Comments on: Black Friday a red flag for presenteeism http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/black-friday-a-red-flag-for-presenteeism/ Daily dose of benefits news and know-how Sat, 18 Jun 2011 21:36:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Smith (Yes, really. It's Smith) http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/black-friday-a-red-flag-for-presenteeism/comment-page-1/#comment-1660 Smith (Yes, really. It's Smith) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:04:32 +0000 http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/?p=391#comment-1660 This is no recent phenomenon but has been happening for decades - likely longer. After special days and major holidays employees (both white AND blue collar) often slow down, talk with co-workers about the day, and suffer from a general malaise that comes during holiday seasons. It is part of the HUMAN side of being in business. How many white collar professionals use their business phone during the day to coordinate and address personal matters such as child-care, home repair and services, health care, and others? The answer is MOST! Consider that the average white collar worker spends more waking hours with co-workers than with their own family. Consider that the same worker responds to email if not telephone calls in their "off" time. And also consider the number of single-parent homes, or homes where both spouses are employed full-time. The only REAL concern management should be bothered by is if it becomes an every day event rather than the few Day-After-The-Holiday times. U.S. white collar workers often put in 50-60 hour weeks, but life continues even though they are "at work!" Begrudge not the occasional slowdown - especially since the U.S. worker gets less and takes less vacation time than workers of any other country in the world! This is no recent phenomenon but has been happening for decades – likely longer. After special days and major holidays employees (both white AND blue collar) often slow down, talk with co-workers about the day, and suffer from a general malaise that comes during holiday seasons. It is part of the HUMAN side of being in business. How many white collar professionals use their business phone during the day to coordinate and address personal matters such as child-care, home repair and services, health care, and others? The answer is MOST!

Consider that the average white collar worker spends more waking hours with co-workers than with their own family. Consider that the same worker responds to email if not telephone calls in their “off” time. And also consider the number of single-parent homes, or homes where both spouses are employed full-time.

The only REAL concern management should be bothered by is if it becomes an every day event rather than the few Day-After-The-Holiday times.

U.S. white collar workers often put in 50-60 hour weeks, but life continues even though they are “at work!” Begrudge not the occasional slowdown – especially since the U.S. worker gets less and takes less vacation time than workers of any other country in the world!

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