Are you stealing employer's time?

Some habits including office gossip, spending more time on social platforms and improper work operations can rob a firm of productive time.    PHOTO  ;   COURTESY

Kenya: Abigail, not her real name, sought a sick leave on a Monday morning and a co-worker had to cover for her. During the duration of her feigned sickness, she was active on the social media with revealing posts.

One of the posts said she was dodging work to cope with ‘Monday blues’ after an eventful weekend with friends.

Unknowingly, colleagues and the management accessed some of her posts before she took down the incriminating ones.

She had unwittingly unmasked how her social life was affecting her career, with lame excuses.

She is not alone. Some employees find ways to steal employer’s valuable time with various excuses. This may involve lateness to work, being on social media or engaging in nonconstructive office chatter. “If the excuse for lateness to work is heavy traffic, try leaving early to beat that jam and be at the workplace on time,” says Eliud Mathu, a hotel manager in Nakuru.

According to Mathu, punctuality makes one more valuable than reporting late or making excuses. “Punctuality is an attestation that employees value their work and are dedicated to the same,” he says.

keep track

He advises employees to be time-conscious each workday, adding that employers can keep track of the time employees put in and factor the same during a job evaluation.

In large organisations, the clocking in and out system is the most efficient tool in tracking an employee’s time. “Some habits such as office gossiping or being hooked to social platforms, are improper as they rob the organisation of productive time,” says Peter Kang’ethe, a business manager in Nakuru.

But analysts argue that those who work in the media find social platforms useful for news tips, comments and updates on breaking news. Kang’ethe urges employees to be good stewards of time if they have to progress well in their careers. “An activity allotted period  should be done in its specified time frame as time wasted is irretrievable other than making up for that lost time,”he says. “This intrudes on other activities and may see a rescheduling or overtime work to make up for the deficit. It may also cost an employee in terms of health if one cannot hold the stress of working long hours,” he opines. Kang’ethe observes that companies may allow for flexibility in time management. This would entail employees scheduling their operations to tailor with time but discipline is required in mastering one’s time.

 

Scheduling time can help save the company, cut down on overtime and enhance efficiency. However, this does not guarantee everything will be done on time, but helps employees to be time efficient.

Mr Mathu observes that an employee with penchant for lateness can delay work as some are charged with overseeing works or doing specific operations before the work begins.

He argues that co-workers who stand in for late arrivals or absentee employees can harbour resentments, with some feeling they are being overworked.

“Being punctual can be rewarding. Punctuality can stand you a chance to get promoted or get an improved pay package after a job review,” notes Mathu.

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