You never specified it!

In certain work places, the employees are expected to remain connected all the time and also work over the weekends during crisis. In such work places when a crisis is averted, another crisis pops up in no time just like a Hydra. At the end, the option is to sacrifice your weekends and turn up for work. Slowly, a culture is formed when everyone resignedly accepts working on a weekend and this culture is passed on to new comers in the team.

A friend of mine has a tale to tell about a recent incident at his work place. He is involved in a project where people are injected on a regular basis to meet the seemingly impossible deadline. Normally, the injection happens on a Monday. By the time it is Friday, they are in for the first shock. They have to work during the weekend. By next Friday, they are used to this fact. This has been the way of life in this project. My friend recounts the conversation between the project manager and a new project team member on a recent Friday.

Project Manager(PM): *adopting a matter of fact tone* So, we are all meeting on Sunday to discuss this further.

New Project Team Member(NPTM): Okay. Please debrief me after your discussion.

PM: *confused* Why do you need a debrief? You will be there during the meeting. No?

NPTM: *in a serious tone* No, I won't be.

PM:*in a persuasive tone* We are in a crisis. So we need to put our heads together to control this.

NPTM: That is right. But I won't be there. I am not available on the weekends.

PM: *starting to lose patience* The project demands us to put in extra time. All of us are doing it and you also should do it.

NPTM: If I am supposed to put extra time on weekends, why didn't you tell me when you selected me for the project?

PM: *after a brief pause* It is the way it works here. I don't have to mention it specifically.

NPTM: You assumed. *smiles, pauses and continues* That is your problem. Have a great weekend.

Tags: Musings,Work,Weekend,Manager,Team Member

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Comments

  1. Replies
    1. In this case, it worked. But there are no guarantee on how other people will react on this statement. :)

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  2. Loved this conversation, but it will now reflect on his annual appraisal :(

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    Replies
    1. For that, we have to wait till the next appraisal season. ;)

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  3. Aweome..Thats the right attitude employees should have and give it back to the management ;-) brave heart this was!!

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  4. heheh .. good one :P
    very observant i must say.
    http://nomadfashionista.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/celebrate-good-times-2/

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    Replies
    1. More than being observant, he has a gifted tongue. Otherwise, how can he think of how to reply?

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  5. So wish other NPTMs too take a similar stand about weekends. Will go a long way in changing the work culture in the country! Plus, I have never heard of a project which was not in 'crisis'. :D

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    Replies
    1. High visibility and Crisis. These are the common denominator between projects. I have heard this term many times and fought many fires personally. :)

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  6. Undermining weekends break is opposite to development oriented work culture.The PM ought to review his attitude seriously.

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    1. True. If you do not give sufficient downtime for your team, then it affects their performance. Nobody can run continuously without stopping. Sometimes, we get caught up in the daily activities that we forget the basic things!

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  7. Hope when i'll be working.........i'll carry the same attitude

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