Way to Go Sheryl!

Yesterday CNN posted an interesting article about Sheryl Sandberg – the COO of Facebook. (check out the article HERE) It talked about how for the past couple of years Sheryl has left work at 5:30 to have dinner with her kids.  Sounds like a silly topic to write an article about, right??  Wrong.  Many working moms (including myself) find that there still exists a stigma if you leave the office before 5:30.  I’ve heard people joke “working a half day today, huh?” as I walk out of the office.  What business is it of theirs!   What isn’t apparent to others is that although I leave at 5:00 (most days) my work doesn’t stop.  I work through my lunch, work from the train and plug back in after my son goes to sleep to get my work done.  :::sigh::: Why do I feel the need to justify my hours?

The article talks about how “long hours and constant availability are taken as proxies for commitment and competence”.  Like the author, I find it to be quite the opposite.  Flexible working can promote productivity & commitment.  I find that I’m more productive during the day since I know I have to get out at a certain time.  What about the people who are doing personal errands during the day or playing on facebook?  Just because they stay until 7pm to make up the time they goofed off during the day doesn’t make them a better employee.

 I do find in my profession that most people come in late & work late, it’s just the nature of our business.  If you’re not in the office at 7 pm then you’re viewed to not be working hard enough.  Before I was married, working until 7 or 8 pm was my norm.  But everything changed when I had a family and I’m very lucky my job accommodated the change.  Overall, my philosophy for both myself and the people who work for me is that as long as you can get your work done I don’t’ care if you do it from outer space.

It’s sad that we as society have to write an article congratulating ourselves on spending time with our family.  It should be a given.  I applaud Sheryl for being open about her priorities and urging others to follow her lead, however I can’t help but wonder that if this was a man would we even be talking about it?