SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the this-dept-written-at-11:01am dept.
There aren't many companies that insist staff start work every day at such an oddly specific time as Pivotal Software.
Employees at the US firm's 20 global offices all have to be at work and ready to go at exactly 9.06am. At that precise time a cowbell is rung, or a gong is hit, and all workers gather for a brief stand-up meeting that lasts for between five and 10 minutes. Then the firm's programmers hit their computers, with no other meetings or distractions for the rest of the day.
Pivotal's founder and chief executive Rob Mee says it is all about making the working day as efficient as possible.
"I realised that programmers, if left to their own devices, may roll in at 10am," he says. "And if they haven't eaten adequately they will be hungry by 11am, so they'll stop for food, which then makes the afternoon too long. It is not very efficient. "So we thought, 'let's provide breakfast for everyone.' It gives them a reason to get here." So all employees get a free breakfast before work starts at 9.06am.
But why 9.06am? "We thought that if we made it 9am, developers psyching themselves up for the day would think, 'well if it is 9am I'll be late,'" says Mr Mee. "So then we thought, 'why don't we make it 9.05am,' but that is too precise, as programmers don't like over-optimising, so we went with 9.06am. Then it became something fun."
And at the end of the day everyone has to leave the office at 6pm sharp because staff aren't allowed to work into the evening. Mr Mee explains the reasoning: "Programmers don't programme well if they are too tired, so we don't want them working late into the night."
While Pivotal's approach to morning punctuality may seem endearingly nerdish, the business is in fact one of the most successful companies most people have never heard of. Valued at $2.8bn (£2.4bn), its investors include computer groups Dell Technologies and Microsoft, conglomerate General Electric, and car giant Ford.
Do you think it is a good idea? Would it be acceptable to you?
(Score: 2) by Username on Thursday November 24 2016, @09:45PM
Only reason he wants them to be there 9-5 is because that is when the manager is there. Some dude probably makes rounds every 15 minutes and documents if their hands are on their keyboards too. Can’t stay after 5, you might use the bathroom without documenting. The 06 part is probably to use as a rebuttal when one comes in late. "We allow you to come in 6 minutes late everyday! Why are you coming in at 9:30?" Probably originated as a form of capitulation when someone was fired for coming in late all the time and all the other coworkers got pissy about hours. Most likely they have to come in at 9:00 but have the 06 as a grace period. I bet a manager would have a talking to anyone that comes in 9:06 on the dot every time.
Their website looks like a generic power point presentation. Just adds credit to my theory.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 25 2016, @03:44PM
Moreover, aren't a lot of programmers natural night owls?