Fixed hours, not enough work.

amother

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 9:34 am

Say you worked from home - doing an office job. You had fixed hours you had to be signed in for over the internet, and you had to be available to answer phone calls and do tasks as necessary. Say they didn't give you enough work, so you ended up sitting around a lot, rearranging computer files and not doing much else.... and you told them there wasn't much to do and they ignored it, saying you should do all sorts of things that you can't actually do because they haven't given you the information you need. And when you say what you need they take ages to get it... or never get it....

What would you do? Is it ethical to do your own thing on the net or clear up the house a bit, make supper? If there was a task you would do it, of course, but what if there wasn't?

During work hours - you are paid an hourly wage - are they paying for you to be available, or for you to work solidly?

I would agree in a office it would look bad and prob. wouldn't happen because others would see you had no work, but from home? Ethical/ Halachic perspectives all welcome!

amother

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 10:28 am

There are times when things are slower at work and I shmooze or chat. They want me to be available certain hours. It doesn't happen often but I would be okay with taking it easy if there is nothing else to do. They want you to be signed in, you are, you will get an alert if they try reaching you, you can be on another web browser in the meantime IMHO.

Kugglegirl

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 10:29 am

I guess what ever you do that is not work related has to be something tat would not interfere with answering the phone & being alert to any new tasks they send.

How long is it taking you to do the work & how much extra time do you end up with?

Are calls coming in randomly all shift long?

amother

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 10:34 am

You need to be available for them - but if you let them know that you need more work and they are not giving it to you - why can't you make supper?? Just make sure you can hear you office phone ring and every 10 min. or so check your computer. I don't think it matters if you are sitting there wasting time or making supper. Either way you are available for them to give you more work to do

amother

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 10:49 am

Thanks for your responses. My boss phones once or twice a day to give me tasks, usually small ones that take 10 mins. Sometimes there are bigger tasks - towards the end of the week work usually picks up and I'm busy for most of the day. But Monday through Wednesay, maybe I'm busy 1/4 to 1/2 the time?

There used to be data entry that took all the time but I finished it. I wish there was more really....

I am always available to take phone calls and look at my emails very often. The phone hardly ever rings...

I feel guilty for taking their money for doing 'nothing', but I want to work, need to earn money, and I guess it isn't my fault there's nothing to do!

syrima

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 12:12 pm

I had a very slow Friday at work last week. Like, nothing to do. I was explaining to a newbie that it's still Ok to get paid for "nothing" bc if there WAS work that came in, you would be there to do it.
Why do you think I'm on Imamother NOW?

justcallmeima

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 12:50 pm

This is the nature of work. Some periods are busier and some are slower. What other posters have said is correct. You have told them you need more to do, and you are available when and if they call or email. It's perfectly acceptable to throw in a load of laundry or put a chicken in the oven. (But not perfectly acceptable to do 4-5 hours of housework where you can't hear the phone or respond to email for example)

It is also perfectly legitimate to spend some of this time learning and acquiring new skills or improving your existing skills or knowledge base. This is of benefit to the organization as well as to you and will keep you from being bored. For example, if you have a lot of Spanish speaking clients, you could do a free online Spanish course or brush up your power point skills, or whatever. There is SOO much to learn on the internet. Again, this would be of benefit to you and to the organization. iI you learn a new skill and then come up with a proposal for how you could use that new skill in your job, you might find yourself with more to do and possibly more money. Don't let your skills atrophe! Take some initiative!

self-actualization

Mon, Apr 22 2013, 4:37 pm

I would be very wary of starting down the "make dinner" road.

I once had a colleague who "worked from home" on Fridays and when I called her to ask her a question, it was clear that she wasn't focusing on what I was saying. Then she surprised me by saying - "Oh I need to take my chicken out of the oven; it's going to burn." At the time, I felt like she was cheating the company, and in general it's a quick route to getting fired.