February 26, 2010

The digital brown noser in the office

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Every office has one: the person who tries to appear more productive than they are in order to stay in the boss' good graces.

Thanks to e-mail and smartphones, it's easy to pretend you're working around the clock, even after you've left the office for the day. Some of the ways that workers say their team's resident slacker puts up a "See how productive I am?!" façade:

• Purchase the latest smartphone loaded with all the bells and whistles. Proudly display it in meetings at which the boss is present and gas on about how "This thing is my lifeline to this place. I get so much more work done evenings and weekends now."
• At least once a week, be sure to say, "Feel free to message me until midnight -- I'm working late again." Make sure the boss is within earshot.
• No matter when you knock off for the day -- be it 4:30, 5:30, 6 p.m., or later -- be sure to reply to at least three e-mails from your boss after 11 p.m. that evening.
• Better yet, initiate a new e-mail thread to your boss and co-workers at midnight. Mention that you'll be online before sunrise to check replies. Remember to mark your message urgent and pepper it with exclamation points.

"The more layoffs that have gone on around this place, the more this happens," e-mailed one Nine to Thrive reader who says she's grown tired of seeing the office slouch use his smartphone to suck up to management.

In this year of doing more with less, it's not surprising workers would think the key to staying in the boss' good graces is to work around the clock -- or at least give the impression of doing so. But some workplace experts have a newsflash for these employees: working longer hours -- or going to great lengths to look like you're doing so -- isn't what employers care about.

"More hours worked does not equal job security," says management psychologist Karissa Thacker. "Don't get me wrong -- it is not time to slack off. But being on the BlackBerry at 2 a.m. does not equal more productivity."

Instead, Thacker says, employers want to see workers contribute valuable ideas, results, and nuggets of information. If you're in a meeting and the boss asks what customers think of the new widget the company just released, don't sit the intel you've collected, Thacker explains. Don't let your fear of layoffs silence you.

Instead, she says, "Now is the time to bring that conscientiousness to the fore and speak up. Just working more hours is not going to cut it. Working hard without visible and obvious impact is the new 'working dumb.'"

Readers, what you do think? Do you see those who appear to be burning the midnight oil and connected to the office 24/7 reaping more rewards at your company? Or are those contributing the most valuable ideas and contributions getting the biggest pats on the back?

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

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3 Comments

Tom on February 27, 2010 1:17 PM | Reply

I happen to own a smartphone and enjoy the flexibility it brings. However, I agree with the author that just because you respond to, or initiate e-mail outside of core work hours doesn't make you a better worker. Use the non-interrupted time to think of great ideas and be more innovative, not just an e-mail responder.

joe on February 27, 2010 1:38 PM | Reply

yes, U are a brown noser if you do these things. This story is spot on! Unless you are the boss, owner or a well-paid manager, there is no need to be on the clock 24/7. The only reason you would appear to be so 'connected' is to appear like a valuable employee, which most of them are not. The most irritating thing is that most managers CANNOT see thru this facade.

JB on March 2, 2010 10:38 AM | Reply

More often than not those who are on the clock 24/7 essentially have no life outside of the office. Most intelligent bosses understand that people work as a means to live, rather than living to work. I would much rather spend the time with my family and friends outside of the standard work hours.

These digital brown nosers are transparent to most folks in the office including their managers and peers. Unfortunately there are managers out there who have no life outside of work as well so they are enamored by these types of behaviors.

These people will look back on their lives in old age and only have their work accomplishments to show for what they lived. So sad...

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