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Unlimited time off with a side order of guilt

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What would you rather have, unlimited vacation time with your laptop riding shotgun or a set amount of vacation time when you are seriously expected to be out of the office?

This article in the NY Times explores the situation at IBM. It seems like a simple question, set time or flexible time. But there are several other factors; the degree to which you can truly disconnect, peer pressure, examples set by senior leadership, a voluntary vacation tracking system, personal guilt. I personally think that the myth of the productive/responsible/willing-to-disconnect employee as the norm is a little silly; some will take advantage of the situation, some will feel guilty about taking time off and will work until they experience total burn-out (been there? Yeah, me too). IBM says they don't know whether this policy results in people taking more or less time off (hmm, I'd be trying to figure that out), but do they really WANT people to take their vacation time? It sounds like a potentially generous offering, but if it results in people taking less time off, is it really?

I like something in the middle; some guaranteed vacation days (no laptops, please) plus the flexibility to be out of the office when you need to as long as your work is getting done (yay, more shoe shopping!). Having some set vacation days gives me a certain amount of time out of the office that I "should" take. I'm not saying that I always take all of them (I'm up to 4 weeks of vacation a year) but it's definitely motivating to know they are floating around out there waiting for me to take them. It also gives me permission to *really* take them. No laptop, no checking the smart-phone. Don't call me in case of recruiting emergency; I'm by the pool with a nice Chardonnay.

Here are some reader comments on the article.

PS: I'm currently planning a trip back to Chicago for my HS reunion and a fun shopping excursion to NYC with a friend (plus a Thanksgiving excursion to Arizona, including a football game). So I swear I'm doing a better job of practicing what I preach this year!

Comments

  • Anonymous
    September 06, 2007
    PingBack from http://msdnrss.thecoderblogs.com/2007/09/06/unlimited-time-off-with-a-side-order-of-guilt/

  • Anonymous
    September 06, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    September 06, 2007
    Yeah, but you'll be glad if your account is ever hacked.

  • Anonymous
    September 07, 2007
    These infringements on your personal time have become far too prevalent, and I'm just amazed at the number of people who answer email while on vacation. Really, I earn every hour of vacation time I get with the work I've done the rest of the year. Why are so many people so insecure that they're willing to effectively give up this much-needed benefit? It's really the same as throwing away a portion of your salary! When I've been forced to even just check in via voice mail, it's taken me hours to fully forget and push aside the problems that interrupted my bliss. And when I say "forced," to check in, I mean it: I had a manager who insisted you call into voicemail each day, and routinely checked up on her vacationing subordinates by leaving messages with a thinly veiled request that required an answer to make sure you were checking in while you were at the beach. And yes, that ridiculous-boss behavior, coupled with many other issues, inspired me to find another job.

  • Anonymous
    September 14, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    September 29, 2007
    The security question reference reminded me of a big purchase a few years back, just after my dad moved to Houston (I'd come over for about two weeks to help get everything set up). Buying a load of things (including two TVs, so the total was into four figures) on credit card on a different continent obviously sounded every alarm bell in the system; the resulting security questions included "complete the following telephone number". No, not the previous home phone number; after a little thought, he worked out this was the switchboard number at his previous employer but one! Somewhat difficult to guess, I think...

  • Anonymous
    October 12, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    October 13, 2007
    Me too! Usually.

  • Anonymous
    April 22, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    April 22, 2008
    Hmm, I'm not sure it has anything to do with the species.