I read an article this morning on the TaxProf Blog discussing whether or not employers are required to compensate employees while their computers boot up. Apparantly there have been several companies (AT&T, UnitedHealth Group, Inc., Cigna Corp. and others) in the past year that have been sued because they are not paying their employees for the time it takes for their computers to boot up. The attorney who filed the suit claims that over the course of a week, these minutes add up and hourly employees are losing out.

Of course, the defense argues that the time spent while a computer does not constitute work. Employees are usually talking to friends, getting coffee or some other non-work related activity.

I can see both sides of the arguement here, but the real question I have is: How lousy is the work environment that employees would want to file a lawsuit over the time a computer boots up? Their is obviously a deeper issue here related to the overall level of job satisfaction that these employees have. Perhaps the Companies should try to figure out how to make their employees happy so that they can provide better service for their customers. Also note, just paying for the bootup time will not make them happy, it will just resolve this complaint. As I stated their is a deeper issue here.

Our offices have been using a dual monitor setup for a number of years now. While I do not need any extensive research to tell me I am vastly increasing our productivity (I can see it myself everyday), there are several studies that are coming out that are promoting the advantages of dual monitors.

In a recent study from the University of Utah, people using two 20-inch monitors were 44% faster than those that used a single 18-inch monitor. For the many businesses who are strapped with the need for additional personnel, they must ask – do I really need employees or do I need the proper equipment for the employees I have.

Microsoft Researchers conducted user studies at determining the effectiveness of adding a second monitor to your workstation. Their findings report that dual monitors increased productivity anywhere fro 9% to 50% depending upon the person performing the tasks and the type of task.

The bottom line is that if you are even able to squeeze a mere 10% more productivity out of an employee, your cost savings can be extraordinary. For more information on the Microsoft study click here.
I have been to numerous tax and accounting conferences and in the technology portion, dual monitors is always the strongest point of emphasis that is made. There are always the usual doubters – people that have been doing things the same way for 40 years and refuse to change anything. There are two additional things that are always consistent in these discussions. The first thing is that there is never anyone in the room who has gone to dual monitors that will not rave about them. Secondly, there is not a single dual monitor user in the room that will EVER let you take their dual monitors away from them – me included. I hope to have three monitors before long!