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Abstract

should try to find offices that give a little more area near windows.</p><p id="4cd7">The cubicles were also disappointing and demeaning. We always had cubicles that had high walls so we could not see anyone else. This causes an isolation feeling. The powers-to-be decided that we would be too distracted if we had lower walls we could see over. Yet their offices were big and spacious. Some studies have shown that workers are more productive with lower cubicle walls.</p><h2 id="791a">Days of the week</h2><p id="3f5f">Everywhere I worked, we would mention the possibility of a four-day workweek. They would always immediately shoot down the idea. We had good reasons that we offered, but the managers/directors said it would not work.</p><p id="23ed">I worked in companies that developed software that companies used to run their entire business. We had customers all over the United States. If we worked ten-hour days, we could give better service to our customers that were in a different part of the country.</p><p id="a3e0">Workers would be eligible for a four-day workweek after a set time of service, like maybe after one year (or two years). Since there were multiple people in each department, you would go by seniority on what day you would want off, a Monday or a Friday. The most senior would pick first, then the next senior, and so on. If the first people picked Friday, then the last would be off on Monday. This would guarantee coverage in the department along with longer days.</p><h2 id="6f12">A big no-no</h2><p id="c726">A few companies I worked with would bring in employees into a department and pay them more than the existing employees. They would have a rule in the company about not discussing salaries, but we know many people would do it anyway. It would always get out that someone came in at a high salary when they do not know the company or the business. They were always labeled as “saviors” for the company.</p><h2 id="7ab2">Work at home</h2><p id="ec68">Companies are almost always against this. Employees were not happy because the managers or owners would not trust people to work at home. They believed there would be many distractions a

Options

t home. The reality was that there are more distractions in an office with loud conversations and many meetings during the day. There would be certain days that home workers would have to be in the office for face-to-face meetings.</p><p id="c82a">The ironic part of this is the pandemic proved that working from home was a viable option. Workers were happier with no commute, less gas to pay for, and able to concentrate on work. There are now a lot of employees that are resisting coming into the offices now. If you look at the job boards like Monster and Indeed, I noticed that many job listings offer remote work, especially in the software industry. I never saw that before, even when checking postings less than a year ago when I needed to try to find employment.</p><h2 id="9d13">Now may be the time to act</h2><p id="ada3">Now may be the time to bring up these scenarios since a lot of companies went through the pandemic and were forced to make changes in the workflow. They survived the interruptions in their business and may be more agreeable to listen now.</p><p id="034f">One of the best things about this is that none of these ideas cost the company money. In fact, it could save them money. The only cost I mentioned was the cubicles, but smaller walls cost less. With people working from home, big office space is not needed, so the companies can save as they need less square footage.</p><h2 id="d545">Last idea</h2><p id="a361">A few of the companies I worked for would have an incentive program. If you came up with a cost-saving idea for the company, they would pay you a one-time percentage of the savings that they realized in the first year. As a bad example, let’s say the company hosted its own servers and email programs. Maybe point them to Amazon Services (AWS) which may have a much cheaper option for the company.</p><p id="7153">If you decide to approach your company with some of these ideas, I wish you all the luck!</p><p id="3953"><a href="https://medium.com/@alancmedi01/list/computers-and-tech-42ad2d26fa99"><b>Click here if you would like to read a few stories I have written about computers and the tech life.</b></a></p></article></body>

Companies Should Do Better To Retain Employees

Because of pandemic disruption, now may be a suitable time to suggest changes

During my career in an office environment, most of the companies were old-school thinking. Everyone had to be in the office, had minimum benefits, sporadic reviews, and other standard practices. There was a rigid set of rules that companies would use for running day-to-day operations.

You could not suggest different ways to make the work environment more enjoyable or friendly. Well, you could suggest ideas, but they would never be taken seriously.

Maybe now is a good time to push some suggestions I have below. It is too late for me as I am out of the workforce, but not for many of you. With so many people quitting and others working from home, some of the companies may be ripe to perform innovations.

For the employees

The company should have the managers get to know the employees a little better once they have been there a while. When the person has been with the company for about a year, managers should want to keep them from leaving. Not to be buddies but to get to know them in what they would like while in the company. What makes them happy? Better salary? More time off?

Come up with plans to satisfy some of the things they would like to see. Not everything can be given to them, but maybe a happy medium can be achieved. At least now the managers know where the employee stands.

Workplace improvements

I worked for over 40 years as a software developer. We were treated as low-class citizens in the company hierarchy. What I mean by that is we were always set up in the middle of the workspace with no windows. Companies should try to find offices that give a little more area near windows.

The cubicles were also disappointing and demeaning. We always had cubicles that had high walls so we could not see anyone else. This causes an isolation feeling. The powers-to-be decided that we would be too distracted if we had lower walls we could see over. Yet their offices were big and spacious. Some studies have shown that workers are more productive with lower cubicle walls.

Days of the week

Everywhere I worked, we would mention the possibility of a four-day workweek. They would always immediately shoot down the idea. We had good reasons that we offered, but the managers/directors said it would not work.

I worked in companies that developed software that companies used to run their entire business. We had customers all over the United States. If we worked ten-hour days, we could give better service to our customers that were in a different part of the country.

Workers would be eligible for a four-day workweek after a set time of service, like maybe after one year (or two years). Since there were multiple people in each department, you would go by seniority on what day you would want off, a Monday or a Friday. The most senior would pick first, then the next senior, and so on. If the first people picked Friday, then the last would be off on Monday. This would guarantee coverage in the department along with longer days.

A big no-no

A few companies I worked with would bring in employees into a department and pay them more than the existing employees. They would have a rule in the company about not discussing salaries, but we know many people would do it anyway. It would always get out that someone came in at a high salary when they do not know the company or the business. They were always labeled as “saviors” for the company.

Work at home

Companies are almost always against this. Employees were not happy because the managers or owners would not trust people to work at home. They believed there would be many distractions at home. The reality was that there are more distractions in an office with loud conversations and many meetings during the day. There would be certain days that home workers would have to be in the office for face-to-face meetings.

The ironic part of this is the pandemic proved that working from home was a viable option. Workers were happier with no commute, less gas to pay for, and able to concentrate on work. There are now a lot of employees that are resisting coming into the offices now. If you look at the job boards like Monster and Indeed, I noticed that many job listings offer remote work, especially in the software industry. I never saw that before, even when checking postings less than a year ago when I needed to try to find employment.

Now may be the time to act

Now may be the time to bring up these scenarios since a lot of companies went through the pandemic and were forced to make changes in the workflow. They survived the interruptions in their business and may be more agreeable to listen now.

One of the best things about this is that none of these ideas cost the company money. In fact, it could save them money. The only cost I mentioned was the cubicles, but smaller walls cost less. With people working from home, big office space is not needed, so the companies can save as they need less square footage.

Last idea

A few of the companies I worked for would have an incentive program. If you came up with a cost-saving idea for the company, they would pay you a one-time percentage of the savings that they realized in the first year. As a bad example, let’s say the company hosted its own servers and email programs. Maybe point them to Amazon Services (AWS) which may have a much cheaper option for the company.

If you decide to approach your company with some of these ideas, I wish you all the luck!

Click here if you would like to read a few stories I have written about computers and the tech life.