[adamtait]

It's great to see that more people are waking up to the fact that working hard != progress. You can work hard, spin your wheels and not actually make progress towards your long or short term goals. We need to be aware of the opportunity cost of everything we do, especially time spent working. Most salaried employees realize that they're trading time for money; a mindset that leads them down a path to being less efficient with their time, the companies value of them and team progress. I have a team mate that bucks this trend. When he hits his goals for the week/sprint/deadline, he takes time off. Over the years, he's gotten quicker & more efficient. Now, he regularly hits his goals early and takes more & more time off, while still earning the same salary.

Of all the places I've lived, San Francisco is the closest to a meritocracy I've seen. At least people here are more open to idea of reward structures based on results rather than proxies. But, even here the mindset exists.

I don't blame the companies or hiring practices as much as I blame bad management. Building a culture of efficiency over emotional commitment is important. People need to be better at setting achievable goals and tracking their progress towards them.

There are companies out there that have seen the light. Pivotal Labs has a great culture based on a simple idea - be highly efficient and engaged from 9am to 5pm. Then, go out in the world and live your life.