I had been meaning to write about this Slashdot poll, but other work kept getting in the way. As you’ll see from the survey results, not everyone can claim that excuse … at least not with a straight face:
The poll asked a single question: “How many hours do you REALLY work each day?” (The emphasis, added by Slashdot, is critical here.)
Counting the 10% who do not work at all (unemployed, part-timers, retirees, independently wealthy and cannily slothful, I presume) a full 40% reported toiling fewer than four hours per day.
As you’re digesting that nugget, know that more than 27,000 Slashdot readers participated in this survey; so, while I have always been dismissive of online polls, this one offers a substantial number of respondents drawn from a pool that overlaps considerably with Network World’s readership.
OK, so how many of you want to cop to working four hours or less? (C’mon, I won’t tell.)
Another 24% pegged their real work hours at a not-all-that-much-more-imposing four to six. Sixteen percent claimed the standard seven to eight, while another 11% went two hours better.
And the self-described workaholics? Three percent punched the clocked at 11 to 12 hours per day and another 3% rounded out the survey at more than 12.
A problem with the survey — in addition to its unscientific methods and the unmasking of massive workplace laziness — is that respondents had a difficult time agreeing on exactly what was being asked. However, the resultant discussion was both enlightening and amusing. I’ve read through all 252 comments — hey, it’s my job — so that you won’t have to.
There were those whose answer would depend on who is doing the counting.
“A huge part of my workday is reading technical material. I do that from home and usually have browser tabs open to Slashdot, various support forums, and usually a mainstream news page. I often work in the same clothes I slept in. So how many hours a day am I really working? 10 or more if you ask me. My fiancé will give quite a different number.”
There were many of the “depends on your definition” variety.
“I define ‘work’ as anything that needs to be done, but I don’t like doing. …. I don’t like beer, and I’ve never smoked pot, so I guess anything other than sex is work for me. Although I love fixing computers, so even though I get paid for it, I don’t really consider it work.”
There were those who see employers keeping score.
“Usually 9-10 per day. If anyone isn’t pulling an equal amount of the load around here, they have a bull’s eye on them for the next round of layoffs. In fact, at this point, anyone working less than nine is pretty much a guaranteed casualty.”
There was the obligatory “Office Space” reference.
“Yeah, but if you could go ahead and come in on Sunday, too, that would be great, yeah.”
And a lot of veering off on tangents.
“That said, a careful study of my past shows that 40% of my ‘sick’ days have been taken on either Monday or Friday.” (Yes, that’s 40% of the work week, as Buzzblog readers noted.)
OK, I know what you’re asking now: How many hours a week do I really work?
Somewhere between enough and too many.
