I am not sure if I should count the days by typical "work" days or by calendar days - I mean I DO work on days that are not typically "work" days - right? So anyway - until that dilemma is solved, I'll just make up arbitrary titles.
So today we had our department meeting -the one in which everyone was to bring their list of "tasks/activities" along with the value add for each one. Everyone actually had a list - I was amazed! And pleased. And we hammered through some pretty good discussions I thought. Many of the discussions around each task/activity resulted in some being labeld as "Requires Further Discussion" - not because the task doesn't add value to our overall mission - but because the process we currently have is totally inefficient. We need to come back to those a different day and hammer them out one by one to come up with a new process so that we can gain some efficiencies and so that some of the things we do aren't so mundane and we can all recognize the value immediately. At times we get so caught up in the monotony of HOW we tackle things, that we're losing sight of the value we are adding. I think overall this part of the meeting went very well and people were able to perhaps see the value they are adding to the overall goal/mission.
We even came up with one task that everyone does that adds NO value - NONE - to the department, our peers, the company, the customer - NOTHING. And guess what it was?! TIME TRACKING of their daily activities - logging how much time they spend with each customer/activity. Well guess what then? Let's STOP DOING IT. I put it to a vote - does anyone WANT to continue this activity of logging their time if it's adding NO value? Not a single person wanted to! Well one sort of did, but admitted that doing it actually had no value and she might come around yet to seeing that it's not helping her to achieve her goal. I think everyone likes this decision and seemed pleased with it! There are still a few things we do that will require the tracking of time - but I suggested they all start brainstorming on how those things can be handled in a different manner so we could perhaps get away from tracking the time on them as well. I'll be interested to see what they come to the table with the next time we meet to discuss this matter!
I noticed that not a single person had anything on their list that wasn't "work" related - so I volunteered to read my items: reading the newspaper online; checking my Facebook - things like this. Doesn't anyone else do this while they are AT the office? They admitted they did. And what value do those actitivities add? NONE. I think they may fear that I don't want them doing these things or that I sincerely frown upon it. But I'm really just trying to lay the groundwork for something bigger - Being AT the office does NOT constitute being AT work. But first I want to point out to them how we're already being nonproductive from time to time. And because they admitted to doing these things - I just merely assured them that I do them also. Maybe next time we'll talk about WHY we do those things AT the office. I just want to get them to start thinking about work differently and felt this was a good way to go about it without cramming the concept down their throat. I also admitted that 90% of work related email I receive is irrelevant and exists only as CYA or due to incivility amongst staff. What a waste of time. Everyone agreed. I wanted them to realize that the stress factors they have are the same ones I have - and that the irritants they have about work are the same ones I have. I need them to know and realize that I'm not some super-human - I'm the same as them. Hopefully in time they will realize that through these discussions.
We didn't make it through the entire list - and so we plan to continue running through them next week because I really sensed everyone was jazzed about the conversation and the openness - and I don't want the creative juices to stop flowing - the thinking about HOW we do things and looking for better, more efficient ways of doing them. So I think it's good to get this out in the open and start addressing some of these things sooner rather than later. Even IF we don't get to go to a ROWE - these things still need to be addressed so we can promote a healthier work culture.
All in all - a good meeting and I look forward to more discussions with them!
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