Creating lost time begins with the CEO and upper management and its various committees. Lost time is generated throughout the organization when various directives are communicated without full consideration of the impact of the directive. As an example, a directive stated that on a particular date an organization would institute flexible hours. In this case the program included a modified version of the time clock: all staff members would punch in and punch out, except they would do it electronically at the office. The program also included compensatory time for professionals at the end of the month for all hours worked over 40 hours per week. Unfortunately, the directive did not provide for a way to "punch in" remotely. Thus employees who traveled as part of their job now had to go to their office, sign in, begin their travel, go about their daily business, return in the evening, and sign out. As a result, eight-hour days now stretched to ten or more hours, with a resulting increase in compensatory time. This does not argue against flexible hours, but shows the need to consider all the potential problems before implementing such a sweeping new policy.
Delays in decisions by top management consume hours of discussion as the information flows down through the organization. The hours lost by merely discussing the lack of decision multiply geometrically from the top to the bottom of the organization. The major problem arises when it takes top management more time to make the decision than to implement the proposed work; the clock is running and time is wasted. Each iteration of a proposal followed with requests for more information is usually a delaying tactic that not only wastes the time associated with the preparation but the grumbling time of those who need to make one more pass.
So what can you do as a newly appointed manager about these directives and delays in making decisions? Not much, if anything at all. But you can be sensitive to these issues and know when to cut off the discussion among your people. The directive was given and the decision was delayed, so get on with the other work of your group.