The timeclock isn't inherently insulting. The part where management insists that employees get management approval to make corrections to the timecard is, rather.
Management refusing to correct a time card is really insulting.
The funny thing is, the "we can't fix that" which inspired this poll was in my favor. I get paid extra because they're refusing to correct the error I made, and which I went to some trouble to try to get fixed.
...
Oddly, this doesn't make me any less annoyed about the whole thing.
While insulting when no-nothing managers use it to punish workers who fail to arrive exactly on time, it is necessary to document that an employee is actually there or not. Suppose a manager decided to only pay you for 4 days and you had no time card. How could you prove you were working that day? It takes the guesswork out.
It IS misused by some managers however. I had one that demanded that everyone could not clock in more than 5 minutes before shift so he didn't have to deal with questions of overtime. And that anyone even 1 minute late was docked an hour. Results of said asshattery was all 250 people trying to use the one timeclock at the same time, resulting in a jammed machine, lots of people not being able to clock in or out, and an entire department quitting. If managers use it as intended, it's no big deal. But when managers become second-counters and use it poorly, then it does become insulting, yes.
The time clock can suck because it enforces the "Blue collar VS White collar" division in the work place. It reminds the Blue collar worker that he cannot be trusted to keep his own hours and this distrust is probably reflected in other policies. IE: must stay "on campus." It's the equivalent of being 17 in high school and being forced to stay on campus, except you're an adult and 25. You can argue that in general, Blue collars should not to be trusted, but I'm not convinced you can argue the time clock is not divisive and juvenille. Perhaps if management was forced to clock in?
Yes, exactly. Plus: "If you don't expect me to be honest when I tell you what hours I worked, what the heck makes you think I'll be honest about working while I'm clocked-in?" :P
I see one significant error in your comment. The number 25 should be replaced with a number between 20 and 60, possibly higher in some areas.
With sane policies and management it's no big deal. With typical management it can be a giant nightmare.
Then again I've also sat in the divide between the (union) blue collars and management and had to punch a clock. It wasn't a big deal, but then it was also easy to have my card fixed when I screwed it up. For a while I was also working night shift there, I don't think I actually saw my boss more than once a week.
Yeah, I was just throwing a random, working-age number, out there. Honestly, I'd feel pretty shitty if I was clocking in at 60 years old. That's sort of ridiculous...
I worked at a place where all of my managers had to clock in and I never felt that it was a big deal there. EVERYONE clocked in so there was no obvious distrust of you over, say, your manager. I work at a place right now where no one has to clock in. I KNOW some people fudge their hours on a weekly basis and I would almost like to see a clock put in here just to see them get f#$%ed. Hence the comment that you can make an argument that blue collar workers shouldn't be trusted... However, the managers even now know people fudge their hours - they just don't care. So, perhaps the managers are the 'problem'.
I would personally be sort of insulted by them because, frankly, I'm a pretty honest employee. I wouldn't make a fuss about it though, it would be a minor annoyance to my self-respect.
I didn't have a problem with the time clock at my last job, when you could clock in and out anytime before or after your shift (they just wanted proof that you actually showed up at all), but there would still be lines at the end of the shift because everyone wanted to get out of there as soon as the clock hit the hour. ;D
My first job the higher ups were strict about clocking in close to your shift, so there was actually a disincentive to get there a little bit early, because my boss would want me to help get set up, and then I was in danger of getting distracted and forgetting to do so at all. :/ The local manager was overall a pretty nice person. The upper management had pretty much only given her half-days off every week, so I didn't mind helping her out a bit.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 05:52 pm (UTC)===|==============/ Level Head
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Date: 2009-08-31 06:02 pm (UTC)Management refusing to correct a time card is really insulting.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 08:59 pm (UTC)...
Oddly, this doesn't make me any less annoyed about the whole thing.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 05:53 pm (UTC)===|==============/ Level Head
no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 06:08 pm (UTC)It IS misused by some managers however. I had one that demanded that everyone could not clock in more than 5 minutes before shift so he didn't have to deal with questions of overtime. And that anyone even 1 minute late was docked an hour. Results of said asshattery was all 250 people trying to use the one timeclock at the same time, resulting in a jammed machine, lots of people not being able to clock in or out, and an entire department quitting. If managers use it as intended, it's no big deal. But when managers become second-counters and use it poorly, then it does become insulting, yes.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 10:23 pm (UTC)With sane policies and management it's no big deal. With typical management it can be a giant nightmare.
Then again I've also sat in the divide between the (union) blue collars and management and had to punch a clock. It wasn't a big deal, but then it was also easy to have my card fixed when I screwed it up. For a while I was also working night shift there, I don't think I actually saw my boss more than once a week.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-01 04:04 pm (UTC)I worked at a place where all of my managers had to clock in and I never felt that it was a big deal there. EVERYONE clocked in so there was no obvious distrust of you over, say, your manager. I work at a place right now where no one has to clock in. I KNOW some people fudge their hours on a weekly basis and I would almost like to see a clock put in here just to see them get f#$%ed. Hence the comment that you can make an argument that blue collar workers shouldn't be trusted... However, the managers even now know people fudge their hours - they just don't care. So, perhaps the managers are the 'problem'.
I would personally be sort of insulted by them because, frankly, I'm a pretty honest employee. I wouldn't make a fuss about it though, it would be a minor annoyance to my self-respect.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 04:14 pm (UTC)My first job the higher ups were strict about clocking in close to your shift, so there was actually a disincentive to get there a little bit early, because my boss would want me to help get set up, and then I was in danger of getting distracted and forgetting to do so at all. :/ The local manager was overall a pretty nice person. The upper management had pretty much only given her half-days off every week, so I didn't mind helping her out a bit.