[gopher_space]

You've established a frictionless work environment with perfectly spherical employers and employees in your head. You have the base model down but it's an abstraction with no ties to reality.

You won't be able to think about the subject accurately until you get more experience under your belt. People generally learn the answer to "what's wrong with being honest" on the job.

[34679]

That's insane. The only thing I've established is that people shouldn't spend half an hour kicking it on the couch while expecting to get paid. Anyone who does expect to be paid for that time and uses software to make it seem like they were working is a liar guilty of theft.

Notice that I've not commented on things like bathroom breaks. I specifically pointed out the example of defrauding a client or employer for relatively large blocks of time.

My first job was in 1995. Even then I knew it would be wrong to put an inaccurate time on the timecard for my benefit.

[gopher_space]

You haven't addressed internal motivation or external drag in your model. There's always an answer to the "why don't they just.." kind of questions, and if your model doesn't encompass those it won't be useful.

> Anyone who does expect to be paid for that time and uses software to make it seem like they were working is a liar guilty of theft.

Automating systems to hit a specific metric is like most of HN's livelihood. If the work is getting done why does it matter how easy they've made it?

[lazide]

So you’re saying everyone who has sat there reading a magazine during quiet times with no customers instead of immediately finding something else to do, but didn’t call that out is a liar and a thief?

If so, most every retail worker probably qualifies. As does everyone else, if they’re being honest with themselves. Or it’s not a realistic standard at all.

How is the burnout doing?