Re:Ask HN: Force devs to take time off?
by armchairhacker on Wednesday May 25, 2022 @07:32PM
(#31512253)
I don’t think forcing people to do stuff is right because it doesn’t address the issue. Plus, what if you “force” them and they end up doing work in secret anyways? If you find out, are you going to fire them?
I do think pressuring devs to take time off; making it harder (or at least not easier) for them to work when they “don’t need to”; explicitly telling them that working extra hours doesn’t actually create more productivity (then showing them the studies) and that it genuinely doesn’t make them look any better in your eyes - all of those are good ideas.
Of course, make sure they’re not bogged down with work or getting benefits like extra money from working extra.
Ultimately, you dont know your devs motivation for why they’re working extra. Maybe the dev working on Sunday is a hair-pulling workaholic, maybe he just got really bored at the wedding and figured doing work then would give him better free time later.
I do think pressuring devs to take time off; making it harder (or at least not easier) for them to work when they “don’t need to”; explicitly telling them that working extra hours doesn’t actually create more productivity (then showing them the studies) and that it genuinely doesn’t make them look any better in your eyes - all of those are good ideas.
Of course, make sure they’re not bogged down with work or getting benefits like extra money from working extra.
Ultimately, you dont know your devs motivation for why they’re working extra. Maybe the dev working on Sunday is a hair-pulling workaholic, maybe he just got really bored at the wedding and figured doing work then would give him better free time later.