not sure what to do about a situation he's not used to dealing with and ask for advice (and properly consider the advice and think about it himself, of course, not just let others decide for him) is much better a manager than anyone who thinks he always knows what's best. A lot of mistakes will come from thinking that asking for help means you're not good enough to just do it yourself.
Load More Replies...I was at a job cleaning condo's many years ago I was assigned 6 condo's per day as an average. each had 2 bedrooms with two kings 3 couches with hideaways. We had 5 other cleaners doing small 5-8 efficiency's they did daily each. Now there was a couple of times when I managed to get through mine before shifts end , and went to supervisor to offer to help, they send me to help the other girls. Well after 2 times of this. I stopped going in overdrive. and did what the other girls did, and it wasn't cleaning it was sitting watching soaps and games shows. I am not a smoker So I would also rather just get my work done fast and then take my brake. while others took there smoking brake for 30 -45 min, Oltho 10 min. was aloud. then expect me to help them finish was they could not get. been the same in every place I have worked. the faster the employee the more he is punished. What is wrong with this picture?
I was hired at job where I was promised a promotion after 3 months. In the meantime I was doing customer service. I kept waiting for the promotion that never happened. One day I was talking to my husband about how frustrated I was. He told me "It's because you are too good at your job. They.want to keep you in that position." He was a supervisor at his job, so he had a different perspective. I only stayed there a year, then I moved on.
It sucks so much you have to "scheme" to find that balance. Too good and your boss can't afford to lose you so you won't get promoted. Too bad and you get fired. You have to strive to be average and that's soul crushing.
Load More Replies...Let's clarify one thing: This employee is only more efficient for his own sake, but he is NOT more efficient to the company! If you finish a job in half the time, then do nothing after that, you're just as efficient [valuable] as someone who does takes the full time. If you are content to stay in that position for life, then you can keep doing it this way, as long as the company accepts this rate. If you want to move ahead, then you'll use your time to support the company - help others, make improvements, learn new skills - which will also benefit your CV! If the company wants to move ahead, then it will question why everyone else takes longer, and - if they're wise - will offer a balance between stress and efficiency, but don't expect a raise until you're doing more work per hour. For the many people advising to deliberately delay your work for an easier day, consider that this attitude is very costly - it makes the product/service more expensive, and has closed businesses!
Are you hourly (paid by the hour) or salaried (payed flat rate)? If you're hourly, you're paid by the hour to work (what ever the work). If you're not working...why should you be paid? When you're salaried, you're paid a flat rate for your skill set. Usually, you have jobs and deadlines. If you complete your assigned tasks in x hours, you get paid the same as if you completed your task in 2x hours. Of course, your supervisor might think 2x is too long but that's another matter. You're paid the same either way -- so you're paid for your work, not your time. If the employee was hourly, I'd tell him to either clock-out and play on his own time or find something else to do. If he's salaried and getting his work done on time...good for him and you! Leave him alone.
So if he's hourly it's cool to punish him for being too good compared to everyone else?
Load More Replies...I have this happen in a different way. I'm taking accounting classes as a Non-trad student. Most times, I'm old enough to be the other students mother. But I guess that makes me faster too. In the time it takes the professor to explain one formula demo to the student, I've finished the entire assignment. So I spend the rest of the time either waiting for class to end or helping other students by explaining work. We worked in a computer lab, so I used to get on the computer and google stuff while I was waiting for class to be over, but I could tell it was annoying the prof, so I stopped. Now I bring books for my other classes to catch up on reading while everyone else ploughs through the assignment of the day.
This employee was hired to do a job. Was shown how to do it, and given tools to work with. He was hired for that job. Was he told" when/if you get done before everyone else, drop back and help the team"? If not, it's his call.
That's what I love about my sales job - it gives tremendous flexibility, and the simple logic of working more if you want to get bigger commission, thus better quality of life. Basically, no one cares if it took you 2 hours to get a customer, or a week, as long as numbers are there. No micromanagement. By the same token, slacking off would be noticed immediately as numbers would go down.
I was working for a long time this way. When I first start a new job, it seems like everything takes forever to complete. But after a while, you analyse what causes you to slow down, you come up with new tools, new workflow and it takes way less than a whole day of work. I was working 6 days a week, a total of over 55 hours. No extra salary, always under pressure as if the world is going to stop if we don't stay there until 18:00. Then I found out I only need 2 hours at most on most of the days. Later I found out that this chaos was caused by our manager who was terribly unhappy with his family life and kids. And he would like to spend as many hours as possible at the office, so he wouldn't have to take it that long at home and at the weekends.
I would not fire him, i would play a round starcraft with him. And Motivate other to do the same and if all soon are finished we have a lan party XD
My husband started out as a filing clerk for a finance company. He worked so efficiently that they started giving hm the files of people who had defaulted on their loans but only the ones no one else had been able to track down. He found most of them!! They offered him a traineeship in their IT department. He now works for one of the top 3 software companies in the world.
I was IT sysadmin, so I had to stay regardless "just in case" something bad happened. Something bad actually happened a time or two, so okay. Having had a number of different bosses at different organizations, what you were supposed to do if you were done for the time being varied a lot. Most often, it was find something to do so you look busy. When my boss walked by and said, "if you are done, clean up your desk" and I said, "just finished" while sitting at a desk I had not only straightened up, but polished - the resultant stink eye caused me to find something. I surfed the internet a lot.
I've been this employee. I've been a hyper, efficient and if on the clock there to work, yet I've been shoved other people's work because they were slackers and yackers. My suggestion is to silently observe and reevaluate your employee's. You may want to promote this person and give more job duties and pay accordingly, however, that will mean you will need to let someone else go who is not performing. If you feel this is harsh I apologize but it's reality. The rule of thumb "there is always someone who is faster, smarter and willing to work harder than you" to keep your position you must DO your job. Be a good employer and talk with your employee and find out if they are there long term or just a stepping stone and what type skills they possess. Just a suggestion. Good Luck! Hyper Worker Bee
interesting. I don't feel angry about unrealistic people . life is like this. video games recharge your spirit.
Hi nameless boss dude, I am a person who not only plays video games at work (if Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links counts as a video game), but I am currently writing this while working as well. It may seem unprofessional, but I do what needs to be done before every deadline, and so do my colleagues. For as long as I've worked here, nobody has ever missed a deadline, and that includes two people who have taken bereavement leave due to the passing of a parent. I feel that the relaxed attitude my superiors have allowed me to instill (yes, I am also a boss, shockingly) has improved productivity, and keeps our clients, and bigger bosses, happy, while allowing my team to reap the rewards of their work with semi-annual bonuses, yearly raises, health benefits, and pensions. Besides, if we ever do find ourselves behind schedule, we have interns to pick up the pace for us. Just kidding! (Not kidding, Steve, get back to work. We don't not pay you for nothing.)
What happened to good old fashioned pride? I could never be content to finish my work and slack off the rest of the day. Sorry but no. I get paid to work and I work. It is not my business to watch what other people do with their day - I entered into an agreement to do what my employer needs me to do between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm and they will pay me to do it. Of course, I am 50 years old and I've spent YEARS unemployed (despite a university degree) or underemployed. Maybe when some of you others reach 50 you will understand that no one owes you a job - if you don't like what you do, feel free to move on to something better ... because I KNOW there are a lot of 40+ year olds out there who would love the opportunity that you've been given and are throwing away... because trying to find ANY job st 40 is nearly impossible. Be thankful that you have a job. Someday you may find yourself wishing you could have it that good again
Promote him and give him a pay increase. Or offer him additional pay for additional work. Every 5% over quota equals 5% in daily pay increase. All of that is contingent on his production being to the standard which is already in place.
Were it me, I'd hope to be given greater responsibility or ask to demonstrate my skill set to my team members.
For all the comments saying something along the lines of "don't be the most efficient employee, you'll only be rewarded with more work." How could you spend your time at your job consciously doing work at a pace slower than what is natural to you? Either tell the boss you need a raise or go get a job where your efficiency is rewarded (be cautious though, chances are you're not as superior to your coworkers as you think). If you are someone who thinks it's logical to work slower in order to "get those hours" I suggest you find some self respect and pride in yourself - if you can do better at your job, then do better!
Yeah, I was the "efficient" employee. So, I became in charge of updating the phone system, ordering office supplies (even if there was an office manager or admin assistant) being in charge of copier toner replacement, etc., because no one else had "time". When review time came around, I handed the HR Manager the task list I'd been keeping for the last 3 months (it was incredibly detailed: Janet asked for, Susan needed help with, I spent 18 minutes for lunch). She had an absolute fit when she saw the amount of c**p I had been doing that was NOWHERE in my job description. I explained that I didn't mind being helpful, but had a problem being taken advantage of. I got the only merit raise that year and stopped being everyone's assistant. Sure, they didn't like it - but turn about is fair play.
I have the kind of job (administrative assistant) where it's either hit or miss day to day. Sometimes I'll be busy with the same task for days at a time. Other times (like today) there's no work load. So I just try to look busy. And yes, I do finish things quick like this guy. If there's nothing to do next, again, I try to look busy lol. Nothing I can do about it.
have you tried asking the employee if his coworkers need help, or asking the coworkers if they needed help?
One job I had I actually worked on a newsletter for a service organization I belonged to. The boss had some work for me and very patiently waited til I looked up to receive it. He appreciated my work and that I volunteered in my spare time. (this was before video games)
Why is continuing to do tasks for your employer during your 8 hours (or however many) considering "extra work"? I don't understand that. I have an 8-5 data entry job. If I finish my work, I ask for more. It's a continuing stream. If I worked a piecemeal job and finished my quota for the day, I'd ask for more work to fill out my time. That's the way I was raised, that's the way I managed staff, and that's the way I believe it should be. Yes, from 8 to 5, I'm my employer's b***h. If they need something done, I do it. If I had staff who finished what they were initially given then played computer or video games, I'd tell them to shut it down and find something else to do or I'll give them something more. That's what a workday is for. Now... I'm talking about OFFICE work here, my main experience being in offices where you have set hours. But even if I worked at Walmart stocking shelves, I'd finish what I was given and ask for more.
I get what you're saying but don't forget: the major part of your pay should be based on the value you bring to the company. If you do 1.5x what everyone else does, you should be entitled to a cut of that extra value you bring. That can come in the form of extra money (not likely), or more slack time (more likely to be realistic). It's a win-win. The company still gets more value out of you vs everyone else, and you have a more satisfying job.
Load More Replies...Our dept just started doing employee of the month a year and a half ago, sadly there is no base for who they pick. If you have already gotten that year they will not give it to you again, even if you daily numbers are better then the person who got it. So there is no point for some to try and work harder because recognition never goes to those people.
Teach that person what teamwork means. Find him/her something to do. Clean,etc.
The reward for working is getting paid. Is he getting paid while playing games? If so, that isn't right. If he clocks out whenever he's done for the day and stays to play because he doen't have the resources at home, I'd be okay with that.
So no one hear has heard of "team work"? Also, how did you pay him? By the hour? then he should work the hours he gets paid.
For the first few months in New job I did 140 up to 170% each month. Constantly I'd get other people stuff dumped on to to be done. I'd be overworked and getting more and more depressed and under appreciated. Learned my lesson. Nowadays I try to do 90-110% and just say no to doing something for other people if it might jeopardize my results.
As an employer, I would hate to see an employee of mine sitting around playing games while his coworkers are working : I pay him for working, not for playing. I would like him to come see me and ask what he should do : go home early or if I have another task for him ? According to the work that needs to be done that day, I would decide in one way or the other, or I would ask him to help someone else. As an employee, if I were this guy, I would get bored if I have nothing productive to do at work, so I would search around for something to do. If I found nothing, I would go see the boss and ask, because, as I said, I would get paid for working, not for playing. I would feel like stealing or cheating. But hey, because it's because of how I was raised : at work, you work, at home, you do what you want.
"I would feel like stealing or cheating"...or would you feel like you were cheated if you did all of your work, then some of other people's work for zero extra pay? That's being taken advantage of and is pathetic. Idiot employers have this attitude so people like me just work lazier to compensate. I hate my job and the company doesn't get productivity. It's a lose-lose. I'm not busting my a*s and giving extra value I don't get compensated for.
Load More Replies...I'm old-fashioned. You put in a full day's work. Got your assigned tasks done? OK, get on other tasks. This isn't rocket science. It's work ethic. Do you end up with "more work"? Yeah. You can also end up with pay raises, offers of better jobs elsewhere (word gets around!), or ending up with your boss's job. Especially if your boss goes to Quora for advice on handling his own job... IMHO.
What if... What if he is so productive BECAUSE he can play video games? It's not rocket science, it's human nature. You need to take a break doing what you like in between tasks you're expected to do, so that you can do them efficiently.
Load More Replies...the manager is wasting company time, not the employee
Load More Replies...Seems to me that this employee is overqualified for the job he's doing now. A good employer would have considered to give him a more demanding job with better pay and not even think about firing him. This bad employer will probably find more tasks for the employee to do without paying him more. And the employee will either move on or become a slacker because working hard is rewarded by having to work even harder.
Why not ask him if he would like more work and an increase in payment? Good employees are so hard to come by...It is quite sad that many people rate work by the amount of hours spent rather than by the work done. Think of it from the perspective of Parkinson's law: "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". Thus, spending actually less time in the office is desirable for ALL sides involved.
at my work place everybody already knows that if you are efficient and good at your work, you'll end up doing everybody else's work as well
Years back, I had a very efficient and good-natured co-worker who left work 15 minutes early most days. The owner nagged him to work long hours (which were not needed). The co-worker left after his first kid was born. He was replaced by an irritable person who made lots of mistakes, then worked evenings to correct them. Bosses, be care what you wish for!
When I started working about 2 years back I was eager and determined. I would do my job and be done with a task in no time because I don't like to have a task hanging over me if I can do it and be done with it. I learnt that in the work place this is not necessarily a good thing. Completing my tasks on time or before time meant that I would be asked to help out colleagues who take frequent smoke breaks, who spend most of the time laughing and talking about I don't know what. So I have decided to be like them, take my time to do something or not do it all, just like them. The sad part for me is that this is pulling me down to their level of mediocrity. I like to excel in what I do, not to compete with others but with myself. I feel good when I know I have done good even if there is no reward. These days I don't even look forward to going to work simply because I do the same boring mediocre things. It is sad
Maybe you can keep doing your tasks fast, but send confirmations late. In the meantime, read a book, do some personal project, get creative etc. pretending that you're working.
Load More Replies...Employee could get flexible working hours. It's frustrating when you have to sit 8 hours at work, when there's no actual need for it. Salary stays the same, ofc.
Very few companies would allow this. Even if your pay is not hourly, most contracts stipulate how many hours per week you're supposed to work, and it's usually only short-term contract type jobs that would allow "get the work done by the deadline and I don't care how you do it" scheduling. For the most part, it's the job of the employer to keep their workforce utilized.
Load More Replies...Many years ago I worked in manufacturing of various components for electrical appliances. Each job had a "number" - the quantity you were expected to produce per hour. There was a bonus for extra - up to 20%. However if you were exceeding this or if you constantly achieved the 20% extra, they would raise the original hourly target and your workmates would hate you. Hence on some jobs which were easy you had to consciously slow down to make the work last until the end of the day.
I used to do this, while everyone slack off with their work I had worked three times as hard. I finished early but was not allow to leave early, I was given more work by helping those who were slacking. So I did my job, i did their job but we both got paid the same. Yeah, ok.
We do scrum at work, software development. This means the team agrees to develop certain features or fixes in a Sprint, 3 weeks in our case. If a task is finished, you take the next or help a team mate. If all tasks are done, there's always something to do, or you can go home early, since we have flexible hours. There is no, I play games the rest of the day, that would be considered rude and probably reason for termination. This also means we have a good team spirit as well as in the project.
I work overnight in the front office of a lodging facility. I always take care of my duties, then I'll admit, I binge on YouTube and WoW. But here's the thing, the moment someone comes in or something comes up, I immediately go into work mode and address it and I work on it until it's done BEFORE I go back to my game/book/whatever. This is why my boss doesn't care that I play. He understands that I will always take care of work first. I've had other bosses in the past that would just load more and more onto me, including a lot of stuff that THEY were supposed to be doing and getting paid for, until I finally lost my temper etc, but thankfully I no longer have to deal with them.
That's the way it should be. Congrats for finding the right job. The company wins and you win.
Load More Replies...This shows a flaw in the system that we take for granted. I'm also someone who gets things done quickly but feel it's a waste of time me staying at work just because we're there till 4.30 or whatever. If all the work is done for the day, they should let people go home as it's pointless paying someone to sit around doing nothing. It should not be about the number of hours you work, but about getting the work done. You'd also have a happier and more loyal workplace if people were often going home an hour or two earlier some days.
Some employers may be OK with that depending on the nature of the work and policies inherent in that particular work place, some may not, also depends on your managerial style and the employees specific job description. I am surprised though, that his boss who I assume is likely qualified and expected to meet the minimum expectations and responsibilities of a manager, needs to ask an online forum whether to fire an employee
Well, I think a person who is willing to admit he's not sure what to do about a situation he's not used to dealing with and ask for advice (and properly consider the advice and think about it himself, of course, not just let others decide for him) is much better a manager than anyone who thinks he always knows what's best. A lot of mistakes will come from thinking that asking for help means you're not good enough to just do it yourself.
Load More Replies...I was at a job cleaning condo's many years ago I was assigned 6 condo's per day as an average. each had 2 bedrooms with two kings 3 couches with hideaways. We had 5 other cleaners doing small 5-8 efficiency's they did daily each. Now there was a couple of times when I managed to get through mine before shifts end , and went to supervisor to offer to help, they send me to help the other girls. Well after 2 times of this. I stopped going in overdrive. and did what the other girls did, and it wasn't cleaning it was sitting watching soaps and games shows. I am not a smoker So I would also rather just get my work done fast and then take my brake. while others took there smoking brake for 30 -45 min, Oltho 10 min. was aloud. then expect me to help them finish was they could not get. been the same in every place I have worked. the faster the employee the more he is punished. What is wrong with this picture?
I was hired at job where I was promised a promotion after 3 months. In the meantime I was doing customer service. I kept waiting for the promotion that never happened. One day I was talking to my husband about how frustrated I was. He told me "It's because you are too good at your job. They.want to keep you in that position." He was a supervisor at his job, so he had a different perspective. I only stayed there a year, then I moved on.
It sucks so much you have to "scheme" to find that balance. Too good and your boss can't afford to lose you so you won't get promoted. Too bad and you get fired. You have to strive to be average and that's soul crushing.
Load More Replies...Let's clarify one thing: This employee is only more efficient for his own sake, but he is NOT more efficient to the company! If you finish a job in half the time, then do nothing after that, you're just as efficient [valuable] as someone who does takes the full time. If you are content to stay in that position for life, then you can keep doing it this way, as long as the company accepts this rate. If you want to move ahead, then you'll use your time to support the company - help others, make improvements, learn new skills - which will also benefit your CV! If the company wants to move ahead, then it will question why everyone else takes longer, and - if they're wise - will offer a balance between stress and efficiency, but don't expect a raise until you're doing more work per hour. For the many people advising to deliberately delay your work for an easier day, consider that this attitude is very costly - it makes the product/service more expensive, and has closed businesses!
Are you hourly (paid by the hour) or salaried (payed flat rate)? If you're hourly, you're paid by the hour to work (what ever the work). If you're not working...why should you be paid? When you're salaried, you're paid a flat rate for your skill set. Usually, you have jobs and deadlines. If you complete your assigned tasks in x hours, you get paid the same as if you completed your task in 2x hours. Of course, your supervisor might think 2x is too long but that's another matter. You're paid the same either way -- so you're paid for your work, not your time. If the employee was hourly, I'd tell him to either clock-out and play on his own time or find something else to do. If he's salaried and getting his work done on time...good for him and you! Leave him alone.
So if he's hourly it's cool to punish him for being too good compared to everyone else?
Load More Replies...I have this happen in a different way. I'm taking accounting classes as a Non-trad student. Most times, I'm old enough to be the other students mother. But I guess that makes me faster too. In the time it takes the professor to explain one formula demo to the student, I've finished the entire assignment. So I spend the rest of the time either waiting for class to end or helping other students by explaining work. We worked in a computer lab, so I used to get on the computer and google stuff while I was waiting for class to be over, but I could tell it was annoying the prof, so I stopped. Now I bring books for my other classes to catch up on reading while everyone else ploughs through the assignment of the day.
This employee was hired to do a job. Was shown how to do it, and given tools to work with. He was hired for that job. Was he told" when/if you get done before everyone else, drop back and help the team"? If not, it's his call.
That's what I love about my sales job - it gives tremendous flexibility, and the simple logic of working more if you want to get bigger commission, thus better quality of life. Basically, no one cares if it took you 2 hours to get a customer, or a week, as long as numbers are there. No micromanagement. By the same token, slacking off would be noticed immediately as numbers would go down.
I was working for a long time this way. When I first start a new job, it seems like everything takes forever to complete. But after a while, you analyse what causes you to slow down, you come up with new tools, new workflow and it takes way less than a whole day of work. I was working 6 days a week, a total of over 55 hours. No extra salary, always under pressure as if the world is going to stop if we don't stay there until 18:00. Then I found out I only need 2 hours at most on most of the days. Later I found out that this chaos was caused by our manager who was terribly unhappy with his family life and kids. And he would like to spend as many hours as possible at the office, so he wouldn't have to take it that long at home and at the weekends.
I would not fire him, i would play a round starcraft with him. And Motivate other to do the same and if all soon are finished we have a lan party XD
My husband started out as a filing clerk for a finance company. He worked so efficiently that they started giving hm the files of people who had defaulted on their loans but only the ones no one else had been able to track down. He found most of them!! They offered him a traineeship in their IT department. He now works for one of the top 3 software companies in the world.
I was IT sysadmin, so I had to stay regardless "just in case" something bad happened. Something bad actually happened a time or two, so okay. Having had a number of different bosses at different organizations, what you were supposed to do if you were done for the time being varied a lot. Most often, it was find something to do so you look busy. When my boss walked by and said, "if you are done, clean up your desk" and I said, "just finished" while sitting at a desk I had not only straightened up, but polished - the resultant stink eye caused me to find something. I surfed the internet a lot.
I've been this employee. I've been a hyper, efficient and if on the clock there to work, yet I've been shoved other people's work because they were slackers and yackers. My suggestion is to silently observe and reevaluate your employee's. You may want to promote this person and give more job duties and pay accordingly, however, that will mean you will need to let someone else go who is not performing. If you feel this is harsh I apologize but it's reality. The rule of thumb "there is always someone who is faster, smarter and willing to work harder than you" to keep your position you must DO your job. Be a good employer and talk with your employee and find out if they are there long term or just a stepping stone and what type skills they possess. Just a suggestion. Good Luck! Hyper Worker Bee
interesting. I don't feel angry about unrealistic people . life is like this. video games recharge your spirit.
Hi nameless boss dude, I am a person who not only plays video games at work (if Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links counts as a video game), but I am currently writing this while working as well. It may seem unprofessional, but I do what needs to be done before every deadline, and so do my colleagues. For as long as I've worked here, nobody has ever missed a deadline, and that includes two people who have taken bereavement leave due to the passing of a parent. I feel that the relaxed attitude my superiors have allowed me to instill (yes, I am also a boss, shockingly) has improved productivity, and keeps our clients, and bigger bosses, happy, while allowing my team to reap the rewards of their work with semi-annual bonuses, yearly raises, health benefits, and pensions. Besides, if we ever do find ourselves behind schedule, we have interns to pick up the pace for us. Just kidding! (Not kidding, Steve, get back to work. We don't not pay you for nothing.)
What happened to good old fashioned pride? I could never be content to finish my work and slack off the rest of the day. Sorry but no. I get paid to work and I work. It is not my business to watch what other people do with their day - I entered into an agreement to do what my employer needs me to do between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm and they will pay me to do it. Of course, I am 50 years old and I've spent YEARS unemployed (despite a university degree) or underemployed. Maybe when some of you others reach 50 you will understand that no one owes you a job - if you don't like what you do, feel free to move on to something better ... because I KNOW there are a lot of 40+ year olds out there who would love the opportunity that you've been given and are throwing away... because trying to find ANY job st 40 is nearly impossible. Be thankful that you have a job. Someday you may find yourself wishing you could have it that good again
Promote him and give him a pay increase. Or offer him additional pay for additional work. Every 5% over quota equals 5% in daily pay increase. All of that is contingent on his production being to the standard which is already in place.
Were it me, I'd hope to be given greater responsibility or ask to demonstrate my skill set to my team members.
For all the comments saying something along the lines of "don't be the most efficient employee, you'll only be rewarded with more work." How could you spend your time at your job consciously doing work at a pace slower than what is natural to you? Either tell the boss you need a raise or go get a job where your efficiency is rewarded (be cautious though, chances are you're not as superior to your coworkers as you think). If you are someone who thinks it's logical to work slower in order to "get those hours" I suggest you find some self respect and pride in yourself - if you can do better at your job, then do better!
Yeah, I was the "efficient" employee. So, I became in charge of updating the phone system, ordering office supplies (even if there was an office manager or admin assistant) being in charge of copier toner replacement, etc., because no one else had "time". When review time came around, I handed the HR Manager the task list I'd been keeping for the last 3 months (it was incredibly detailed: Janet asked for, Susan needed help with, I spent 18 minutes for lunch). She had an absolute fit when she saw the amount of c**p I had been doing that was NOWHERE in my job description. I explained that I didn't mind being helpful, but had a problem being taken advantage of. I got the only merit raise that year and stopped being everyone's assistant. Sure, they didn't like it - but turn about is fair play.
I have the kind of job (administrative assistant) where it's either hit or miss day to day. Sometimes I'll be busy with the same task for days at a time. Other times (like today) there's no work load. So I just try to look busy. And yes, I do finish things quick like this guy. If there's nothing to do next, again, I try to look busy lol. Nothing I can do about it.
have you tried asking the employee if his coworkers need help, or asking the coworkers if they needed help?
One job I had I actually worked on a newsletter for a service organization I belonged to. The boss had some work for me and very patiently waited til I looked up to receive it. He appreciated my work and that I volunteered in my spare time. (this was before video games)
Why is continuing to do tasks for your employer during your 8 hours (or however many) considering "extra work"? I don't understand that. I have an 8-5 data entry job. If I finish my work, I ask for more. It's a continuing stream. If I worked a piecemeal job and finished my quota for the day, I'd ask for more work to fill out my time. That's the way I was raised, that's the way I managed staff, and that's the way I believe it should be. Yes, from 8 to 5, I'm my employer's b***h. If they need something done, I do it. If I had staff who finished what they were initially given then played computer or video games, I'd tell them to shut it down and find something else to do or I'll give them something more. That's what a workday is for. Now... I'm talking about OFFICE work here, my main experience being in offices where you have set hours. But even if I worked at Walmart stocking shelves, I'd finish what I was given and ask for more.
I get what you're saying but don't forget: the major part of your pay should be based on the value you bring to the company. If you do 1.5x what everyone else does, you should be entitled to a cut of that extra value you bring. That can come in the form of extra money (not likely), or more slack time (more likely to be realistic). It's a win-win. The company still gets more value out of you vs everyone else, and you have a more satisfying job.
Load More Replies...Our dept just started doing employee of the month a year and a half ago, sadly there is no base for who they pick. If you have already gotten that year they will not give it to you again, even if you daily numbers are better then the person who got it. So there is no point for some to try and work harder because recognition never goes to those people.
Teach that person what teamwork means. Find him/her something to do. Clean,etc.
The reward for working is getting paid. Is he getting paid while playing games? If so, that isn't right. If he clocks out whenever he's done for the day and stays to play because he doen't have the resources at home, I'd be okay with that.
So no one hear has heard of "team work"? Also, how did you pay him? By the hour? then he should work the hours he gets paid.
For the first few months in New job I did 140 up to 170% each month. Constantly I'd get other people stuff dumped on to to be done. I'd be overworked and getting more and more depressed and under appreciated. Learned my lesson. Nowadays I try to do 90-110% and just say no to doing something for other people if it might jeopardize my results.
As an employer, I would hate to see an employee of mine sitting around playing games while his coworkers are working : I pay him for working, not for playing. I would like him to come see me and ask what he should do : go home early or if I have another task for him ? According to the work that needs to be done that day, I would decide in one way or the other, or I would ask him to help someone else. As an employee, if I were this guy, I would get bored if I have nothing productive to do at work, so I would search around for something to do. If I found nothing, I would go see the boss and ask, because, as I said, I would get paid for working, not for playing. I would feel like stealing or cheating. But hey, because it's because of how I was raised : at work, you work, at home, you do what you want.
"I would feel like stealing or cheating"...or would you feel like you were cheated if you did all of your work, then some of other people's work for zero extra pay? That's being taken advantage of and is pathetic. Idiot employers have this attitude so people like me just work lazier to compensate. I hate my job and the company doesn't get productivity. It's a lose-lose. I'm not busting my a*s and giving extra value I don't get compensated for.
Load More Replies...I'm old-fashioned. You put in a full day's work. Got your assigned tasks done? OK, get on other tasks. This isn't rocket science. It's work ethic. Do you end up with "more work"? Yeah. You can also end up with pay raises, offers of better jobs elsewhere (word gets around!), or ending up with your boss's job. Especially if your boss goes to Quora for advice on handling his own job... IMHO.
What if... What if he is so productive BECAUSE he can play video games? It's not rocket science, it's human nature. You need to take a break doing what you like in between tasks you're expected to do, so that you can do them efficiently.
Load More Replies...the manager is wasting company time, not the employee
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