The phrase “you should do that on your own time” confuses me. Who allotted time and determined ownership? What part of my day is not “my time”? For many, this idea is archaic.
Before I get ahead of myself, there are many fields that require scheduled hours. Mechanics, dentists, teachers, etc. rely on person-person or person-machine, analog interaction. Many can communicate and work digitally from anywhere Online (still capitalized?).
Personal computers were rare, then email caused more problems than it solved but as we near the “2010 Web” (not sold on the name) there’s no excuse. Networks are stronger, faster and more connective. Why pretend you build cars?
The necessity of the 40hr, in-office schedule is tenuous, at best. Example: in my former office, with a few extra cell phones and notebooks, all but a handful of employees could reduce their in-office time to less than 10hrs/week and things would function as well or better.
Some of you may see that “as well or better” as a bold or revolutionary statement. Why? Best Buy started their ROWE program years ago. These aren’t even slightly new concepts.
From iChat, Google Talk and Skype to simple collaborative documents in Google Apps or Adobe’s screen sharing, things are nearing real-time. Then there’s Google Wave, set to launch by EOY. It was enough to get 4000+ developers on their feet. (Outside of an Apple keynote that speaks volumes.)
Some reasons your small business should consider a flexible in-office schedule:
- Lease a smaller space with a larger conference room
- Use resources for improved technology, increasing your adaptability
- Employees are more energized, less stressed and more productive*
- Won’t devote bandwidth to Pandora, Facebook or YouTube trying to “fill” eight hours
- Productivity-based results are more easily tracked than time-based assumptions
Most importantly…
- You’ll never have to say, or hear, that something needs to be done “on your own time”
* Unless they really like cubicles and hate daylight, which isn’t impossible.
Photo Credit: Google // Rat Race Escape Artists
Tags: corporations, interactive design, online