Employees have different perceptions of time.
Managers set goals in the short and long term. But employees can interpret that to mean weeks, months, or years. Employees commit to finishing tasks in the afternoon. But does that mean they’ll get the work in by 2 pm, or 5 pm?
I’ve seen employees get frustrated time and time again because they’ve been asked to wait for a promotion in the ‘short term’, but end up waiting years. Or commit to a ‘long term’ project only to have it abandoned after a few months.
I’ve also seen managers get frustrated when executives talk about time. “How long will it take to see results?” The problem is it’s not always clear if these short or long-term goals are on a 1 or 5 year basis.
See how it can get confusing? Beyond this, the traditional nine-to-five work schedule is increasingly seen as outdated and flexible work models have forced businesses to rethink what time looks like. While this makes some employees work more productively, it makes it challenging for some to maintain work-life boundaries.
No one likes waiting. Ironically, waiting for something to happen in the future is a waste of time. Understanding how employees see themselves in relation to time is important because they’re on your clock. And reams of research suggest that being optimistic about the future contributes to productivity, as opposed to watching the clock go by in dread.
Timing is a critical ingredient for business success. Because employees are working toward the same goals and they should be working at the same pace. Which is why it’s important to make sure everyone in the organisation is on the same dial about time.
In this blog, we’ll explore what time perception is, how it can impact time management and KPIs and what this means for employee engagement.
How long is a minute? Well, it depends on what side of the toilet you’re on. A funny joke I read while waiting for the bathroom at an art gallery, and also a perfect demonstration of time perception.
Clocks keep objective time, but how we measure and feel it is personal, subjective and completely different. This internal make up of how we feel time passing is important. Because the way employees think about time passing at work and how they orient themselves to their professional future, past and present has an impact on their well-being, attention and performance at work.
When employees feel bored they become disengaged, less productive and make more mistakes. The best way to manage this is to give them a break.
The 9-to-5 grind? It’s dead. Or at least, it should be.
For some, flexibility is a godsend because employees can work when they’re productive and not when the clock tells them to. But that can cause nightmares for managers because the lines between personal and professional life are blurred, and now they’re never sure when to stop sending emails. Messages ping at 8 pm, Slack messages come in at 10 pm.
And this is the hesitancy of employers letting employees work from home, because they think they’ll slack off and continue to work in a state of boredom. But taking a short 10 minute break can do the trick. Taking a nap. Going on a walk. Doodling. All of these things make the passing of time less painful, meaning employees can get on with their tasks at their own pace.
Organisations need to rethink what “work hours” mean, and start focusing on results not the hours worked. The key is adaptability, not only for the company but for the individual, making sure that flexibility doesn’t come at the expense of health or sanity.
Whether you’re talking to a manager or an employee, they all want to climb the corporate ladder.
Most people are patient and can wait, and if they can’t they’ll leave the organisation. HR managers do their best not to promise a timeline, but frustration kicks in when promotions drag on. HR loves "career paths" but if employees don’t see any actual movement, the enthusiasm for the job starts to fade.
Promotions can be a massive engagement booster, but only if done right. If employees feel like their hard work is going unnoticed, you might as well hand them a resignation letter with their paycheck. The key is to keep everything clear and as transparent as possible. It doesn’t help to play the politician and skirt and dodge questions.
Let employees know what they’re working towards and how long it’s going to take. Be clear about the milestones, skills, and results needed to earn that next step up by building that shared clock.
Martian Logic helps HR teams bring clarity to every stage of the employee journey. Our HRIS turns vague timelines into concrete checkpoints, automating onboarding schedules, goal reminders, performance reviews, and promotion pathways. Real-time analytics let managers see exactly where projects stand and when milestones are at risk, so expectations stay visible and on track. Ready to put your whole organisation on the same page—and the same clock? Talk to Martian Logic and turn time alignment into a competitive edge.