ICL 23.22 The Nicest Surprise

IC Layout

Integrated Circuit Layout Design

Challen Yee AMS Layout Engineer

11/24/2023

ICL 23.22 The Nicest Surprise

There are several periods of time, especially in a start up company, when you are working weekends. It’s often the case, unless you are highly disciplined and not just crazily hard working that working and missing meals becomes a bad habit.

I have two memories that stuck with me and they may be a small insight for you managers who want to do something positive for your people, especially if the company has not implemented an after hours meal policy.

How many times have you told yourself that you’re just going to be another hour and then be able to go home at a reasonable time to eat dinner?

HAHAHA!

That’s almost never happens.

If you are heading home and you see your key guy working hard, it is dinner time, and you know that this has become a trend, you could offer to pickup something for him to eat. The key is this: He may say, “Don’t worry about it, I plan on leaving soon.”

Don’t let that dissuade you. Go ahead and pick up something for him to eat. If he’s gone home by the time you get back, you can eat it yourself, but if he’s still there, he’ll appreciate the time and effort you took to think about him.

That could be more powerful than a monetary bonus, just showing a little extra humanity. Just remember, you’re doing it for him (or her), not to make yourself look good (although that would be a by product).

If you elect to do something like this, you could say, the obvious, “I know you didn’t ask for this but I appreciate the extra hours you’re putting in.”

***

The other story centers around my friend the IT guy. One thing about the IT guy, he tends to know who’s working a lot of hours.

Another Saturday, I was in the office by myself. He came by little after lunch time with his wife and young daughter to see how I was doing. Then his daughter presented me with a hot dog and a Coke from COSTCO.

She was like a little angel. Actually, they all were.

That was the nicest surprise COSTCO hot dog deal I ever had – an unexpected bonus that I’ll always remember.