Workers Working An Extra 20 Hours a Week Thanks To BYOD

Qedward writes with the apparent downside of bring-your-own-device policies. From the article: "Many employees are working up to 20 additional hours per week unpaid as a result of bring your own device (BYOD) policies adopted by their firms, many of which have no security safeguards. According to the quarterly Mobile Workforce Report from enterprise Wi-Fi access firm iPass, a third of mobile enterprise workers never fully disconnect from technology during their during personal time The report also said that 92% of mobile workers 'enjoy their job flexibility' and are 'content' with working longer hours. In fact, said the report, 42% would like 'even greater flexibility for their working practices.' But 19% of mobile workers said their companies did not require security on smartphones or tablets to access work data."

Comments

Cry me a river...

[Anonymous Coward]

Occasionally glancing at your cellphone while getting black out drunk with your idiot friends doesn't sound like work to me...

Re:Cry me a river...

[Anonymous Coward]

Occasionally glancing at your cellphone while getting black out drunk with your idiot friends doesn't sound like work to me...

I'm a taste tester for Johnny Walker you insensitive clod! They want to know how bad my blackouts and hangovers are!

Re:Cry me a river...

[Sir_Sri]

Even if it is, I'd rather spend 15 minutes at 11pm typing an e-mail that will solve a problem right then, than having to spend 2 hours fixing something first thing the next morning.

My boss is one of those guys who doesn't check his e-mail at home (or at least not very often) and not on his smartphone. But he goes home at 3 as part of his flex hours. If something happens that he's really really needed, well, you wait until tomorrow, which just adds stress, confusion and sometimes creates new problems as people try and do what they need without him, and make life hard for themselves.

I'd rather be 'on call' every day for 4 hours after work, on top of my 8 hours a day at work if that means those 8 hours aren't spent cleaning up messes created in my absence, or if that means other teams (including other time zones) can actually get their shit done on time. That makes my working hours a lot less stressful, and gives me more time during working hours to do things like post on /.

I did a job once that was multinational - next day for anything. So if we had a problem that needed authorization for spending or an engineering decision or whatever at 10 in the morning our time, we'd be stuck waiting on our arses until the next day for someone at one of the corporate offices to look at it. Which was just a huge waste of time and money, and made doing anything on site a nightmare because you could never be sure how long you'd be stuck there.

Re:Cry me a river...

[kelemvor4]

Occasionally glancing at your cellphone while getting black out drunk with your idiot friends doesn't sound like work to me...

I'm a taste tester for Johnny Walker you insensitive clod! They want to know how bad my blackouts and hangovers are!

I'm going to put in an application with Trojan right now.

Re:Cry me a river...

[vlm]

Not all jobs involve problems where the repair commitment expands over time. Maybe car mechanic? Factory on a quota/piecework system? Struggling to think of a stereotypical /.er job like that. Personally I've never had to do anything afterhours, in decades, other than fundamentally because there's an angry waiting internal or external customer. Never to save time.

So if we had a problem that needed authorization for spending or an engineering decision or whatever at 10 in the morning our time, we'd be stuck waiting

That's an executive level cultural problem thats outside your paygrade to fix, so don't worry about it or change your lifestyle. I've intentionally never worked anywhere without a 24x7 escalation sheet and a culture of "better ask forgiveness than permission". I've turned down jobs at bureaucratic micromanagement style companies for those exact cultural reasons. If thats the way they want to run things, thats fine, but its not my problem, I'll patiently wait.

Re:Cry me a river...

[idontgno]

You're seeking a job as a condom taste-tester?

Not my idea of a dream job, but if it's what floats your boat....

Re:Cry me a river...

[element-o.p.]

With all due respect, I disagree, and I *am* the fix-it guy -- well, one of two, anyway -- where I work. The solution, in my experience, is simple. First, hire competent people with good judgment. Second, trust them to do their job. If you abide by those two rules, then you should be able to seriously reduce the number of escalations when there's a problem after hours.

Yes, I get called out after-hours or on the weekends from time to time. Yes, 10% -- maybe even as high as 20% at times -- don't really need my attention RIGHT FREAKING NOW but for the most part, the people who escalate to me are pretty good at triage and won't call me unless there's something they really need me to look at. And when I do get called to look at something, I generally don't get called out on the carpet for the steps I've taken to resolve the issue unless I do something *REALLY* boneheaded, and off-hand, I can't think of a single time in over six years with my present employer that that's happened. I've maybe had my boss say something like, "You probably should clear that with a manager before doing that again," once or twice, but that's about it.

As far as being on-call for an additional four hours every day after my eight hour shift (from your original post)...well, if my employer needs fix-it guys after hours that badly, then they'd better hire some more employees, or they'd better up my pay significantly so that I can retire early. Otherwise, I'll answer the phone when/if I have time, but I make no guarantees. I'd consider six hours in the office and four hours on-call for an eight-hour-a-day salaried position, since I know I wouldn't get called every day, but I'll find a new job if you tell me you want to pay me for eight hours a day and have me on-call for free for an additional four. Life is too short to spend 12 hours a day working indefinitely. My parents worked their butts off for years. Then in 2006, my dad died from an aneurism. They had made all kinds of plans for what they'd do "one of these days" and never got to accomplish A. Single. One. Of. Them. because they didn't take time while they had the chance. My mom, a "32-hour per week" employee worked 5x12 (sometimes 6x12 or more) for the last year before my dad died; she just about completely missed out on his last year on earth. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I *can* be taught. The only time you have is RIGHT NOW. IME, there are very few people who wished they could have worked a few more hours in their lifetimes, but plenty who wished they'd crossed a few more items off their bucket lists or spent a little more time with their loved ones.

Re:Cry me a river...

[CanHasDIY]

"From: Doe, John [US/CORPHQ] Sent: Fri 2/13/2012 6:35PM Help I have a small grease fire! I am contemplating dousing it with water. Any advice? --JD"

If I can tell that idiot to use baking soda instead of water, he will stand a much better chance at saving himself and others a lot of time, money, and effort as opposed to ignoring it until monday.

Perhaps, but conversely, if you ignore the request, you stand a much better chance of never having to deal with that particular moron ever again!

Re:Cry me a river...

[jeffmeden]

Your point is taken, but for the record I wasn't the one who made the "original post" and you weren't the target of my example; I was pointing out that many jobs outside of car mechanics and factory work DO involve snowball issues that are best dealing with early on. An ounce of prevention, as it were. If you don't experience this in your job, then it sounds like a good spot and I suggest keeping it for a long time. Those of us who arent that lucky, get that availability has its price and its benefits.

Re:Cry me a river...

[cayenne8]

I call people that do this....stupid

I work my ass off when at work...but I bill every hour. My time is too important to me, to just 'give' it away to work.

When I walk out the door and it slaps me on the ass, all thoughts about it and concerns about it end at that door.

If they need me, sure I'm there..and I'll work all that is required, but never for free.

If they know they have to pay you, they will think twice about asking you to do stupid shit that can wait.

Even when I work W2, I make sure and negotiate into my employment agreement, that I get paid at least hourly rate for any extra hours worked over 40 per week.

Know your worth....insist on getting paid for your time, I don't think many of us out here are that altruistic.....

Disclaimer

[Anonymous Coward]

"According to...enterprise Wi-Fi access firm iPass...their companies did not require security on smartphones or tablets to access work data."

If "did not require security" didn't make any sense to you, you're not alone. It looks like they actually meant "did not use our magic tiger-repelling-rock based product". The whole "report" is a slashvertizement.

"Hamlet's BlackBerry" and "In Praise of Slow"

[Neil_Brown]

Two excellent books which made me question why I had my email pushed to me, notifications popping up, looked at work email before I went to bed and so on. Switching email to "pull" (both work and personal, both mobile and computer), not having work email enabled on my phone unless I actually needed it, and minimising distractions ("silent" on my phone means no vibrations either — no distractions), I've found that I get a lot more done in a given period of time (may sound silly, but "Getting Things Done" did a lot for me here, too), and am generally more relaxed.

I'm a huge fan of being connected, but this experience has made me realise I truly value having connectivity available when I want it, rather than letting things rule me.

Re:"Hamlet's BlackBerry" and "In Praise of Slow"

[cpu6502]

I noticed that with my boss today. We were chatting and his "push" email updated, so he glanced at it. Then we resumed chatting and his email updated so he glanced at it again. I found it annoying & made our chat last 1.5 times longer than it should have. I check my email just twice a day..... I figure if it's urgent they can pick up the phone and call. Or send an instant message.

LOL

[vlm]

But 19% of mobile workers said their companies did not require security on smartphones or tablets to access work data.

Somehow I don't think 19% of mobile workers can tell the difference between http and https access to their corporate webmail, much less the intricacies of imap on port 143 vs imaps on port 993

Asking them is about as wise as asking the average man on the street if his blood is RH positive or RH negative and then basing your blood bank inventory plan on their random choices. I'm guessing the average moron would assume RH is a disease so you'd skew negative, but the actual population is mostly positive (exact value depending on where you live)

"Flexibility" like that can go to hell.

[gallondr00nk]

The report also said that 92% of mobile workers 'enjoy their job flexibility' and are 'content' with working longer hours

Well done, what a great way to undermine your own wage and working conditions.

Re:"Flexibility" like that can go to hell.

[element-o.p.]

So long as that flexibility also means that I get to take the next day (or at least, an equal number of hours the next day) off to enjoy the free time I spent updating the server the night before, I'm okay with that. However, I once had an employer tell me that "five minutes early is right on time" when I arrived at eight thirty instead of eight a.m. after staying at work until 2:00 a.m. the night before to fix a corrupted database.

Its not the device..

[SuperCharlie]

Its the blurring of lines of what is work time and what is private time due to the always connected world we have become addicted to. When your "master" can summon you 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, no matter where you are.. guess what.. they will.

Re:Its not the device..

[JoeMerchant]

It's a free country, choose your master wisely.

I bring my own device to work daily.

[BigSes]

Its called my brain, and trust me, worrying about that bullshit when I leave the building should count as "additional hours".

Re:Your actions harm me

[Samalie]

When it becomes trendy to work long hours, employers start to require it. Then, I have to work those same long hours, because there are no jobs where a proper work/life balance is respected.

Thanks a lot, you damn busybodies!

Actually this. 1000 times this.

We had an individual in my office. For the sake of this story, we will refer to him as "Fuckwit".

Now, Fuckwit came in to work 7 days a week, and roughly 12-14 hours per day. He was paid a standard 40-hour-workweek salary, and effectively then volunteered 60 hours more a week.

This became the standard against which the rest of the staff are measured. Fuckwit is doing it, why the fuck can't you? Fuckwit needs you while you are on vacation....fuck your vacation, do what Fuckwit wants of you. Never mind Fuckwit is a single male with no girlfirned, no kids, no social life, whatever. Fuckwit has set the bar.

Today, Fuckwit is on a 2 year sabbattical because (from what I've heard) he hit the wall and burnt out to shit. But guess what? He set the fucking bar, which we still to this day fail to measure up to. Management could care less that it destroyed Fuckwit, requiring a massive sabbattical...they got 3 1/2 years of 100 hour workweeks out of him before that happened.

Now, multiply Fuckwit across America. Millions of Fuckwits who are "lucky to have a job at all" working double the hours they are contracted (and often paid) to do. So suddenly, we have millions of Fuckwits doing the effective job of 2 people....where the company SHOULD be hiring 2 people, but why the fuck would they when there is Fuckwit who will do it anyway.

And then we wonder why unemployment is shot to shit right now. Of course there are hardly any fucking jobs being created, because they keep making US do the work for a job that SHOULD be created.

In other words, fuck every last one of you Fuckwits out there. YOU are fucking us all. Personally, I hope the stress eats you up inside till you have a mental breakdown or a fucking heart attack. THen these companies might actually have to, you know, hire the appropriate number of staff instead of fucking us all.

Re:Your actions harm me

[netwarerip]

Completely agree with this. Problem is, management typically looks at Fuckwit no differently then they look at a printer. Oh, burnt out the fuser? No problem, just go get a new one. Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.

BYOD should be amended to mean 'Bend Y'ass Over, Dude'.

Re:Your actions harm me

[Samalie]

I get paid by the hour

Then sorry, but you're not even remotely what I described.

Whether 12/hour or 50/hour, you are being paid for every hour you work. I...and "Fuckwit" from my story...are not.

Life sucks. This economy licks ass. No, I haven't gone through the hell youve described, and (knock on wood) I hope I don't ever have to. I sincerely wish that you hadn't either.

But back to the original point....if you are working 80 hours on a salary-only position (or have an employer that refuses to pay OT even if legally required to), then you are a fuckwit, and you are directly contributing to this economy continuing to suck. I mean fuck, honestly, do you understand why the economy continues to suck 3 years after the economy tanking? I'll give you a hint....its the ~8% (documented) unemployment, with a true rate likely somewhere between 15-20%.

If you have 15-20% of your able and willing workforce not making anything...and then not spending anything...which means that corporate revenues are down...which means more bastard CEO's preserving their personal/shareholder bottom line over that of the whole...which means more layoffs to satisfy thier personal incomes...which means a higher unemployment...which means more people not making anything...and the circle goes on and on and on.

The bastards and fuckwits and losers out there that are so thankful to be working that they're doing ANY unpaid overtime is directly contributing to this cycle. Government regulations (well, to be more percise, the lack of regulations & this giant conserviative push to destroy the unions) is only making it easier for corporations to get away with this shit. We're not only fucking ourselves right now, but we're fucking our kids...our grandkids...to this level of corporate slavery.

This ISN'T the norm. This shouldn't be the norm. But as long as there are these losers willing to effectively do 2 people's work, with 2 people's hours, for 1 person's salary, then yes, you're right, we're all fucked and this WILL be the established norm...not just for when the economy sucks, but for all fucking time. Freedom, power...that which is freely given away will never be returned.

Don't give yourself away people. And seriously...if you do....don't bitch at me when you drop of a massive heart attack & lose everything because you have to spend a month in the hospital & your boss replaces you with another moron willing to drive himself to an early grave. You dug your grave....fucking lie in it slave. I have no sympathy.

Honestly, one of the only ways I can see to fix this is unionization...and I fucking hate unions. But unless we are all willing to stand together & demand this gets fixed (and if they don't fix it, fuck em. Good luck meeting shareholder expectations if you have no workforce). But that would mean that people would actually have to think outside themselves as one individual....all the "me me me look at me my situation is different I'm special I have to do this blah blah fucking blah" has to go away....and we all know THAT will never fucking happen.

Honestly...I feel for my kids. My work life sucks, but isn't downright festering shit yet. Their generation? We're laying the foundation for them to be nothing but slaves to corporate interests. Quite frankly, I'm disgusted by the greed.