Re: job sharing/part time/flexible work schedules

[Laura Lemay <lemay -at- KALEIDA -dot- COM>]

Two messages from me in one day.  Ahh, post-vacationitis. :)

Re: flex time, part-time, working at home.

My opinions, ready or not...

I am lucky enough to work in a startup where we have *very* flexible
work time -- as long as you show up for meetings, report to your manager
once in a while, and make your deadlines, you can work any hours you want
to, either in the office or out of the office.  You can type on your head
in a sushi bar with your product manager singing Rigoletto next to you and
a squash in your right ear for all they care, as long as they get books out
of you on time.

For me, this schedule works extraordinarily well, because not only can
I schedule dentist appointments/roofers/whatever at any time during they day
and not have to make excuses or take time off, but also when I wake up in
the middle of the night suddenly understanding how to explain a really
difficult concept that had been eluding me at work, I can get up and work on
it on my computer at home (yeah, its happened).  And, there are times at
work when people are sending too much email or talking to loudly in the halls
or just plain being *bothersome*, and being able to go home and work is a
welcome relief.

Given flex time I think I work *more* than 40 hours a week, all-told, because
I am essentially working on and off 24 hours a day.  I suppose some people
wouldn't like that; for me the freedom of doing what I want when I want
is better than the feeling of being able to leave the work at work at 5pm.

I agree with the person who said that the managers should give it a try and
see how the work changes, if more or less gets done and what its quality is
like.  Good luck;

Laura




Laura Lemay                                  lemay -at- kaleida -dot- com
--------------------------------------------------------------
 He reached for her hand and he gave her the keys
 He said "I don't have any further use for these.
 I see angels on Ariels in leather and chrome
 Swooping down from Heaven to carry me home."
 He gave her one last kiss and died
 And he gave her his Vincent Black Lightning to ride.