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In the battle to become "top dog" in the corporate kennel,
individual perks weigh in as sure signs of success. However,
in dealing with corporate America it is prudent to keep your
eyes on the magicians of industry and to always beware of
geeks bearing gifts.
The corner office and personal parking space are still standards
in the world of perks, but the information revolution is making
new inroads into the world of perks and pampering, and has helped
corporate-centric intellects find new ways to put unnoticed
shackles upon unwitting employees. New statistics show that
U.S. productivity is at an all-time high. They also show that
U.S. office workers, although they are earning more money than
ever, are actually getting less in real dollars because they
are often doing the work of two or three people, but are not
being compensated at a comparable rate.
Corporations have found it is easier to give beads and trinkets
in the form of technology baubles on a one-time basis rather
than continue to support high-cost items such as healthcare
and other benefits, which are ongoing costs, compared to a corporate
discounted Palm Pilot worth less than $200. Laptop PCs, PDAs,
high-speed home Internet connections and cell phones have certainly
made employees more productive. However, what many employees
miss is the invasive nature of these technologies.
Hidden behind this technology deployment lies a serious increase
in the amount of work done and time spent by individuals who
do more work after hours just to keep up as companies continue
to downsize. The freedom of the "virtual office" has some people
working 12- to 16-hour days without any increase in pay. Not
only is this becoming a standard, it is also expected. With
global satellite communications, just about anyone is a phone
call away at any time.
Occasionally, after-hours work is a necessity. The operative
word in the previous sentence is "occasionally." The needs of
work shift constantly, defying schedules, making it impossible
for precise scheduling. Occasionally one must put in a few long
days, but it shouldn't be a regular occurrence. If it is routine,
one of three things is usually the cause: (1) Failure of planning
and organization, (2) Too few resources for the job, or (3)
taking on more than time or resources allow, which is the same
as number one.
If this emergency drill sounds like your work life, there are
several things you can do. First, turn off your pager after
business hours—unless it is a requirement of the job and if
it is, demand additional compensation. Second, turn off your
cell phone and PC after hours, unless you receive compensation
or use them for personal projects. Don't give your personal
cell phone number to your employer. Establish an acceptable
work routine with your employer and stick to it. Be sure to
organize and plan your workday to be as efficient and productive
as possible in the least amount of time. Do not let others'
lack of planning become your emergency. Learn how to make people
keep their monkeys on their backs rather than passing them to
you.
The next time you are offered a cell phone, PDA, laptop, or
other high tech productivity device be sure to think twice before
accepting. Remember, always beware of geeks bearing gifts.
Copyright © 2001 Don Barbera. All
Rights Reserved.
Don Barbera has contributed to *spark-online
since its inception.
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