I was up between 1:30 and 3 this morning, on a con call with our European partner. I manage the database and file share that we use to communicate, and so I had to be on the call. I keep this 24/7 availability and my boss has never questioned any time I've arrived or left the office.

But I am incredibly fortunate and I know it.

I used to have that "discussion" with my current boss a lot, too. Mainly she just wanted me to be apologetic and all subordinate when she got pissy about it, which was usually when her boss got on *her* case about some stupid shit. Bottom line, as long as the work gets done on time, no one really cares. Now, working from home, as long as I return her calls within about an hour, she doesn't even ask what I'm doing or when.

Telecommuting has saved my life, I swear, and I'll never quit this job unless I can find another job with good pay, good bennies, and full-time telecommuting. (Not likely, I think.) This company knows they have my soul now. It was an evil plot all along.

But I am incredibly fortunate and I know it.

Yes, this.

I used to have that "discussion" with my current boss a lot, too. Mainly she just wanted me to be apologetic and all subordinate when she got pissy about it, which was usually when her boss got on *her* case about some stupid shit.

This is such a frequent phenomenon, isn't it?

Zen, what is it that you do? How nice about the telecommuting! (It's what I am doing today, too)

I have a co-worker, rather than a boss, who gets pissy when I'm 5-10 minutes late. She's snitted several times that I should call even if I'm going to be 3 minutes late. Finally I asked my boss in front of snitty!co-worker if he wanted me to call if I was less than 15 minutes late, and he said, "God, no! Just get here."

I work 9-5 and snitty!co-worker works 7:30-3:30, so she has no idea if I work late, and also doesn't seem to give a crap if I work through lunch or on the weekend. But god help you if you're 5 minutes late and don't call.

Conclusion: people is weird.

I was just angsting about this yesterday. I've always worked in a place where people could see me so I tend to stress about being 5 minutes late - or not accomplishing enough when I work from home. I'm hoping I will relax as I get settled into this new job.

Nobody here cares if I'm late. OTOH, it's rare that anyone notices either, because I get in an hour earlier than everyone else.

One of the reasons I want to stay with the team I'm currently contracting with is that they don't care when you get there, as long as work gets done. AND they have work-at-home Fridays, which is fantastic.

java, I'm Senior Editor for a couple professional engineering journals published by IEEE. They initiated the telecommuting program about 2 years ago, when they realized they'd save alotta money if all those heat-sucking air-breathing light-needing people weren't in the building. Now, my office is my laptop, and I can work anywhere I can get a fast Internet connection. It's awesome.

What do you do, with the 24/7 availability?

I'm usually the first person in my unit to arrive, because I'm something of a morning person. I also leave at 5 on the dot (barring special circumstances) because I've been here for a full work day and my productivity nose-dives after 3 or so. I've gotten a resentful look or two, but mostly from the woman who gets in around 10. She's not in my chain of command, so whatevs.

What do you do, with the 24/7 availability?

I run the regulatory operations (and publishing) group at an awesome little biotech. I also manage the information sharing between our company and our European partner (and some of our vendors).

Your job sounds ideal!

I need to add that the senior manager who reports to me (most of you know about how great he is) is someone for whom an 8-4ish schedule is very important. So it works perfectly because my group always has an onsite presence early in the day and I can be very flexible with my time. And if he's working on a project that needs to be done by close of business, I usually offer to take it over at 4:30 so that he can leave. It's so perfect that I almost can't believe it.