TIMI AND LESLIE JESSICA PROFESSIONAL
The time pressures on service professionals proved even greater in this period of collapse-a fact borne out in a survey we recently conducted with an additional 250 individuals across professional services firms: 66% of respondents reported increased pressure in their work life, and 36% reported a significant increase. Eventually, however, the consultants came to enjoy and anticipate having predictable time off, particularly as the benefits for their work became evident.Īfter we had conducted more than 10 multi-month time-off experiments at BCG, the effects of the recession became sharply apparent. The concept was so foreign that we had to practically force some professionals to take their time off, especially when it coincided with periods of peak work intensity.
These predictable periods were established at the start of a project and required individuals to be off completely–no checking of e-mail or voicemail. This was in addition to time the consultants took off with the natural ebbs and flows of their work.
Predictable time off is the name we gave to the designated periods of time that consultants were required to take off. But the improved communication also sparked new processes that enhanced the teams’ ability to work most efficiently and effectively. Our experiments with time off resulted in more open dialogue among team members, which is valuable in itself. Indeed, we found that when the assumption that everyone needs to be always available was collectively challenged, not only could individuals take time off, but their work actually benefited. Yet our research over the past four years in several North American offices of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) suggests that it is perfectly possible for consultants and other professionals to meet the highest standards of service and still have planned, uninterrupted time off. These individuals further say they almost always respond within an hour of receiving a message from a colleague or a client. That doesn’t include the 20 to 25 hours a week most of them spend monitoring their BlackBerrys while outside the office. Just look at the numbers: According to a survey we conducted last year, 94% of 1,000 such professionals said they put in 50 or more hours a week, with nearly half that group turning in more than 65 hours a week. They believe an “always on” ethic is essential if they and their firms are to succeed in the global marketplace. People in professional services (consultants, investment bankers, accountants, lawyers, IT, and the like) simply expect to make work their top priority. In this article, Perlow and Porter outline the lessons from BCG’s implementation of predictable time off-namely, impose a strict mechanism for taking days and nights off, encourage lots of talk about what’s working and what isn’t, promote experimentation with different ways of working, and insist on top-level support. They can do this even in times of recession. There is no impetus to question whether the work actually requires 24/7 responsiveness on the contrary, people work harder and longer, without stopping to explore how they could work better.īut four years of research conducted by the authors in several North American offices of the Boston Consulting Group suggests that consultants and other professionals can provide the highest standards of service and still have planned, uninterrupted time off. When people are always “on,” responsiveness becomes ingrained in the way they work, expected by clients and partners, and even institutionalized in performance metrics. This perpetuates a vicious cycle: Responsiveness breeds the need for more responsiveness. From classic leather to something that looks just as cool as you feel, here’s a look at diaper bags you’ll actually want to wear (and, a few options for dad too).People in professional services believe a 24/7 work ethic is essential for getting ahead-and so they work 60-plus hours a week and stay tethered to their Black?Berrys. When it comes to mainstream diaper bags, many of them just don’t fit the bill for options for dad or simply don’t work with your sleek and work-ready outfits. Whether you have a baby on the way or you’re on the hunt for a diaper bag that actually fits all the essentials and looks good, finding the one feels like a dream. With Kim K’s second baby on the way, and Amber recently delivering precious Baby Ayva, I can’t help but have stylish momma’s on the brain – hence my roundup of trend-worthy diaper bags.
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