Is this a joke? If I worked for a company with this kind of status quo thinking, I would start looking for a new job, not because I want to come to work late, but because a company that cannot adapt or refuses to adapt will not be around forever, and will continually be outperformed by more agile and innovative competitors. Stop looking at change as a problem and start seeing the opportunities.

I'm fortunate that my boss gives me some flexibility with my schedule. Some days I'm there earlier than others, but always by a certain time. And we discussed it prior to anything happening.

The whole mentality of "why can't I come in when I want?" reeks of selfishness. If you work for yourself (or a small team) then this isn't an issue. But as part of a larger company, you've got to realize that your actions affect others. Do I schedule 8 am meetings? No. But it's understood that everyone is there to get a job done, and that we all have an affect on each other's workload. If you saunter in whenever you want, I can't get my job done.

And the idea to "work for yourself and make your own hours" is somewhat of a joke, considering that your clients make more of your schedule than you will.

@Barbara Saunders, in the jobs I've had, assignments come up all the time, not on a schedule. Things overlap, and they arrive when they arrive. It's helped my bosses to know when they could expect me to be working, because that helped them know when they could expect me to be done.

It's not like I can say, "Well, I'm going to get another project at exactly 10:15, so I should make sure I'm at my desk then."

I don't think that asking people to come into work on time is unreasonable or inhumane. I agree, all sorts of things happen on the way to work and sometimes you might be a little late. And no, I'm sure that examining everyone's seat at 9:01am to see if they are in it is a bit extreme. At the same time though, I know how frustrating it is to never know when someone is going to show up. Depending on your job, that extra 15 or 20 minutes can make a difference. KateNonymous is right, projects don't come in on a schedule. You'd be pissed if your job said they were going to pay you on the 15th but then didn't get around to it until the 16th. Its only one day? Whats the big deal? Be flexible. Sounds crazy right?

I am lucky enough to work in an environment with a flexible start time, but I know what time everyone should be in by and that makes it easier to talk about projects and get the day going. Yes, companies should be flexible but why is it that you can't pack your lunch the night before, set the coffee timer and wake up 15 minutes earlier?

"If you force people to conform to a schedule, they are less likely to put in extra time for you."

Whereas if I know that I have a regular schedule, I'm more likely to put in extra time when it's needed, and not just a whim that could just as easily be satisfied. That's not to say you and Barbara Saunders are wrong, except in the sense that sweeping generalizations about people tend to be problematic.

Meetings do take precedence. But as someone who has scheduled a lot of meetings, the first thing you try to do is to find a time that works with everyone's schedule. When you don't, you then have to work with someone to see if they can come in later or stay earlier.

Good employees generally will. But even good employees have reasons why that's difficult. And why should their schedule be de-prioritized over everyone else's? Finding that balance is another thing, so that you're not always asking the same person to make an exception. That isn't fair to them, either.

"As long as people get their work done, then micro-managing should go out the window. "

I've been micromanaged. There's waaaaay more to it than being asked to keep to a schedule.

I don't necessarily see it as "being made to conform to a schedule". I think it's a personal choice to be punctual and it really does help to be on time. If you aren't late, it's one less shortcoming that people can ever accuse you of. Some people don't mind waiting a few minutes for someone but others get quite offended. It's such an easy way to start things off on the right foot to not take that chance.
My trick is to always be early to work in the morning. I get lots done before anyone else is even there and if I need to take a 2 hour lunch once in a while, no one gives me any trouble about it.

@everyone-sorry I haven't responded to your comments but I literally just walked in the door from a trip to Las Vegas but I do appreciate everyone's comments and will respond to them shortly.

@KateNonymous-You mentioned something that's very important in a work environment-you checked in with your supervisor. Communication with one's supervisor is critical in any work situation.

"I also recognize that the company is not there to work around my schedule, for my personal convenience. They've hired me to do things when they need them done." Another great point. Employees need to realize that in many cases, if you don't conform to the company's policies and guidelines, you may not be seen as a team player and that reputation will hurt you.

@Andrew-great point about working as a team-unless we work by ourselves, we depend on others at work and others depend on us.
It's crucial for everyone to be on the same page or someone will suffer. It's great that your boss gives you some flexibility but of course, not every boss will be like that.

@Alexis-"Depending on your job, that extra 15 or 20 minutes can make a difference."

My department used to send out a email to the entire company by 9 am every day. Our Gen Y interns came in at 7 am and I came in early enough to oversee the process and proof their work so that we could meet our 9 am deadline. If any of us came in 15-20 minutes late, the email would have gone out late and guess who would be criticized by his boss? Many companies may not have to send something out first thing in the morning so they might be more flexible with their early morning arrival time but if you are in a situation like mine, those 15-20 minutes can make a big difference.

@Caitlin-"If you aren't late, it's one less shortcoming that people can ever accuse you of."

This ties in with my reply to Teague-don't give anyone at work an additional reason to criticize you. I think it's great that you and KateNonymous come in early to work-I've never heard of one supervisor who criticized an employee because they were always early to work!

@Anthony-"And if I get annoyed about these things, I am sure that there are others that do too."

Obviously, I'm one of them!

I must say, I've never understood the whole issue with people coming in on time. I can truly say, it never has even occured to me to come in late.
I understand less, the question of "What if there's nothing for me to do at 9:00?" Even at my most tedious of jobs, there was ALWAYS something to do when I got in. I actually will typically get there early just so I have some time to organize my day before starting on tasks.
Flexibility in a company is great but a lot of my Generation Y members (especially the ones in or fresh out of college) have this appalling and bizarre egoism that makes them believe that they are so necessary, they can and should be allowed to do whatever it is they want at work. It's absurd and, in truth, makes me a little embarrassed of my age sometimes.
They're PAYING YOU TO BE THERE. Show up when they tell you to.

@Teach I think I see the root of the miscommunication here. I would define Apple and Ebay as corporate environments, but I now see that you must be defining it differently. I do think that there are companies in which a set schedule is the best solution, and if it's part of your office's culture, then you should stick to the schedule, but I also don't believe that all corporations need to work that way.

It sounds like you agree that there are companies that benefit from a more flexible schedule, particularly in the tech field. Those are the companies that my comment is directed at. If your competitors can do everything you do with a flexible schedule, that's one more point to help them attract top talent.

As for giving people opportunities to criticize, you may be right. I have always preferred to let the quality of my team's work speak for itself and I have a strong negative reaction to the 'appearance' of working. When I manage teams, I would much rather my team BE productive than APPEAR to be, so I tend to seek out bosses who feel the same way.

@Kati In some cases they are paying you to be there, in other cases they are paying you to get things done. If I know I get more work done from 10 to 6 than from 9 to 5, isn't it in everyone's best interest to pursue that schedule? I'm not suggesting unilaterally, but if you work out the assumptions with your boss and your team, then that bit of flexibility helps everyone.

"It's just plain rude to keep people waiting."

I wish more people understood this! So many people just plain old get away with this type of behavior. In my experience, it's always been the higher-up's in the office who are guilty. Or one, singular high-up, if it's the owner of a small firm, for example. These guys/gals are running the show, and maybe even enjoy keeping people waiting. They may feel it keeps them in control of the situation, and feeds their ego. Anyone with experience in this?

I maintain that late arrival is just completely disrespectful of other people's time - whether it's your employer's time or your employees' time. Employers who consistently show that they respect their employees and their employee's time are smart to do so. It doesn't require extra effort. Its important to demonstrate equal dedication, work ethic, and loyalty to the team. (Show us we can count on you!)

@Luke-yes, consistency is very important once you and your supervisor have agreed upon a time to get to work. Again, communication with one's boss is extremely important.

@Kati-"Flexibility in a company is great but a lot of my Generation Y members (especially the ones in or fresh out of college) have this appalling and bizarre egoism that makes them believe that they are so necessary, they can and should be allowed to do whatever it is they want at work."

Unfortunately, I think that many of the Gen Yers with this attitude will be in for a rude awakening. Most supervisors, many of whom have years of experience, have rules and guidelines that have worked for them and they expect newer employees to follow these rules. I'm not saying Gen Y shouldn't question some of these rules-I'm just saying that you need to be patient and wait until you gain some work experience and knowledge before trying to change things up.

@JRandom42-"People do tend to get annoyed if you committed to the meeting, have vital information to share, and don't show up on time."

Getting annoyed at others who show up late to an important meeting or conference call is putting it mildly. You not only tick people off but you are also hurting your work reputation.

@Teague-there are probably some internet companies, for example, where employees don't have to be at work at 9 sharp, where business casual is the norm, where workers sit on bean bags, and where there is a recreation room with ping pong tables and a Sony Playstation. If this type of company can be successful with this type of environment, more power to them. There are also companies where a corporate culture rules and none of that stuff would fly. What's great is that everyone can choose which environment works best for them. Some people like working in a corporate environment and others do not. The key is to find which environment you can thrive in.

@Amanda-if the higher-ups are the ones keeping people waiting, they are setting a really bad example. However, their schedules may be such that they can't help it. If it's related to their schedule, I can understand it. If it's related to their ego, there is no excuse for it.

@Teach Agreed, although I think you overstate the nature of those companies to the point of caricature.

There are set working hours in my department so everyone needs to come in by a certain time and leave by a certain time. It doesn't quite add up to a full working day, so you do have some flexibility on what your own working schedule might be. I think only my first boss really cared when I came in (beyond that I was there during working hours) and then he only cared that I stuck to a same reliable time. 10-15 minutes late would not have made much of a difference for him, but more than 30 definitely would have, even though my job wasn't time-critical. He had an employee who could not make working hours to save her life. She was older than Gen X (Gen Y and Gen X make up small minorities around here) and no matter what start time they would agree upon, she could never make it.

"On one hand, your work days will be shorter but on the other hand, your job tenure may be shorter, too." I think you forget how many of us are hourly, clocking employees. If I sleep in late, I stay late. Except for the few employees who consistently lie/modify their timecards (don't get me started). I definitely think fairness is a huge part of this. Wanting to be treated/punished/rewarded fairly is a huge component for a happy employee and seeing other employees be consistently late or leaving early with no ramifications can be very rough. So for all the managers criticizing late "young" employees, I'd like to see you actually lay down the law on ALL late employees.

Well, at least now we know that it's either Google or Sucksville, with nothing in between.

Really? Because I'm pretty sure not.

@KateNonymous - Well, at least now we know that it's either Google or Sucksville, with nothing in between.

Yes it is, due to the economy it’s a buyer’s market for employers. Is your current company more like GOOGLE or SUCKSVILLE? I have never worked for a private company that had anything in common with GOOGLE, not even close to being moderate if ranked, maybe you have. I would argue most folks work in places leaning more towards SUCKSVILLE on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being SUCKSVILLE and 10 being GOOGLE). Not to be all doom and gloom, however I have found that non-profits, local government and universities do have some traits in common with the GOOGLE work environment, but those jobs are going to be VERY hard to get now that budget and donations are shrinking.

Employees are at the mercy of their employers. Employers can pick and choose who they want on the team. They can be as picky as they want today because the market is flooded with unemployed yet qualified applicants. Right now that situation means they can hire people who are willing to work longer and take a lot of crap. Why? Because jobs are scarce employers can now bully anybody who's left. If an employee doesn't like it employers have a shot at getting someone better who is also cheaper! If people thought their jobs were bad before the economy tanked, they will find it will be much worse now. Think about it, things are so bad now in the job market that people are standing on street corners holding up signs asking for jobs!

There are good employers out there who looking to do things differently and better than before, but they are the minority. The country is filled with lots small companies run my tyrants who collectively employ a majority of the population. Odds these days are you will get a bad low paying job than an overall good job. There are just too many qualified applicants and not enough positions.

@Andy Teach - As I say in my book, "in order to beat the establishment, you must first become a part of it." Don't fight the system at first because the system will fight back. Wait until you've moved up the ladder and have some authority and then try to implement your changes-you'll have a better chance of doing so once you are in a position of power.

This is good "career" advice, but "selling out" and basically giving in won't change a thing in corporate America. By the time you get to that level, you have likely forgotten or given up on everything you wanted when you first started your career anyway. Also getting promoted and exhibiting qualities of being willing to "fighting back" are not compatible. People who move up were never the type to "fight back", so I wouldn't hold my breath hoping for change to come from a "corporate climber". Now, starting your own company and introducing those types of rules is a another story. That’s the way people who "fight back" have a real shot at implementing something they believe in and trying to make it a successful strategy. There are plenty of success stories like this, but very few of the type you are suggesting. It really comes down to whether someone is willing to "suck it up" and advance in their career or "fight back" and be held down. These traits are incompatible when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder, unless you start your own company and are successful.

Nobody beats the establishment by being accepted into it; they just become another cog in the wheel of the system by demonstrating thier ability to perform actions accepted by the establishment.

@boohoo, whereas I know far more people made miserable by working for nonprofits than by working for corporations.

Life isn't perfect, and neither is work. Some places are great to work. Others are terrible. Most are in the middle.

Most of life is in the middle. You make the most of the good and mitigate the bad.

I've worked for a variety of employers--large corporations, state institutions, nonprofits. You know what it comes down to? My boss. A good boss means a good place to work. The overall structure and policies are much less significant. It's not about the organization, it's about the people. And good people aren't found in only one kind of work arrangement.

Is it a buyer's market right now? Sure. I'm surprised at how many people don't seem to recognize that. But that will change. It always does.

If only one kind of workplace is acceptable to you, well, that's you. But that sounds awfully limiting to me. Maybe I'm just more adaptable.

Whining about imperfection is ineffective, unrealistic, and--frankly--boring.

@KateNonymous - If only one kind of workplace is acceptable to you, well, that's you. But that sounds awfully limiting to me. Maybe I'm just more adaptable. Whining about imperfection is ineffective, unrealistic, and--frankly--boring.

Your personality and beliefs are likely a good fit for just about any workplace. I think that is a good trait to have, in order to advance in today’s corporate structure. You are probably not faking your feelings about work every day and generally feel like what you do is important in some way. I am faking it and pretty much always will be. I don't expect work to be a barrel of monkeys, but it should at least be interesting and engaging sometimes. I have never been offered an interesting and engaging job, ever. I have found that crappy jobs that most can’t or don’t want to do in Corporate America pay pretty good. Essentially my salary keeps going up, but the actual job offer sand work environments get worse every year.

I don't really care how my boss is; eventually we all leave and move on to new organizations. The issue is really about what skills you gained or enhanced while you were there. If you never get any enhancement or skills growth, whats the point? I have had the worst bosses on earth and some cool bosses too, but the jobs were all equally boring. I can tolerate any type of boss, but I cannot tolerate any job. You seem to be able to tolerate any job, but not just any boss. You are adaptable in one way, but not in the same way I am adaptable.

From my perspective “Sucking it up” and having a career that changes every couple of years is boring. Effective change can only happen when someone is a season professional that is familiar with the industry they wish to change. Blowing around like a tumble weed in a career will never result in a high position that can promote or introduce change effectively among other seasoned professionals in an established industry.
On a side note: I do have some contract experience with non-profits and it was very fun, but getting a full-time gig has been impossible.

@boohoo

So you're not going to do anything to make it better for others, because it would be selling out and take too long. And you're not going to do anything to make it better for yourself because it's too hard, and takes too long. It's apparenlty all a conspiricy to crush the 'masses' and manuver theme like sheep.

Geez, if you're not going to do anything to make it better for anyone, would you like some brie and crackers with that whine?

Now that the recession has fully taken hold of the job market, how are my above comments playing out on those who disagreed with me earlier? Especially those in the junior/entry levels.