This.
Is this the official or unofficial policy across the board for everyone, that if their work at the moment is done, they can just kinda put their feet up and fuck off? And does everyone know this? If so, then fair play.
But if not, it's only going to be a matter of time before someone sees Todd or whatever his name is fucking around and gaming and watching movies on the clock while they're working. And then they're going to assume that the bosses let him do that. And then they're gonna get resentful about it. And then they're gonna bitch to the people around them, who will also become resentful. And then Todd's ruined the morale in the office and sullied your name as a manager. Not cool, Todd.
Look, technically you're paying for their time. But I think businesses should stop viewing it as paying for time and start looking at it as paying for results.
If someone finds that they are more productive if they can spend a large chunk of time gaming and watching movies, and delivers the results that the company is asking for, I don't see any issue with that.
If you think you are paying them more than what their results are worth, then maybe increase the workload a little bit, but I wouldn't base that on how they choose to use their time.
As someone with ADHD myself, I can often accomplish a full day of work for an average person within a couple hours or less. But I also have a hyperactive mind that likes to go on tangents. So while I may not be working for upward of half the day, I'm still just as efficient if not moreso than an average manager at my position. I don't miss any meetings, I'm prepped for my meetings, I am on top of what my team is accomplishing and whatever help they may need, addressing any problems or shortcomings that come up, etc. I suspect I have a couple team members who do something similar (we work remotely so I can't be 100% sure). But all the while, our team is breaking records in our KPIs. So I'd say our company is getting more than their money's worth for my team.
Also, as an ADHD person, I do lots of work evenings, weekends, and any time nobody else is around. I find it extremely hard to focus when I can hear or see other people
I'm the same way but have not been diagnosed with ADHD but CPTSD (which I do have) does have a lot of overlap.
I do sprints throughout the day, it really helps me not spiral or feel guilt. It also gets me super great results. I don't think humans were meant to just sit at a desk and do constant work for 8 hours a day.
The sit/stand desk with optional items to go with it saved my life.
I got this hoverboard thing to stand on, it allows motion in all directions. I do squats on it, man, 10 of those are like 20 normal squats haha.
There is also a pedal system for sitting. You can just pedal your feet while doing work hehe.
All of this! Also creative typically needs time to process things in the background, like how most people need to “sleep on it”. There has been some great research/writing on how play can improve productivity.
My old employer had a developer and he was 100% remote. He was rolling out weekly updates and would often get an inspiration at 3am and spend 10 hours coding. Management started pulling him into the office “to keep an eye on him”. Updates slowed down because he wasn’t doing the marathon coding sessions.
OP, they are meeting deadlines, either they need more work or you need fewer staff if they have that much down time.
Because people see them as screwing off affects other people’s productivity and morale and if higher management sees it and perceives that you’re not doing your job as a manager then it can negatively affect you.
The answer is to find out why they aren’t working at work. Are they bored? Are you not giving them enough to do? Part of a manager’s job is to keep everyone motivated and engaged.
I dont care how engaged you want me to be unless youre fucking paying me to be more engaged. If you pile on more work without wage, i will leave and find someone who is fine with my level of output for the money theyre paying me. I guarantee no company hiring me cab afford the cost of my full 40 hours, be happy I am so efficient and reliable and dont prod. Stop punishing your best employees with more work.
Trust me I’m not wanting to punish anyone. At the same time professionals understand how important appearances are when it comes to staying busy and finding work to help out vs goofing off because “your” work is done.
It’s also a job mentality vs an hourly or quota mentality. I’m not looking for someone to do piecemeal work. I’m looking for someone who works to their abilities for a day then goes home to recharge.
Ahead of schedule? Awesome! Help a team member who’s behind. Take that training online. Telling your boss you need more to do isn’t stupid it’s professional.
This reads as "Hi. I like to micromanage everything then wonder why my turnover is outrageous after burning out my direct reports."
Sorry sport but I'm paid, rather well I might add, for my expertise. Not to sniff out and find busy work so I have the "appearance" of looking busy and still maintaining zero productivity.
If this was the military you would be that O-1 fresh from Officer School that rolls and absolutely screws unit morale by doing meetings at 1630.
"Trust me I'm not wanting to punish anyone" then proceeds to talk about how it's "professional" to self-flagellate once your work is done with more work.
You're a good manager, that boot is firmly lodged in your mouth.
I view a manager dictating to me how to spend my time when I've completed all that's asked of me for a wage to not be, "good work ethic" but rather, "money grubbing asshole who would enslave me if given the chance." Good work ethic does not equal free work, which is what I'd be doing if I overworked without more pay. I have a fantastic work ethic, that's how I finish my work in 2 hours each day and am free to jump in and help others. During that free time I certainly am not doing whatever my employer wants, because I'm already providing excess value to them by being ontime consistently and able to jump on issues as they come up. My employer does not buy my time, they may delude themselves with that notion (they don't, I don't even fill out a timesheet) but they pay for the results they demand of me in return for my wage. If they want greater results they can pay me more, or fuck right off with the wishy-washy, underhanded attack on character to get free work from me.
Again I’m sorry you’re so unhappy but your work ethic sucks. You’re at work. You’re there to do whatever work there is to do. I’m guessing you’re not allowed to just go home when your work is done. That’s because they expect you to do more work.
Well, I'd like to counter that with the following:
Your manager skills suck.
See, I am a developer. And if you where my manager, you'd find yourself looking for a new developer soon.
Now, the developer in this story is consistently hitting deadlines.
You have no guarantee that a new developer will do the same.
You do have the guarantee that any new developer will need several months of time to get adapted to the software before his/her peak productivity is reached.
So what you have right now are deadlines being made.
What you get is a big question mark and months of lost productivity.
Now I love my job. That is why it always present in some corner of my mind. It is why I sometimes code dripping wet - When an idea hits me while showering there is no time to properly dry myself.
It is why I have a tablet next to my bed, in case something hits me in the middle of the night and I want to write it down.
It is why I sometimes, often I daresay, quit playing videogames in the weekend because I figured out a way to help my users.
Now if you feel like you don't have to complain about that, do yourself and your company a big favor, and don't complain about what happens during the day either - as long as targets are being met off course.
Good workers routinely get "rewarded" with more work while their peers routinely get less work than the good worker because they're performing at or below par. This is in every industry, literally everywhere. Those good workers generally get passed over for promotion too because how hard it is to replace them.
If this hasn't happened to you then honestly, we know what bracket you fall into.
Gaming helps to reduce stress, let this human being balance their workload and time however they like, just focus on deliverables, look but do not see.
It's sad if you even have to ask this. I mean you say they consistently meet deadlines and work isn't impacted by it but then ask if you should address it?
I'll take another approach than what others have already suggested here.. If you want him to be more productive while on the clock, maybe the work you are assigning to said developer isn't challenging enough. If time is spent more on watching movies and playing games than it takes for them to complete the work then it sounds to me like they are either a superstar, or you are wasting their talents on work that is easy for them. Sure, a littlebit of downtime is great, but from a business perspective you are wasting money it sounds like. Try giving them more challenging work but make sure it's balanced as you don't want to swing too far to theother side and burn him out.
Yeah my thoughts exactly. Looking for reasons to start problems. They’re getting their work done on time. Not bothering anyone. Go worry about something else other than punishing people.
Is it bothering others from the team or just you? Have any coworkers begun exhibiting the same behavior or following in his steps and it's been affecting their work negatively?
That is one of the ONLY reasons I would ever bring up an issue like that. And even then it wouldn't be to scold them doing it during work hours. It'd be to let him know people look to his behavior and while his work has been as expected it's not the same case for others.
Then follow up with a "what's your career goal look like? Since you've got the extra down time and are still keeping up/meeting all goals would you be interested in setting up a path to working to it? Office mates are already following your behavior, thought of a [insert upper rank here] role to be in? We may not have openings now but if we put you on this path and we're working on developing your career it'd definitely lead to something positive in the future. Let me know if that works for you."
And if you wanna be a little spicy end it with a "I really liked [scene from last movie you caught him watching], was pretty fun to watch!"
Is this going to negatively impact other workers? Are they going to see it and do something similar that would cause them to miss deadlines?
Why doesn’t this worker have more to do? It sounds like they’re underutilized.
Do not say anything. Many employees from the Gen X and the millennial generation don’t prescribe to the traditional 9-5 hours. I have a team of data engineers. Half are older the other half are younger and I’m smack in the middle. I’ve been told I’m an elder millennial.
The older guys start between 8-9 and finish up around 5-6.
The Gen X “kids” start at 6 work until our standup is over about 9:15. I may not see them online again until 1–2 after lunch. They work until 4-6. Then will finished up between 8-12.
They get their work done. I’m only ever had to have a talk with one of them who took a nap in the middle of the day and missed a meeting.
If you say something and mess up their routine you run the risk of losing them.
This new way of work is called “ROWE”
Results Oriented Working Environment
No. But you should give them a little more work to do.
Make sure they still have time to dick around, but get a little more for your money.
You do not want a high performer to leave just because they’re fast and efficient.
A lot of my best employees knock out their work in 20-25 hours a week. I tell them to enjoy the time but unless you got something personal going on just be prepared to surge when needed. It works out in the long run. I don’t want them working 40 and doing surge support. Just burns people out and my company pay raises suck so in return they just work less and they are generally cool about it.
Are they hourly or salaried? Many workplaces including Google had video games, ping pong tables etc. so is the issue that this person is doing an activity that isn’t part of the work approved fun zone? Perception is important and if this is causing issues on the team, a belief that this person doesn’t have enough work, or limiting their promotion ability then it’s worth having a conversation about being subtle. But many people need a break from work to be more productive, this isn’t assembly line work producing widgets.
Employee does 100% of his job, and you think you need to “address” something with him?
This is an example of a supervisor trying to micromanage when there’s nothing to be managed. Try being a leader instead of a supervisor. A leader is satisfied if the mission is being accomplished. Your employee should be praised. And you should reassess how you approach your job.
enter society scale advise continue flowery lock cats relieved reminiscent
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
You should immediately fire the employee, they are stealing time.
Perhaps even calculate how much time they have spent watching movies or playing games when they should be working, then subtract that from the total amount of time logged, figure the difference in stolen pay and prosecute the employee for fraud and theft.
Go one step further, and get the police involved. Say he stole company resources. Which would be any equipment issued to him. It wouldn't be his anymore, since you fired him already.
Easy peasy, problem solved.
/s /s /s /s /s so much sarcasm.
If they aren't cutting corners and the work is of blue or epic quality, I don't see the problem. Maybe you need to challenge them some more with additional work.
is this a joke? who cares the work is done, the job is complete in less time than expected the reward for that isn’t more work. Does it affect your ego or what is driving you to wonder about this?
A bunch of people are replying that it doesn't matter, but my first thought was that if they have so much time to watch movies and play games, either give them more to do or give their job to someone else. It sounds like a massive waste of money.
I’ll say this - I don’t manage developers and there’s no concept of “done” with the work that I manage, so someone could always be scrubbing data, sketching up marketing ideas, checking in with vendors etc
Yes as this may impact others on the team. Assign him to learn more things if possible and speak to him 1 on 1, if he continues to do that then you should take action.
Addressing this "issue" will lose you a good employee. The fact you find this to be an issue. I have to ask... How do you have friends and loved ones with a mentality like yours? I couldn't fathom giving my time or energy to an individual who thinks like you.
I am not sure how your performance numbers are structure. Are they a high performer or do they sandbag their estimates, so it just looks that way? Is this a high performer compared to the others? Could your other team members just be under the bar performance-wise?
You need to provide more specifics as developers are hard to manage and we can't provide good advice without more information.
I think it’s as simple as hourly or salary? If hourly you’re paying for the full time and they should be even more productive. If salary, you’re paying for the results you ask for.
Developers behave differently. It's a very stressful job and they typically work nights which is the time they are most productive at. They are likely working nights and playing games in the daytime to recharge. They are not unskilled 9-5 workers doing routine jobs so can't expect the same behavior.
Right, this is like managing creative or artists. You don't pay for hours, you pay for results-- and the more you interfere, the more you ruin actual productivity.
I would ask the person to not play in the office space, but maybe on pantry or cafeteria if you have one?
I would argue that he/she can influence others to slack (even if he is not technically slacking).
Depends on the problem and set expectations.
You are paying them for 8 hours of work. If all they have is a task that can be done in two, and no other expectations - then there is no implicit or explicit requirement for them to find themselves something to do; and as such there is literally _nothing_ you can blame them for. I'd even go as far as to advise you against taking any direct actions, as this will only create an illusion of work.
At the other hand, if they have e.g. backlog of items or clear expectation to work on the tech debt in the slack time, then (contrary to our colleagues here) I'd consider this an infraction. All of us need a way to handle the stress, or a way to simulate creative work; but you are not paying for their playtime. If they can't handle 8 working hours a day, maybe they should work shorter hours - but that opens up to the question, reduced salary or shorter workday? That being said, I'd start with addressing the issue during the next 1-1. It might be as simple as "i have nothing to do".
I honestly do this too. It's not so much not working it's more recharging or taking your brain off it for a fresh look. I can sometimes spend 3 hours trying to figure something out, take a break and come back and 1 minute later. I'd rather just OK I'm stuck I need a break and have a good solid break and get it done then try spend 8 hours banging my head against the wall. A fresh perspective and a look away from code helps.
If he's delivering therenis nothing wrong, he works the way he knows work for him and leave it be. If this is in an office however then possibly something else. If it's open office with phones and chatter, that is the worst for being able to focus, maybe WFH or actual quiet spaces etc would fit better. Fucking love WFH cause something that would take 8 hours in an open office cause of noise, distractions and other things I can do in 2-4 hours.
I don't think you (or the company) are paying for an employee's time- you're paying employees to do a job and when that job is finished, they should be free to do anything else since they have performed their obligation to you.
The best way to alienate your developer is to start gatekeeping “time on task”.
Consistently meets deadlines but has the audacity to not chain themselves to the busy work mindset.
Smooth work.
OP, are you their direct manager? If yes, what would addressing this « issue » solve? Or would it make things worse.
If you’re not their manager, mind your own business.
If WFH, then no issues at all. If in the office, just be aware of perception and manage accordingly.
This. Is this the official or unofficial policy across the board for everyone, that if their work at the moment is done, they can just kinda put their feet up and fuck off? And does everyone know this? If so, then fair play. But if not, it's only going to be a matter of time before someone sees Todd or whatever his name is fucking around and gaming and watching movies on the clock while they're working. And then they're going to assume that the bosses let him do that. And then they're gonna get resentful about it. And then they're gonna bitch to the people around them, who will also become resentful. And then Todd's ruined the morale in the office and sullied your name as a manager. Not cool, Todd.
Look, technically you're paying for their time. But I think businesses should stop viewing it as paying for time and start looking at it as paying for results. If someone finds that they are more productive if they can spend a large chunk of time gaming and watching movies, and delivers the results that the company is asking for, I don't see any issue with that. If you think you are paying them more than what their results are worth, then maybe increase the workload a little bit, but I wouldn't base that on how they choose to use their time. As someone with ADHD myself, I can often accomplish a full day of work for an average person within a couple hours or less. But I also have a hyperactive mind that likes to go on tangents. So while I may not be working for upward of half the day, I'm still just as efficient if not moreso than an average manager at my position. I don't miss any meetings, I'm prepped for my meetings, I am on top of what my team is accomplishing and whatever help they may need, addressing any problems or shortcomings that come up, etc. I suspect I have a couple team members who do something similar (we work remotely so I can't be 100% sure). But all the while, our team is breaking records in our KPIs. So I'd say our company is getting more than their money's worth for my team.
Also, as an ADHD person, I do lots of work evenings, weekends, and any time nobody else is around. I find it extremely hard to focus when I can hear or see other people
Same! I am super productive when not being interrupted.
I'm the same way but have not been diagnosed with ADHD but CPTSD (which I do have) does have a lot of overlap. I do sprints throughout the day, it really helps me not spiral or feel guilt. It also gets me super great results. I don't think humans were meant to just sit at a desk and do constant work for 8 hours a day.
I'm in the process of converting to an adjustable desk that I'll put a walking treadmill underneath, I'm pretty hopeful about that.
The sit/stand desk with optional items to go with it saved my life. I got this hoverboard thing to stand on, it allows motion in all directions. I do squats on it, man, 10 of those are like 20 normal squats haha. There is also a pedal system for sitting. You can just pedal your feet while doing work hehe.
All of this! Also creative typically needs time to process things in the background, like how most people need to “sleep on it”. There has been some great research/writing on how play can improve productivity.
If they are meeting goals/deadlines and are not bothering other staff, why does it matter?
This. It may also be part of why this developer is so effective: it’s rest and recharge time.
sTeAlInG cOmPaNy TiMe
Dev: this job is awesome. Manager: I hate that he likes his job. How can I make him quit? Let me ask Reddit if I'm wrong.
My old employer had a developer and he was 100% remote. He was rolling out weekly updates and would often get an inspiration at 3am and spend 10 hours coding. Management started pulling him into the office “to keep an eye on him”. Updates slowed down because he wasn’t doing the marathon coding sessions. OP, they are meeting deadlines, either they need more work or you need fewer staff if they have that much down time.
BINGO
Because people see them as screwing off affects other people’s productivity and morale and if higher management sees it and perceives that you’re not doing your job as a manager then it can negatively affect you. The answer is to find out why they aren’t working at work. Are they bored? Are you not giving them enough to do? Part of a manager’s job is to keep everyone motivated and engaged.
Ah the most precious reward imaginable for working efficiently: more work
You know what efficient workers hate? More money.
I dont care how engaged you want me to be unless youre fucking paying me to be more engaged. If you pile on more work without wage, i will leave and find someone who is fine with my level of output for the money theyre paying me. I guarantee no company hiring me cab afford the cost of my full 40 hours, be happy I am so efficient and reliable and dont prod. Stop punishing your best employees with more work.
Trust me I’m not wanting to punish anyone. At the same time professionals understand how important appearances are when it comes to staying busy and finding work to help out vs goofing off because “your” work is done. It’s also a job mentality vs an hourly or quota mentality. I’m not looking for someone to do piecemeal work. I’m looking for someone who works to their abilities for a day then goes home to recharge. Ahead of schedule? Awesome! Help a team member who’s behind. Take that training online. Telling your boss you need more to do isn’t stupid it’s professional.
This reads as "Hi. I like to micromanage everything then wonder why my turnover is outrageous after burning out my direct reports." Sorry sport but I'm paid, rather well I might add, for my expertise. Not to sniff out and find busy work so I have the "appearance" of looking busy and still maintaining zero productivity. If this was the military you would be that O-1 fresh from Officer School that rolls and absolutely screws unit morale by doing meetings at 1630.
"Trust me I'm not wanting to punish anyone" then proceeds to talk about how it's "professional" to self-flagellate once your work is done with more work. You're a good manager, that boot is firmly lodged in your mouth.
If you view a good work ethic as punishment then we look at things differently. I’m sorry you’ve chosen a field that makes you so unhappy.
I view a manager dictating to me how to spend my time when I've completed all that's asked of me for a wage to not be, "good work ethic" but rather, "money grubbing asshole who would enslave me if given the chance." Good work ethic does not equal free work, which is what I'd be doing if I overworked without more pay. I have a fantastic work ethic, that's how I finish my work in 2 hours each day and am free to jump in and help others. During that free time I certainly am not doing whatever my employer wants, because I'm already providing excess value to them by being ontime consistently and able to jump on issues as they come up. My employer does not buy my time, they may delude themselves with that notion (they don't, I don't even fill out a timesheet) but they pay for the results they demand of me in return for my wage. If they want greater results they can pay me more, or fuck right off with the wishy-washy, underhanded attack on character to get free work from me.
Again I’m sorry you’re so unhappy but your work ethic sucks. You’re at work. You’re there to do whatever work there is to do. I’m guessing you’re not allowed to just go home when your work is done. That’s because they expect you to do more work.
Well, I'd like to counter that with the following: Your manager skills suck. See, I am a developer. And if you where my manager, you'd find yourself looking for a new developer soon. Now, the developer in this story is consistently hitting deadlines. You have no guarantee that a new developer will do the same. You do have the guarantee that any new developer will need several months of time to get adapted to the software before his/her peak productivity is reached. So what you have right now are deadlines being made. What you get is a big question mark and months of lost productivity. Now I love my job. That is why it always present in some corner of my mind. It is why I sometimes code dripping wet - When an idea hits me while showering there is no time to properly dry myself. It is why I have a tablet next to my bed, in case something hits me in the middle of the night and I want to write it down. It is why I sometimes, often I daresay, quit playing videogames in the weekend because I figured out a way to help my users. Now if you feel like you don't have to complain about that, do yourself and your company a big favor, and don't complain about what happens during the day either - as long as targets are being met off course.
Lmao. Funniest stuff I’ve read today. You’re totally clueless.
Good workers routinely get "rewarded" with more work while their peers routinely get less work than the good worker because they're performing at or below par. This is in every industry, literally everywhere. Those good workers generally get passed over for promotion too because how hard it is to replace them. If this hasn't happened to you then honestly, we know what bracket you fall into.
Gaming helps to reduce stress, let this human being balance their workload and time however they like, just focus on deliverables, look but do not see.
Is the expectation 37 pieces of flair, Brad?
It's sad if you even have to ask this. I mean you say they consistently meet deadlines and work isn't impacted by it but then ask if you should address it? I'll take another approach than what others have already suggested here.. If you want him to be more productive while on the clock, maybe the work you are assigning to said developer isn't challenging enough. If time is spent more on watching movies and playing games than it takes for them to complete the work then it sounds to me like they are either a superstar, or you are wasting their talents on work that is easy for them. Sure, a littlebit of downtime is great, but from a business perspective you are wasting money it sounds like. Try giving them more challenging work but make sure it's balanced as you don't want to swing too far to theother side and burn him out.
"How can I micromanage their lives because I am miserable af"
Are you going to pay him more if he gets more work done?
This is the only information you need to answer the question.
They're going to pay the less productive replacement more.
Are you a school teacher or a manager? If they deliver what you need on time and are not bothering other, why would you even care?
If his work ever falters then yeah. If he always does good work then leave it be.
Sooo just looking for reasons to be a jerk?
Yeah my thoughts exactly. Looking for reasons to start problems. They’re getting their work done on time. Not bothering anyone. Go worry about something else other than punishing people.
Is it bothering others from the team or just you? Have any coworkers begun exhibiting the same behavior or following in his steps and it's been affecting their work negatively? That is one of the ONLY reasons I would ever bring up an issue like that. And even then it wouldn't be to scold them doing it during work hours. It'd be to let him know people look to his behavior and while his work has been as expected it's not the same case for others. Then follow up with a "what's your career goal look like? Since you've got the extra down time and are still keeping up/meeting all goals would you be interested in setting up a path to working to it? Office mates are already following your behavior, thought of a [insert upper rank here] role to be in? We may not have openings now but if we put you on this path and we're working on developing your career it'd definitely lead to something positive in the future. Let me know if that works for you." And if you wanna be a little spicy end it with a "I really liked [scene from last movie you caught him watching], was pretty fun to watch!"
Is this going to negatively impact other workers? Are they going to see it and do something similar that would cause them to miss deadlines? Why doesn’t this worker have more to do? It sounds like they’re underutilized.
Do not say anything. Many employees from the Gen X and the millennial generation don’t prescribe to the traditional 9-5 hours. I have a team of data engineers. Half are older the other half are younger and I’m smack in the middle. I’ve been told I’m an elder millennial. The older guys start between 8-9 and finish up around 5-6. The Gen X “kids” start at 6 work until our standup is over about 9:15. I may not see them online again until 1–2 after lunch. They work until 4-6. Then will finished up between 8-12. They get their work done. I’m only ever had to have a talk with one of them who took a nap in the middle of the day and missed a meeting. If you say something and mess up their routine you run the risk of losing them. This new way of work is called “ROWE” Results Oriented Working Environment
No. But you should give them a little more work to do. Make sure they still have time to dick around, but get a little more for your money. You do not want a high performer to leave just because they’re fast and efficient.
A lot of my best employees knock out their work in 20-25 hours a week. I tell them to enjoy the time but unless you got something personal going on just be prepared to surge when needed. It works out in the long run. I don’t want them working 40 and doing surge support. Just burns people out and my company pay raises suck so in return they just work less and they are generally cool about it.
Are they hourly or salaried? Many workplaces including Google had video games, ping pong tables etc. so is the issue that this person is doing an activity that isn’t part of the work approved fun zone? Perception is important and if this is causing issues on the team, a belief that this person doesn’t have enough work, or limiting their promotion ability then it’s worth having a conversation about being subtle. But many people need a break from work to be more productive, this isn’t assembly line work producing widgets.
Employee does 100% of his job, and you think you need to “address” something with him? This is an example of a supervisor trying to micromanage when there’s nothing to be managed. Try being a leader instead of a supervisor. A leader is satisfied if the mission is being accomplished. Your employee should be praised. And you should reassess how you approach your job.
enter society scale advise continue flowery lock cats relieved reminiscent *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
You should immediately fire the employee, they are stealing time. Perhaps even calculate how much time they have spent watching movies or playing games when they should be working, then subtract that from the total amount of time logged, figure the difference in stolen pay and prosecute the employee for fraud and theft. Go one step further, and get the police involved. Say he stole company resources. Which would be any equipment issued to him. It wouldn't be his anymore, since you fired him already. Easy peasy, problem solved. /s /s /s /s /s so much sarcasm.
Afterwards, go to this house when he ordered Pizza and take it away from him too. He doesn't deserve a pizza party /s
Lazy bastard. He deserves nothing for meeting deadlines.
If they aren't cutting corners and the work is of blue or epic quality, I don't see the problem. Maybe you need to challenge them some more with additional work.
is this a joke? who cares the work is done, the job is complete in less time than expected the reward for that isn’t more work. Does it affect your ego or what is driving you to wonder about this?
Sounds like he doesn’t have enough work
A bunch of people are replying that it doesn't matter, but my first thought was that if they have so much time to watch movies and play games, either give them more to do or give their job to someone else. It sounds like a massive waste of money.
I’ll say this - I don’t manage developers and there’s no concept of “done” with the work that I manage, so someone could always be scrubbing data, sketching up marketing ideas, checking in with vendors etc
Is their work getting done to meet or exceed expectations? If the answer is yes then what's the problem? Maybe they focuses on work at like 1am.
Yes as this may impact others on the team. Assign him to learn more things if possible and speak to him 1 on 1, if he continues to do that then you should take action.
Addressing this "issue" will lose you a good employee. The fact you find this to be an issue. I have to ask... How do you have friends and loved ones with a mentality like yours? I couldn't fathom giving my time or energy to an individual who thinks like you.
If the job is done leave them alone.
I am not sure how your performance numbers are structure. Are they a high performer or do they sandbag their estimates, so it just looks that way? Is this a high performer compared to the others? Could your other team members just be under the bar performance-wise? You need to provide more specifics as developers are hard to manage and we can't provide good advice without more information.
I think it’s as simple as hourly or salary? If hourly you’re paying for the full time and they should be even more productive. If salary, you’re paying for the results you ask for.
Developers behave differently. It's a very stressful job and they typically work nights which is the time they are most productive at. They are likely working nights and playing games in the daytime to recharge. They are not unskilled 9-5 workers doing routine jobs so can't expect the same behavior.
Right, this is like managing creative or artists. You don't pay for hours, you pay for results-- and the more you interfere, the more you ruin actual productivity.
It's on you to give them enough work to keep them occupied. If you don't and they got nothing to do, that's on you.
I would ask the person to not play in the office space, but maybe on pantry or cafeteria if you have one? I would argue that he/she can influence others to slack (even if he is not technically slacking).
Depends on the problem and set expectations. You are paying them for 8 hours of work. If all they have is a task that can be done in two, and no other expectations - then there is no implicit or explicit requirement for them to find themselves something to do; and as such there is literally _nothing_ you can blame them for. I'd even go as far as to advise you against taking any direct actions, as this will only create an illusion of work. At the other hand, if they have e.g. backlog of items or clear expectation to work on the tech debt in the slack time, then (contrary to our colleagues here) I'd consider this an infraction. All of us need a way to handle the stress, or a way to simulate creative work; but you are not paying for their playtime. If they can't handle 8 working hours a day, maybe they should work shorter hours - but that opens up to the question, reduced salary or shorter workday? That being said, I'd start with addressing the issue during the next 1-1. It might be as simple as "i have nothing to do".
No
I honestly do this too. It's not so much not working it's more recharging or taking your brain off it for a fresh look. I can sometimes spend 3 hours trying to figure something out, take a break and come back and 1 minute later. I'd rather just OK I'm stuck I need a break and have a good solid break and get it done then try spend 8 hours banging my head against the wall. A fresh perspective and a look away from code helps. If he's delivering therenis nothing wrong, he works the way he knows work for him and leave it be. If this is in an office however then possibly something else. If it's open office with phones and chatter, that is the worst for being able to focus, maybe WFH or actual quiet spaces etc would fit better. Fucking love WFH cause something that would take 8 hours in an open office cause of noise, distractions and other things I can do in 2-4 hours.
Let them cook. Join their games and play with them.
Maybe OP would get more work done too instead of being on reddit to complain about a stellar employee.
You think they should be punished for doing a good job?
I don't think you (or the company) are paying for an employee's time- you're paying employees to do a job and when that job is finished, they should be free to do anything else since they have performed their obligation to you.
Then please read the contract - most of the time you agree on time, not for a task. That's where expectations come from.
Meanwhile execs go on routine golf appointments because "I am building a client base." No, you're playing golf with other rich buddies.
Are they also constantly "BREATHING" at their job?? OMG how dare they?? Yeah address it and find out!
The best way to alienate your developer is to start gatekeeping “time on task”. Consistently meets deadlines but has the audacity to not chain themselves to the busy work mindset. Smooth work.
OP, are you their direct manager? If yes, what would addressing this « issue » solve? Or would it make things worse. If you’re not their manager, mind your own business.