June 5th, 2006
timekeeping
I am sure others have said it before. But I’m going to say it now–any system of billable hours cannot and will not promote efficiency. When a limited amount of work exists, the most efficient method of completing that work is going to be passed over in favor of the method that provides the most revenue.
In other words, I am becoming a less efficient worker. That’s sort of sad.
comments
A nation of efficient lawyers? Saints preserve us. Look at the horrors an efficient government brought on.
So, how would you define efficiency? A lot of people would say that it’s whatever produces the most revenue/unit time.
I think that’s a valid definition, Jeff, provided an unlimited amount of work is available. When the supply of work is limited, however, the method that produces the most revenue per unit of time is whatever method drags the limited supply out to the longest amount of time–i.e., an inefficient method.
Ah. Gotcha.