OOO Trial Proposal: Consider Implementing a Time Off Accountability Buddy System in AMER

Need

While managers play a crucial role in ensuring SE’s are taking the time off needed to recharge, and often serve as backup for various tasks, this idea adds more support by proposing that SE’s pair up to serve as Time Off Accountability Buddies to each other.

The goal or need behind this "boring" idea is to seek ways in which we can help reduce stress that is related to taking time off in SGGs.

Approach

With a Time Off Accountability Buddy, you help each other by:

  • Holding each other accountable to take time off, knowing that your buddy will be your primary back up at work while you are away.
  • Holding each other accountable to not check in at work while away.
  • Helping each other prepare for upcoming time off by progressing assigned tickets to resolution, prioritizing on-going tickets, escalating issues to managers, finding additional help/expertise across SGGs, etc.
  • Possibly be on-call swap buddies, especially for last minute unexpected absences (with the caveat that both SE’s would have to be on the same on-call schedule and that this would only be a first point of reference only, i.e. not guaranteed).
  • Backing each other up on tickets to allow for dedicated focus time (#3770 (closed)?) to work on self development.
  • Pair together weekly or monthly to discuss upcoming time off.
    • While the goal might be to stagger your time off where possible, it’s not a requirement as that will add an element of stress that we’re trying to avoid.
  • Strategizing a plan of "time off" action together, so that the approach is consistent. This particularly is important if you plan to take time off at the same time.
    • In this case, managers can and should still serve as backups (managers can possibly pair as well in this effort!).

How do you choose a buddy?

  • Reach out and ask someone! To avoid limiting this, we can consider scoping this to the region vs a global group.
    • Doing this will mean you may help out in a different global group from yours when your buddy is OOO.
    • We may want to consider making this the only requirement (finding someone outside of your SGG), as this would encourage continued cross-group collaboration, and might help with SGG capacity issues if multiple people in your SGG are OOO at the same time.
  • ICs to buddy up with other ICs; Seniors with other Seniors.

Other considerations:

  • What if you can’t find a buddy? Ask a manager for help.
  • What if we are at an odd number? We can see about a 3-way buddy system?
  • Do you have to have a buddy? Definitely not. This is only a suggestion to help add more vacation support, but will be strongly encouraged.
  • Managers can provide support to your buddy while you’re away, collaborating with your buddy when it makes sense.
  • To increase flexibility on this, SE's can choose to be a buddy to more than one person (perhaps 2-3 as an absolute max), and in return would have 2-3 buddies as their backup, but those 2-3 may not necessarily be buddies to each other.

Benefit

  • Having a Time Off Accountability Buddy (besides your manager or SGG group) who will help balance your workload while you are away might give you some peace of mind to take time off.
  • This adds more structure and consistency around who will help manage your tickets while you’re away.
  • This may improve bystander effect for progressing your tickets while away by adding another person who can help advocate for more help on your ticket(s) as needed.
  • This may also help with capacity concerns for your SGG, at least in terms of NRT on your assigned tickets.
  • This will be an easy change to trial (can start small with a few volunteers, or trial this in AMER), implement, and roll back if we find it isn't helpful.

Competition / Alternatives

  • Global groups are meant to serve this role already, but collectively as a group. There may still be an issue with bystander effect and/or your group may not have capacity to help (versus if you have a buddy from a different SGG).
  • Managers are also meant to serve this role, but managers generally have 8-10+ reports, where multiple reports may be OOO at the same time, making it difficult for managers to focus on manager responsibilities and helping with tickets or other tasks as a backup.

Trial Volunteers

Time Off Accountability Buddies:

Edited by Jio Castillo