A few months ago, we decided that in order to better serve our customers, we should take on the same work schedule as them, namely beginning work at about 7:00 every morning. We did not finish this thought by deciding to end the day at 3:30 as our customers do, and remain in the office until 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, even later on some days. This is the thing: nothing ever happens between 7:00 and 9:00 in the morning. No one ever calls. No one sends us email. We know our customers are out there working at this time, but maybe they just have something else to worry about in these two hours.
Thus, coming in at 7:00 in the morning is a complete waste of time if we end up staying late anyway. Of course, there are tons of other stuff we do between 7:00 and 9:00, but the reason behind coming in this early was to be there for our customers. Where are they?
It seems more to me that the decision to be in early was nothing more than one co-worker’s effort to display her “power” (which she confuses with “managerial ability”) over those about whom it is well-known they are not morning people.
Oh, I’m sure the original intention was good. It just wasn’t well thought out and it was horribly misguided. As you said, if you’re going to be available for your customers when they need you, then you should be available at the times when they will be calling. However, the employees need to be taken care of as well, and if they come in to work at 7:00, they should leave around 3:00, as that would be a normal 8 hour day. If people need to be there until 8:00 at night, then a second shift should be brought on. If these kind of hours only need to happen every once in a while, then that’s okay, but if it’s consistent to the point of almost every day, then the right thing to do would be to have a second shift, whether that second shift consists of a skeleton staff or whatever is necessary.
I’m just curious…with the way that company works you guys, it seems to me that the burn-out rate would be incredibly high and that the turnover rate would be phenomenal. Is that true?
It is amazingly true.There is an understanding going into this line of work, that you’re not going to be working a “normal 8 hour day.” As with many non-profits, you can’t afford to hire a lot of people, and the people who are there have to be very dedicated to getting the job done. It’s a completely different world than what you would expect from Corporate America, where people come in at a certain time, take a lunch break, and whether or not their work is done for the day, they go home at 5:30 pm. Nevertheless, there is the issue of taking care of your employees to some extent.
Today, as a matter of fact, I was in prior to 7:00 am, and the first phone call received by the entire office (our location is so small I can hear everyone’s phones from my desk) wasn’t until 9:15. I did get some stuff done during that time, in order to free up the rest of my day so I would be more available when the phones do start working, but the premise of coming in because that’s what our customers want us to be is flawed. We’re coming in early because that’s what our manager tells us to do in order for her to feel like she has control over the department.
I would let you sleep in.
What would happen if you had this conversation with her?
now this may be a silly question…. but have your customers even been *informed* that you’re there so early. the general assumption of working hours for a business are 9-5/6…. so… unless there was a specific letter/communication…. they might not even realize…. or they’re just trying to prepare for their day. just a thought…
Yes, they have been informed. They’ve been informed about it for months…
Last year, when I was part of the working class, I used to go to work at 8am. From 8am until 9am, we did nothing. We went to the bagel shop and brought back breakfast. We sat in the lobby and read the newspaper. We chatted. And, we eventually all started coming in late, because we knew we weren’t missing anything important. I’m guessing that all your “customers” are at work trying to build up the nerve to do something productive with their day, and aren’t quite ready to call just yet.
oh– and here’s a suggestion. What if you all took turns with one “flex” day a week. That way, one or two of you come in each morning early, but then those people get to go home early as well. That way, you’re staffed, but not fully staffed, and people get to leave early if they come early.
Yeah, I think that’s what I was suggesting, too, Becca…I just didn’t say it as well. 🙂
I also agree that most people just don’t conduct business or make business calls until 9:00. I try not to do it until 10:00, actually, because I feel that people need at least an hour after arriving at work to get settled before I start bothering them with phone calls. So, it doesn’t surprise me that no one calls at 7:00. The only time I ever got calls that early was when I was working at BML and there was some major crisis. And most of those people would end up just calling me at home, anyway. 🙂