As a small business owner, I could care less how many hours someone is working. I only care if they are meeting production goals I've set for them. If they do, I don't care if they work 1 hour per day or 8 hours per day. If they can accomplish the goal I set for them in 1 hour vs. 8, I change the goal. I don't bother managing breaks or bathroom visits and I don't take it as a respect thing either.
@@davelelonek I only care about productivity, my ego never comes into play. I have a happy workforce, very little turnover and growing revenue and profits every year. I even won my local Business Journal Fast 50 last year. $30 million in top line revenue last year and we're tracking $38 million this year.
To me, I think this misses the mark. To provide paid for lunch breaks, but then to more or less guilt people for going to the bathroom when they need to, it’s worse than simply not paying them for lunch breaks. For me, this is particularly bad in the realm of inspiring workers and respecting them. Making people feel bad about needing to use the restroom is not a great thing to do. This sort of stuff I think is where lean can go a bit too far into brainwashing/cult status. That’s not to say that folks I’ve managed in our manufacturing company don’t abuse bathroom visits and face consequences for it - that has happened. To me this is akin to saying “hey everybody, come eat this lunch we’ve laid out for you” and then they find a payroll deduction on their paycheck for it later. I understand the respect argument, but a lecture on bathroom usage usually reserved for young kids, while perhaps well-intended, doesn’t seem very respectful in its own way. “Don’t drink too much even if you’re thirsty because I don’t want you going to the bathroom!” “Hey, sorry if you have a dry mouth and a medical issue that requires you to urinate more than others, but you use the bathroom too much.” Oh and the whole “I’m not keeping track” (except you really are in some fashion to be bringing this up) is pretty disingenuous. Obviously - opinions differ and mine likely means nothing to you - but if I was an employee or teammate of yours, this would cancel out the positivity of your paid lunch 10x over (even though I personally make efforts to go on break times).
I’d encourage you to watch the video again. It’s about awareness. Altering behavior takes persistence as humans don’t generally like change. You might take notice to the fact my team can use the restroom at any time but I am raising awareness to be respectful for the privileges we are afforded. In your own reply, you contradict yourself. My father happened to see this video on his own and emailed me to say in his 30 years at General Motors he only used the bathroom once a day during lunch and he was enraged by the people that abused the system. It’s about respect and culture, nothing more. And for the record, no one on my team is abusive. But holding the rope tight is how you create a great culture, not thru nap rooms, working from home or bean bag chairs.
@@davelelonek It’s ok we don’t agree, Dave. I understand the message you were trying to convey. I understand you said they can use the restroom anytime they want. But the boss notices - and likely they’ll become anxious/self conscious about using the restroom. I’m the COO of the company where I work after having started as a lowly entry-level customer service person here 17 years ago. But one thing I’ve never forgotten is what it feels like to be an employee - and a boss putting a bug in your ear like that a)reads a little tone deaf as though they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be an employee and b)puts you on edge, which doesn’t make for a great work environment. We don’t have beanbag chairs or work from home - we don’t keep people who don’t perform. We do, however, have teammates whose metabolisms you can set a clock to. An half hour after lunch, some people have to defecate - I’m not going to ask them to hold it until break time. Their body requires it. If they otherwise work hard, how is that disrespectful? On the topic of giving time to employees, I think it’s wonderful you pay them for lunch, but I do think you’re tempering the positive feeling that gives your employees with this lecture. Another thing you may consider which we do instead - we give our team time back by way of 7 extra paid holidays compared to what we used to have. It’s less hours than you give them with lunches, but they can spend that time with their families or relaxing or however they want. And one of the paid holidays is the employee’s birthday, which makes them feel valued. It’s a different approach and a different opinion and that’s ok. You’ve achieved much more than I can hope to by way of lean and so it doesn’t mean I’m right. But on the topic of respect and humanity and employee morale, I just take a different stance than you on this particular topic. As a side note - I’m not sure where you mention I contradict myself. Also, my mother was a teacher, and teachers have been proven to have a higher instances of urinary tract infections, which scientists attribute to their need to hold their bodily functions longer than other professions.
@@BradleyMakesThings In your first message you state that some people you managed in the past abused bathroom privileges and faced consequences which is a total contradiction to your disagreement of my video. And for the record, my team members get their birthday off paid along with many other outstanding benefits. I’m sorry but you are wrong and missing the point. Nobody is prevented from using the restroom, but as adults we do have responsibility and control and through that we can manage our actions to a degree. That is the point you fail to understand. As far as feeling valued, a great culture creates that far more than perks but my team is well rewarded for their performance. I’ll give you another example although I doubt it will matter: When I fly, I don’t particularly find using the restroom enjoyable especially for number 2, therefore I manage this very well by being selective on what / how much I eat and drink prior. So yes, we do have some ability to control this when we want to.
Paid for breaks are not graciously given privileges. These are items that are contractually agreed upon, either in the contract of employment or in the company handbook and policies, which again, are accepted upon employment.
You couldn’t be more wrong. I am the owner and changed the policy to pay my team for lunch. There is no law requiring it and I could stop tomorrow if I want. I have a great team but you clearly missed the point of the talk.
@lonek5598 Respectfully disagree, I understand perfectly. Whether or not you chose to implement paid lunch breaks is only germane to compensation, not privileges. Free donuts in the break room is a privilege. Mechanisms for compensation are not privileges, they are mutually agreed upon terms of condition. Someone works an X hour shift, they earn a paid lunch, that's the arrangement you and your employees have made together. I think that's great.. Yes you can choose to alter it whenever you like, and your employees can choose to accept it or quit, whenever they like as well, without mutual agreement, the arrangement is severed. Example: John Doe is paid $20/hr for 8 hours with a paid 30 min lunch, effectively 7.5 hrs of paid labor, and a half hour of paid lunch. But since, no labor is being done during said paid lunch break, John Doe is actually earning $21.34/hr. If paid lunch is removed, and John Doe must now complete a full 8 hr shift to earn a full day's wage, his base pay has been effectively cut and his required output increased. This is not an example of a privilege, it's an example of reduction in compensation. Compensation is not a privilege.
Oh man. Same issue here. Guys come in after lunch-break and as soon they clock-in, they go to the bathroom… everyday?? I doubt it is an emergency. Do I look like a bad person if I bring up this topic in a meeting?? Apparently yes. When I was young and I started to work… they taught me that you should go to work fed, rested and “unloaded”…
Well said Dave, I would of never thought that break time would add up to 3-1/4 weeks annually. If I’m doing the math right over a thirty year career that would be close to two years off, wow
As a small business owner, I could care less how many hours someone is working. I only care if they are meeting production goals I've set for them. If they do, I don't care if they work 1 hour per day or 8 hours per day. If they can accomplish the goal I set for them in 1 hour vs. 8, I change the goal. I don't bother managing breaks or bathroom visits and I don't take it as a respect thing either.
Well you simply don’t understand respect and culture.
@@davelelonek I only care about productivity, my ego never comes into play. I have a happy workforce, very little turnover and growing revenue and profits every year. I even won my local Business Journal Fast 50 last year. $30 million in top line revenue last year and we're tracking $38 million this year.
To me, I think this misses the mark. To provide paid for lunch breaks, but then to more or less guilt people for going to the bathroom when they need to, it’s worse than simply not paying them for lunch breaks. For me, this is particularly bad in the realm of inspiring workers and respecting them. Making people feel bad about needing to use the restroom is not a great thing to do. This sort of stuff I think is where lean can go a bit too far into brainwashing/cult status.
That’s not to say that folks I’ve managed in our manufacturing company don’t abuse bathroom visits and face consequences for it - that has happened.
To me this is akin to saying “hey everybody, come eat this lunch we’ve laid out for you” and then they find a payroll deduction on their paycheck for it later.
I understand the respect argument, but a lecture on bathroom usage usually reserved for young kids, while perhaps well-intended, doesn’t seem very respectful in its own way. “Don’t drink too much even if you’re thirsty because I don’t want you going to the bathroom!” “Hey, sorry if you have a dry mouth and a medical issue that requires you to urinate more than others, but you use the bathroom too much.”
Oh and the whole “I’m not keeping track” (except you really are in some fashion to be bringing this up) is pretty disingenuous.
Obviously - opinions differ and mine likely means nothing to you - but if I was an employee or teammate of yours, this would cancel out the positivity of your paid lunch 10x over (even though I personally make efforts to go on break times).
I’d encourage you to watch the video again. It’s about awareness. Altering behavior takes persistence as humans don’t generally like change. You might take notice to the fact my team can use the restroom at any time but I am raising awareness to be respectful for the privileges we are afforded. In your own reply, you contradict yourself. My father happened to see this video on his own and emailed me to say in his 30 years at General Motors he only used the bathroom once a day during lunch and he was enraged by the people that abused the system. It’s about respect and culture, nothing more. And for the record, no one on my team is abusive. But holding the rope tight is how you create a great culture, not thru nap rooms, working from home or bean bag chairs.
@@davelelonek It’s ok we don’t agree, Dave. I understand the message you were trying to convey. I understand you said they can use the restroom anytime they want. But the boss notices - and likely they’ll become anxious/self conscious about using the restroom.
I’m the COO of the company where I work after having started as a lowly entry-level customer service person here 17 years ago. But one thing I’ve never forgotten is what it feels like to be an employee - and a boss putting a bug in your ear like that a)reads a little tone deaf as though they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be an employee and b)puts you on edge, which doesn’t make for a great work environment.
We don’t have beanbag chairs or work from home - we don’t keep people who don’t perform. We do, however, have teammates whose metabolisms you can set a clock to. An half hour after lunch, some people have to defecate - I’m not going to ask them to hold it until break time. Their body requires it. If they otherwise work hard, how is that disrespectful?
On the topic of giving time to employees, I think it’s wonderful you pay them for lunch, but I do think you’re tempering the positive feeling that gives your employees with this lecture. Another thing you may consider which we do instead - we give our team time back by way of 7 extra paid holidays compared to what we used to have. It’s less hours than you give them with lunches, but they can spend that time with their families or relaxing or however they want. And one of the paid holidays is the employee’s birthday, which makes them feel valued.
It’s a different approach and a different opinion and that’s ok. You’ve achieved much more than I can hope to by way of lean and so it doesn’t mean I’m right. But on the topic of respect and humanity and employee morale, I just take a different stance than you on this particular topic.
As a side note - I’m not sure where you mention I contradict myself. Also, my mother was a teacher, and teachers have been proven to have a higher instances of urinary tract infections, which scientists attribute to their need to hold their bodily functions longer than other professions.
@@BradleyMakesThings In your first message you state that some people you managed in the past abused bathroom privileges and faced consequences which is a total contradiction to your disagreement of my video. And for the record, my team members get their birthday off paid along with many other outstanding benefits. I’m sorry but you are wrong and missing the point. Nobody is prevented from using the restroom, but as adults we do have responsibility and control and through that we can manage our actions to a degree. That is the point you fail to understand. As far as feeling valued, a great culture creates that far more than perks but my team is well rewarded for their performance. I’ll give you another example although I doubt it will matter: When I fly, I don’t particularly find using the restroom enjoyable especially for number 2, therefore I manage this very well by being selective on what / how much I eat and drink prior. So yes, we do have some ability to control this when we want to.
Paid for breaks are not graciously given privileges. These are items that are contractually agreed upon, either in the contract of employment or in the company handbook and policies, which again, are accepted upon employment.
You couldn’t be more wrong. I am the owner and changed the policy to pay my team for lunch. There is no law requiring it and I could stop tomorrow if I want. I have a great team but you clearly missed the point of the talk.
@lonek5598 Respectfully disagree, I understand perfectly. Whether or not you chose to implement paid lunch breaks is only germane to compensation, not privileges. Free donuts in the break room is a privilege. Mechanisms for compensation are not privileges, they are mutually agreed upon terms of condition. Someone works an X hour shift, they earn a paid lunch, that's the arrangement you and your employees have made together. I think that's great.. Yes you can choose to alter it whenever you like, and your employees can choose to accept it or quit, whenever they like as well, without mutual agreement, the arrangement is severed.
Example: John Doe is paid $20/hr for 8 hours with a paid 30 min lunch, effectively 7.5 hrs of paid labor, and a half hour of paid lunch. But since, no labor is being done during said paid lunch break, John Doe is actually earning $21.34/hr. If paid lunch is removed, and John Doe must now complete a full 8 hr shift to earn a full day's wage, his base pay has been effectively cut and his required output increased. This is not an example of a privilege, it's an example of reduction in compensation. Compensation is not a privilege.
Oh man. Same issue here. Guys come in after lunch-break and as soon they clock-in, they go to the bathroom… everyday?? I doubt it is an emergency. Do I look like a bad person if I bring up this topic in a meeting?? Apparently yes.
When I was young and I started to work… they taught me that you should go to work fed, rested and “unloaded”…
Well said Dave, I would of never thought that break time would add up to 3-1/4 weeks annually. If I’m doing the math right over a thirty year career that would be close to two years off, wow