Will You Be Leaving the Office Early on June 2nd?
May 28th, 2009 | by Leanne
Apparently June 2nd is the 5th annual “Leave the Office Earlier” day. Leave it to me to learn about this “holiday” when I own my own business, instead of the 4 previous years when I worked in an office for someone else.
I understand the premise and I know that Americans have struggled with working long hours for years…but I really think making work be about watching the clock is very counter productive. Don’t we want to get away from watching the clock? Don’t we want to be appreciated for doing a good job regardless of the amount of time it takes us (hopefully less…but sometimes deservedly, more.)
I know what you’re thinking…what about industries like retail and manufacturing where everything is based on the clock. Or how about those tried and true clock watchers lawyers, consultants and agencies who have to account for every 10 minutes of their time and charge it to a client. Perhaps this day is specifically geared to them.
Perhaps, but that’s not what the press release says. And as for hourly industries not being able to be flexible, Corporate Voices for Working Families would disagree. In a study released recently, it was found that hourly workers benefit from more flexibility at work as well as their salaried co-horts.
So what do you think? Should there be a “leave the office earlier” day each year? And if there is will you and your workplace participate?
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4 Comments
No, I will likely not be participating, but then again I might, if I have something that needs to be done that day. I am lucky that (a) I can come and go as my schedule and need for autonomy dictate, and (b) I like my job so it does not seem like work! Anyway, I would never leave my job just because it was leave work early day, that seems counter-intuitive when you enjoy your job and find meaning in it. For all of you considering leaving your job early to protest not having enough flexibility, I say to you, why are you working somewhere that makes you unhappy!
To be honest, it seems a bit juvenile to me, kind of like “senior skip day” in high school.
I agree with you Leanne; this type of day promotes clock watching, which is exactly what many of us are trying to move people away from.
In reading the press release for “Leave the Office Earlier Day” I found it funny that it actually just encourages people to leave the office after 8-hours of work. Is that leaving the office earlier? Maybe. But that’s not anything to get excited about is it?
How about a “Leave the Office When Your Work is Done and You Feel Like It Day?” I say stop focusing on the amount of time you spend in the office and start focusing on when, where, and how you can continually produce great results.
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