11-hour days

Submitted by: mcscotty – Thu, 10/22/2009 – 10:47

I manage the phone and card-key systems, and generate usage reports for managers on request. I'll also run occasional reports looking for patterns of abuse of the system.

A few years ago, there was an intern working at our offices. She seemed to be on the phone a lot. Really a lot... So much so that multiple people came to me to point it out. So, I ran a couple of reports showing cumulative phone time, and the results were alarming. There were days with over 9 hours of charged phone time, and at least one day with over 11 hours. I then ran a report on the card-key system and it was clear that this person was never in the office for more than 8 hours any day... usually more like 6. It took me a while to comb through the reports to figure this out... but it turns out she was conference calling with several friends at once, for hours at a time.

I took my findings to her boss, along with an analysis of the phone costs she was incurring (it literally added up to more than she was earning). His take on the matter? He didn't have a problem with the quality or volume of her work, and she would be gone in 3 weeks anyway, so he let it slide. If her behavior for the next few weeks was any indication, he never even spoke to her about it.

*sigh*

Comment: Something stinks there...

It seems that there is more to the connection between boss and intern that the story tells.

Was she related directly to the boss, or to a close friend or associate - either to the boss or a higher-up?

Either that, or her work was of such exceptional quality that indeed the boss figured it didn't matter.

asitnik – Fri, 10/23/2009 – 08:40

Comment: Pragmatic procedures...

She was getting the work done and would be gone in three weeks anyway? The boss may just be figuring her calls are the cost of doing business.
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Sure, he could raise the issue with her. But then she may get spiteful and her work may suffer. Or she quits (or is fired) and now they have a hole to fill for several weeks.
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Or it could very well be nepotism - daughter of a neighbor or fellow executive, wife of a country-club member, etc. In which case the above analysis still applies - the short term loss does not outweigh the long-term gain.
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Now a full-time (long-term) employee, that's another matter....

KirkW – Fri, 10/23/2009 – 09:14