Accounting for Time to my Boss

[Imagebuffet]

I work a desk job in an office for my "real" job. My supervisor at my "real" job felt that my performance recently was sub-par. She based her decision partly on the fact that if she added the minutes that I spent on each task in our company database, she could account for only about half of my shift. We have other tasks that are not in the database, but, even so, I think it is unusual to expect someone to type continuously for 5.5 hours, interrupted only by three 15 minute breaks. The company actually provides for only two breaks, but I have a note from my doctor saying that I am to rest my hands after so many minutes, so my supervisor threw in the third 15 minute break for the sake of her calculations. We aren't doing transcription; we get a request for service and we use the database to provide service.

What might I say to explain that it is unreasonable to expect office workers to type continuously from the start of their shift until the end of their shift, except for breaks? Or, do you think that is a reasonable demand?

[ronocnikral]

did they hire you to type? because if they did, you may need a new job.

It's tough during these times. If you are screwing off or shooting the breeze...your boss is probably correct. If you are doing other things that add value you to your company, I would highlight those. But, if she wants you typing...she might tell you to skip the other stuff and get to typing.

It's interesting because my company has some stupid software that makes you take micropauses (10 second breaks after 8 mins of continuous use on a computer) and 7 minute breaks every 50 minutes (they even suggest exercises you can do at your desk during the break). And it limits your total time on the computer for the entire day to like 6 hours I think (we work 9 hour days). I call it stupid, but after your story I am kind of grateful for it. But, to my point, I would also bring up some ergonomic issues if your boss wants you typing all the time (we have desks that move up and down to allow us to sit or stand). Apparently you are having issues if you have a Dr's note, I would stress to your boss that they should be investing in repetitive stress injury prevention if they want you typing all the time. I wouldn't rock the boat too much...because today there are a lot of people who will sit there and type all day.

[Flea77]

As a boss (God I hate being The Man after so many years of sticking it to The Man, heh) your best course with me would be polite, straight to the point, tell me how it is. I am no more perfect than you are and some times I just need a little help to see what is going on. On the other hand, maybe I just want you gone :-)

Allan

[tc95]

+1 to Allen.....just to add make sure you do this away from where other people can hear or see the conversation...so that you don't create animosity....with him/her.....

[photostein]

This is really simple.

Your boss owes you clear direction and guidance on what is expected of you to meet their expectations.

It is incumbent upon you to keep a record of that and your means of achieving those expectations.

If they come back during any time, especially in an evaluation, and say you haven't met them, but you have your documentation, then they have to reconcile that with you and either agree or not.

If you believe you are not being treated fairly, then you have two choices: go to HR or quit.

If you go to HR, you better have signed expectations from them and even better to have signed from them that your documentation matches what you provided and signed off by them.

If you quit, you better have something else lined up before quitting. Take vacation for interviews; don't just not show up on time else you add fuel to their fire.

Have a well prepared story as to why you are leaving your current job. Additionally, and this is really imporatant...if you have on your resume that you have had 10 jobs in the last two years, this will really bring into question your "sticking" ability, whether you left those other jobs for the reasons you say you did (especially if you do not say you were fired and you were), etc....

A business can fire you without cause because that is their right. You do not have a right to a job; however, if they hire you, you do have a right to know what exactly they expect of you and I would count myself fortunate at this point to not only have a job, but that your boss cares enough to evaluate your performance to push you to improve.

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

I work a desk job in an office for my "real" job. My supervisor at my "real" job felt that my performance recently was sub-par. She based her decision partly on the fact that if she added the minutes that I spent on each task in our company database, she could account for only about half of my shift. We have other tasks that are not in the database, but, even so, I think it is unusual to expect someone to type continuously for 5.5 hours, interrupted only by three 15 minute breaks. The company actually provides for only two breaks, but I have a note from my doctor saying that I am to rest my hands after so many minutes, so my supervisor threw in the third 15 minute break for the sake of her calculations. We aren't doing transcription; we get a request for service and we use the database to provide service.

What might I say to explain that it is unreasonable to expect office workers to type continuously from the start of their shift until the end of their shift, except for breaks? Or, do you think that is a reasonable demand?

[CaptainTom]

I've had this happen in a previous life.
My boss, bless her heart, had never really done my job and didn't know what was really involved in getting the work done.
She just watched the numbers. What else could she do because she was at the top of the Peter Principle and needed to justify her job ? I ended up logging all my actions for about a week and she found somebody else to harass.

[kenw]

"What might I say to explain that it is unreasonable to expect office workers to type continuously from the start of their shift until the end of their shift, except for breaks? "

unfortunately, if that is the job, then that is the job and anything else isn't. Look at the written job description to get an idea of what is and isn't included. If there isn't one, ask for one from HR.

As the others said, take 1-2 weeks and document each and every minute (5-10 minute intervals is usually adequate) of your day. Keep a simple log on paper beside you and jot everything down. I have used this method over the years for various other reasons (billing, budgeting, workflow development, etc), it can be very enlightening if you do it honestly.

[Cajungaltx]

Our VP, God rest her Satanly soul... (she's not dead, she's no longer employed here)... had me write down what I did, EVERYTHING I did on a notepad every 10 minutes for a week.

Then came back and told me there was no way that I did that much at the same time...

I just kept quiet (she was in NY, I was in Texas) while my boss (regional manager) explained that yes, I did do all that stuff at the same time.

She left me alone after that... until I started working from home. Then she started micromanaging me... OMG... I could have committed murder with my bare hands. She explained to me that I was supposed to work from 8am, to 5pm, and anything I did 'after' those hours, didn't count towards my day.

I had routinely gotten into the office at 6:30/7am for the previous 7 years...and worked late when needed... but now it didn't count towards my daily numbers? I'm in a sales position... but she basically put it down to lots of administrative duties (must have this many notes, this many this, that many that)...

So, I changed the time on my computer... *evil grin* and worked within those hours... no matter what time I worked. I was doing my JOB - and the guy at the top was quite happy.... and my SALES numbers were great.

But she didn't like it that I wasn't doing it exactly like she told me to.

Her thought process was x number of calls results in x number of results.... like 35% or so. Mine was - x number of calls is what call centers employees do... my job is and always has been relationship building... and that's what I'd do.

She went to my boss (the guy who owns the company) complaining, and because she was the person I dealt with 90% of the time...he took her for her word, and called me to let me know he was letting me go.

I gave him an earful about his VP... about why his company was struggling (they put her in charge of the sales folks, where previously she'd been in charge of administrative)....and how it was HIS fault (she was treating everyone like crap, but she was doing it cause he let her)....

2 days later he flew up to NY from corporate... and announced a day later that she was leaving.....I'm still here... *grin*

So - if your slacking off - you know your doing it. Quit slacking.
If your not slacking off - then put a notepad by your keyboard, and set a timer to go off every 10 minutes and write down what your doing. Alot of time, the 'daily' interruptions are not accounted for by a manager at all.

[Imagebuffet]

Thanks for the replies. The story is more interesting than I have expressed, because I don't want to air all our dirty laundry, yet. But, you guys hit the nail on the head about detailing our time.

I have a meeting with my supervisor's supervisor's supervisor, today. I sent him an e-mail yesterday, complaining about the situation, so he wants to question me, today. I need to get ready to meet him, now.

[MHampton]

And don't forget the time during the day that you spend reading and posting on TPF.

Oops, gotta go. My boss is coming.

[Toad]

Tell your boss that maybe her boss should check out her productivity, because if she has time to play around figuring out to the minute how long your on a computer, she's under worked and needs some more to do.
You can also tell her that as long as everything you're supposed to get done in a day gets done, she doesn't need to concern herself over how it got done.
But say all that in a nice way.

I once worked at a job that dealt with data entry. We were expected to do X number of pages per day. I was able to get them to let me work nights (my preferred time to work), and when I came in, I would grab the needed number of pages, spend about an hour to an hour and a half banging them out, then go to IHOP with my girlfriend while still on the clock. I am so fast at 10-key, that I was able to condense 8 hours into under 2.
Did I stay productive for the full 8 hours? Obviously not.
But did I get done what was expected of me? Yes sir.
So did the boss complain to me about my down time? Nope, because they didn't know about it. As far as they knew, I did 8 hours worth of work, so I must've worked for 8 hours.

[Flea77]

Originally Posted by Toad

Tell your boss that maybe her boss should check out her productivity, because if she has time to play around figuring out to the minute how long your on a computer, she's under worked and needs some more to do.
You can also tell her that as long as everything you're supposed to get done in a day gets done, she doesn't need to concern herself over how it got done.
But say all that in a nice way.

Just so you know, if one of my employees said any of the above to me, even really nicely, even while bringing free food and beverages, they would be gone so fast the carpet would catch on fire from the friction.

Allan

[Toad]

Originally Posted by Flea77

Just so you know, if one of my employees said any of the above to me, even really nicely, even while bringing free food and beverages, they would be gone so fast the carpet would catch on fire from the friction.

Allan

Well... according to the original poster... that sounds like his bosses ultimate goal anyway. Why else would she be bothering with his productivity like that. He didn't say she was doing it for everybody... just him.

[pavi]

I was a carpenter for 25 years before becoming a CPA.
As a carpenter I was expected to cut boards and nail them together 8-10 hours a day. As a CPA I am expected to stuff numbers into cells 8 hours a day. Can't say for typing, never done that for a living.

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

What might I say to explain that it is unreasonable to expect office workers to type continuously from the start of their shift until the end of their shift, except for breaks? Or, do you think that is a reasonable demand?

[Imagebuffet]

The typing is a means to an end. My actual job is expediting parts on urgent field stocking situations. We have a number of screens to watch for various alerts, some with a higher priority than others. Down about #4 on the list of priority are plain ol' sourcing parts by calling our repair techs who show to have the parts in their inventory.

Normally, we have a half-dozen people working these screens. On a recent national holiday, we only had one person per shift working all the screens. Almost all of us got put on report, because we did not update the plain ol' sourcing with enough comments to satisfy our boss. Everything critical got done, but not everything else did. We were all busy, but because we did not have enough minutes reflected in the logged work we did, we got put on report.

My supervisor told her supervisor that she simply wants to see a better ratio of logged time to total shift time than she saw. For example, she and I could explicitly account for only about half the minutes of my shift. Whatever else I was doing, it didn't get logged. Meanwhile, many of the plain ol' sourcing orders waited a few days, until after the holidays.

My feeling is that counting minutes that I'm logged in doing activities is not the best way to measure my performance, in the first place. I also think that the nature of the job and what we have to do changes when we are alone verses when we have other people working alongside us. No one can keep an eye on everything, and some of our screens have to be watched closely. I would far rather that a plain ol' sourcing call get missed for a day than for one of the top priority calls get missed for an hour, or even a half-hour.