[dansingerman]

Absolutely true. I have recently changed my career from mostly office-based to mostly working at home. I think the days I now spend at home are about 200% more productive.

The typical office environment is the antithesis of what you need to achieve 'flow'.

[vbtemp]

I'm not sure if it's the "office environment" per se. It's the lifestyle built around the daily routine. The problem is, in big organizations, it isn't really fair to everyone. A receptionist, for example, has to be there during work hours, or many managers, and many other types of engineers such as RF guys or mechanical guys. It wouldn't be fair to yield tremendous flexibility to the software engineers, despite higher productivity.

[RollAHardSix]

Sure it would. If they want to become an Engineer help them. Obviously most of them won't. When you take a job, you're taking that lifestyle to boot. I remember the exact MOMENT I didn't want to do sales for the rest of my life. I was at an award conference for being in the top 5% of performers (yay me) and the discussion was on reality tv shows (oh so boring). One of the managers sitting across from me remarks how he's never seen most tv shows because he's worked 2nd shift for 15 years straight. It wasn't anger in his voice, or jealousy, it was simply a statement of fact.

Fact is, I did not want to be him working 4 - 1 for the rest of my life. Most sales jobs require odd hours, pushes on weekends, and a different skill-set than other types of jobs. No thanks, I'll take my 9-5 in exchange of other crappier hours, working on weekends, etc. You take a job, you know what effect it will have your lifestyle, that's really all I'm saying.

[vbtemp]

> If they want to become an Engineer help them.

I'm trying to understand what you mean...

Yes, you're right. when you sign up for a job you acknowledge the change in lifestyle it may cause. My point is that from the perspective of the organiztion, it can a highly inefficient use of money, and aggravate some otherwise competent and capable engineers.

[RollAHardSix]

Education Benefits of course. Tax deductible for businesses, and great compensation for employee's. I've almost obtained a second degree in Communication Design due to my job needing advanced graphics and printing industry knowledge. It was a benefit I suggested and my employers were more than happy to work with me.

That's true, some would enjoy the freedom of more flexible scheduling. I consider myself very lucky to be able to change my schedule around to make my daughters doctor appointments, tour several private schools in the area, and sometimes stack my hours at the beginning of the week, so it's 2'o clock on a Friday and I'm out the door. Not all the time of course, but every once-in-awhile it IS fantastic.

[jiggy2011]

Simple, just give them more holidays or better pay or something.