# The "hurry up and wait" phenomenon in the workplace **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 16, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630 "2023-06-16T15:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/21 "2023-06-17T12:24:41Z")
What’s with the “Iam”? Once could be a typo, twice a coincidence but 3 times it’s a deliberate affectation. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/22 "2023-06-17T14:10:24Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > In _the virtual space,_ the time given for a video call to begin is, in fact, the time when participants can begin their mic checks, Windows updates, proofread and edit the Powerpoint to be presented, start a pot of coffee, find a laptop with a working camera, realize the in-room, off-camera dog whining might be distracting, etc. Back before video conferencing, when we had our conference calls on the phone, it was pretty typical for meetings to start several minutes late while waiting for everyone to dial in. Then we got a manager who would start the call about five minutes before the scheduled time. And about two minutes before, if you weren’t already on the call he would IM you to remind you to dial in. It was annoying at the time but it did get me in the habit of being on conference calls on time. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/23 "2023-06-17T16:47:37Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > Not necessarily so. That’s why it’s so frustrating! If everyone was present and ready on time, we’d get out of there after the few minutes of actual content was presented. And setting up a scoring system might work within an organization (particularly German engineers, you guys have a reputation) but these meetings and calls often involve clients/customers/patients, vendors, legal & regulatory folks, outside consultants, service providers, etc that can’t be held to account. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/24 "2023-06-17T19:04:27Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > The meeting organizer turns off his laptop to bring it to the meeting? Someone should educate them on what laptops are. Or someone should get a competent IT dept. I worked at a place if you came off the wired / docked cable the wireless would Just. Not Pickup; you _had_ to reboot your computer for it to pick up wireless once it was already connected at your desk. Further, we were 100% hotelling & the mandate was if you were doing a lot of talking, you had to use one of the individual conf rooms. Our desks had docking stations w/ thee monitors, keyboard & mouse. The ‘phone booths’ had nothing so you’d disconnect your peripherals & carry them in & set them all up. Probably took 10-15 mins to get setup before a call; therefore calls were always starting late. -\* If you’re presenting your screen, you need a second monitor if you want to take any notes or have a sidebar chat with anyone that isn’t shared with everyone in the call; at least back then as we could only share screen, not window. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/25 "2023-06-17T22:01:08Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > If you’re presenting your screen, you need a second monitor if you want to take any notes or have a sidebar chat with anyone that isn’t shared with everyone in the call; at least back then as we could only share screen, not window. When I was at Sun we used SunRays, think clients, which were perfect solutions to this problem. You set up your presentation at your desk, went to the conference room without anything, logged into the SunRay there, and had your session all ready to go. I know someone who went off the Japan and logged into there session like they were still at the home office. Now, they were not portable, so attendees at the meeting didn’t have laptops to let them read their email during the boring parts. That was a feature, not a bug, in my book. It was also great for hot desking. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/26 "2023-06-17T22:29:38Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And inconsiderate people that think that their time is more important than other peoples time. This is a big part of it, especially in the military style command structure. It is inadvisable to ever leave someone waiting for you who is higher ranking than you. If they want you somewhere at o’clock, er 0900, you need to be there ready to go at 0900, that’s all there is to that. Good commanders and NCOs recognize it is a two way street, and try to avoid wasting their subordinates time as well and start meetings on time promptly. Each unit and subdivision, I suppose a lot of it could be viewed as a kind of inventory. In the Army it was called “Formation”, where everybody lines up in ranks according to squad, platoon, company, battalion, etc. Usually 2 to 3 times a day. In the morning at say 0600, right before PT. But each leader from squad leader on up is responsible in every sense of the word for their people under their charge. You _can_ show up right at 9:00, and you’re not late, but this business of the report “All Present or Accounted For” is serious business. So in a lot of ways the “hurry up and wait” is simply the courtesy of generally arriving a few minutes early so they can get the headcount straight beforehand. Every piece of equipment from trucks and helicopters right down to tent pegs and mess kits is ultimately signed for by the unit commander, and then a sub hand-receipt is further issued down to platoon leaders who in turn make the 1st Sgt sign. The individual personnel are looked at sort of the same way. They keep daily records and report up the chain of command on who is in a ready state (deployable). This is a big deal. They need to know who is on sick call, vacation, temporary duty attached to another unit elsewhere, AWOL, in jail, whatever. The 1st Sgt knows all this, but if someone is late - nobody knows what happened necessarily. Where is Pvt. Smith at? “I don’t know”. “I saw him downtown last night Sarge, he was pretty snockered” etc. It’s easier to lose track of people than you might think. Some years back a US Marine was left guarding a road intersection in the Mojave during a training exercise. The exercise concluded, though for several days somehow nobody in his immediate chain of command noticed that he hadn’t been picked up, not his squad leader, platoon sergeant, platoon leader, company commander. By the time it was discovered, the guy was dead. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2023, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/27 "2023-06-17T22:47:19Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > Since HUAW is more commonly reported in the military, I thought it could be by design, because it could be some form of drill that is related to the indoctrination process, which is the overall process of creating a military mindset. > > Because in war you are going to have to adapt to situations that revolve around confusion, and you have to learn how to create order out of chaos, when everything around you just doesn’t make since. > > So from this perspective it could be by design, but it’s not just a silly mind game. > > It’s actually important in the grand scheme of things. > > But to this day I have asked people about this who would have been in the know when they were on active duty, but can never get a straight answer, yes or no, if it is indeed part of military indoctrination or training. > > Mabey it’s some kind of trade secret, and everyone involved is sworn to secrecy. > > I guess for me, it will always be a mystery because I never achieved a rank high enough to be part of this trade secret. I’ve never been in the military, but a major reason for HUAW seems pretty self evident to me. Let’s say I’m a battalion commander planning an attack. I want my three companies (lets call them ALPHA, BRAVO, and CHARLIE) to attack the objective at the same time. Each company is a different distance from the objective in a different state of readiness. I don’t estimate how long it takes each one to get ready and travel to the objective, hoping there aren’t any delays so they can attack at the same time. I tell them to haul ass to their staging areas in striking distance of the objective and wait for the order to attack. Maybe CHARLIE gets there first and has to wait while BRAVO and ALPHA get their shit together. Maybe everyone is ready, but I need confirmation that the target is still there. The same thing happens when running a complex project in the business world. The point of HUAW is that at least the one we are waiting for isn’t YOU! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/28 "2023-06-18T04:41:38Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > What’s with the “Iam”? Once could be a typo, twice a coincidence but 3 times it’s a deliberate affectation. Why? I didn’t catch which post this is referring to. I looked and saw no Iam. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/29 "2023-06-18T10:19:29Z")
the OP and one of his subsequent posts uses “Iam” instead of “I’m” or “I am”. He did it 3 times in the OP and once in a later post. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/30 "2023-06-18T10:46:01Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And inconsiderate people that think that their time is more important than other peoples time. I think it’s mostly this. It’s a flex. You had better not be a second late. I’ll stroll in when I’m good and ready. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/31 "2023-06-18T22:14:34Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > The same thing happens when running a complex project in the business world. Except that usually more time for a task might make the results better, or at least better tested. Plus, people who bust their butts to finish something on schedule only to find that the real deadline was a week later won’t bust their butts the next time. Even if this time it was really needed. > [@enipla](#): > > And inconsiderate people that think that their time is more important than other peoples time. When I read Keith Richards’ autobiography, the thing that pissed me off about him was that during the Exile on Main Street sessions he would typically come hours late, when everyone else was in the studio waiting for him. He didn’t say he was hung over, or stoned, he just seemed to think this was okay. And I don’t remember him writing that he was sorry. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2023, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/32 "2023-06-18T22:45:41Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > When I read Keith Richards’ autobiography, the thing that pissed me off about him was that during the Exile on Main Street sessions he would typically come hours late, when everyone else was in the studio waiting for him. He didn’t say he was hung over, or stoned, **he just seemed to think this was okay.** And I don’t remember him writing that he was sorry. Bolding mine. I think a lot of people think this way. “A lot of people are late, so what does it matter”? But IMHO, it’s an excuse that they make up for themselves. So they can accept their own behavior. But I believe I’m pushing this thread in the wrong direction. I’m very lucky at work. I have no real set deadlines. I just have to get things done. But it can be hard. - We want to upgrade x within a year or so. I’ll call it the new x. - To upgrade x I need to upgrade y. - I can’t upgrade y because a bug in the software we depend we purchase has a bug. We can only make work arounds for that. I Might be able to do that, don’t know. I do know it’s going to piss people off though. That I know. - The replacement for x is called z. We can’t really work on z because y can’t be upgraded because of a bug in y. - And x must stay running through all of this. I’ll call the software company again, I have to schedule this stuff for when we can take our systems down. My last call was at 1am (I’m in Colorado) to a nice fellow in Jordan. So… It’s not always inconsiderate people, but often just things completely out of your control no matter how well you plan. Just another day… ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/33 "2023-06-19T01:02:36Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > > [@msmith537](#): > > > > The same thing happens when running a complex project in the business world. > > Except that usually more time for a task might make the results better, or at least better tested. Plus, people who bust their butts to finish something on schedule only to find that the real deadline was a week later won’t bust their butts the next time. Even if this time it was really needed. I was thinking more along the lines of getting the resources ready to start working on a project. A lot of times, companies need someone to start “right now!”. But when they get there, they often find themselves sitting idle for a period of time. Usually it’s because there are other moving parts that need to get in place first, ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/34 "2023-06-19T02:33:51Z")
This is, of course, why we are never on only one project at a time. There should always be something to do. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/35 "2023-06-20T21:06:42Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > What’s with the “Iam”? Once could be a typo, twice a coincidence but 3 times it’s a deliberate affectation. Why? The OP has done that multiple times in every thread he’s started or posted in. I’ve given up figuring out why. Oh! I found over a half-dozen in one thread: > [@I read a fiction novel, and I am convinced the author knows who I am](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-a-fiction-novel-and-i-am-convinced-the-author-knows-who-i-am/984109/1): > > Have you ever come across a character in a fiction novel that bears a striking resemblance to you? > > Iam not just talking about generalities here… No, Iam talking about specifics, and a proponderance of them. > [@I read a fiction novel, and I am convinced the author knows who I am](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-a-fiction-novel-and-i-am-convinced-the-author-knows-who-i-am/984109/12): > > Of course, Iam not going to spoil the rest of the film. > [@I read a fiction novel, and I am convinced the author knows who I am](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-a-fiction-novel-and-i-am-convinced-the-author-knows-who-i-am/984109/1): > > Now, with all of this being said, Iam just going to assume it is just a coincidence… > Iam willing to bet this has actually happened to someone. > [@I read a fiction novel, and I am convinced the author knows who I am](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-a-fiction-novel-and-i-am-convinced-the-author-knows-who-i-am/984109/1): > > It is possible, however unlikely, that this author I speak of knows who Iam. > [@I read a fiction novel, and I am convinced the author knows who I am](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-read-a-fiction-novel-and-i-am-convinced-the-author-knows-who-i-am/984109/1): > > It is possible, however unlikely, that this author I speak of knows who Iam. > > If so, the question is how did the author learn about me, and why did the author decide to write about me? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Varn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michael_varn/32/14411_2.png) [@Michael\_Varn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Varn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/36 "2023-06-20T21:36:51Z")
My use of I am or Iam mean exactly the same thing. The use of two different variants is simply random and unintentional, because I sometimes forget to hit the space bar between the I and the am. There is no deeper meaning here. This is not some pattern of indicators in some kind of code with the intent of sending any other message other than what is written. But in the future I will not use Iam or I am in any firther posts. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/37 "2023-06-20T21:39:33Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > But in the future I will not use Iam or I am in any firther posts “I am” is fine. The standard shortening is “I’m”. “Iam” is just weird ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/38 "2023-06-20T21:48:36Z")
I had a keyboard that often failed to register too-quick space bar keystrokes. I eventually replaced it, but until then… stuff happened. The OP may have the same. Irritating but hardly a crisis. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/39 "2023-06-20T21:57:20Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > My use of I am or Iam mean exactly the same thing. A problem here that, depending on the font, “lowercase L”, “uppercase I”, and even “digit 1” may be indistinguishable, so it would be better to write “lam”, “I am”, and “1 a.m.” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630/40 "2023-06-21T01:28:40Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > So… It’s not always inconsiderate people, but often just things completely out of your control no matter how well you plan. > > Just another day… I worked in microprocessor design groups, and processors are always behind schedule. The obnoxious thing is not being late, it is knowing full well that you are going to be late and either not telling anyone else or setting tight deadlines on people for their own good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hurry-up-and-wait-phenomenon-in-the-workplace/985630.md?page=3)