Recently, I was asked to provide guidance on how a manager could encourage employees that recently were moved from hourly to salary to adopt a healthy amount of flexibility into their schedule and break away from the strict start and stop time mentality. After drafting this response, felt it would be well suited as a blog post.

Overall, the expectation is for salary employees to work 40+ hours, but that really means between 40 and 45. Not too few, but not an exorbitant amount either. I personally value a work-life balance and want my employees to as well. The culture of work varies widely around the world. I think generally, we have been taught that if we work harder, then we will be more successful. I prefer to think the best outcomes emerge when a solid work ethic unites with a strong drive to achieve, while thinking creatively about how to be most efficient.

As a salary employee, you have been given the flexibility and responsibility to manage your own schedule. You know when extra work is required to get a job done on time and are now expected to achieve it. At the same time you know when life happens and requires you to be away from the office in short bursts, that you have earned the trust to be away while not significantly impacting your achievements. Both abusing this flexibility or not taking advantage of it can call into question whether or not an individual is worthy of the responsibility. Abuse almost goes without explanation of how it reflects negatively on the individual. Not taking advantage of the flexibility, by continuing to work a strict 40 hour week, leaving right as the shift ends gives the appearance of working the minimum required. If an individual continually leaves immediately as the shift ends, how can they balance work outputs enough to be gone at all during normal hours without abusing the system?

Monocle Issue 41 deals specifically with the culture of work. There are merits to the cultures, achievements and quality of life from all regions of the world. While these are generalizations as you cannot characterize an entire population, there are great lessons to be learned. In Japanese culture it is considered unacceptable to leave before the boss leaves. In other words, he or she sets the pace for the entire office. There is definitely something to be said for the leader setting the example for hard work, not taking advantage of position. As a lean practitioner and engineer, I identify with the Finnish view that if a person cannot fulfill their job duties in a normal 40 hour week, they are not efficient. I know that oftentimes workloads vary with seasons or projects and expectations are different within different companies, but what a great perspective on waste reduction even in an office environment. I find myself continually iterating towards better ways to manage my time using the perspective of value added to the company and results over endless activity.

So overall, work hard, work smart and maintain a healthy balance so that work is a place you look forward to coming to, where you can contribute and perform at a high level.