Reply to: Playing the game with the Bean Counter

[MikeC1984]

I'd jack it in an get a job in tesco.... plenty of beans there :P

[minstrel]

Are we talking embezzlement/fraud here?

Make absolutely sure that you get it in Writing & Signed from/by Director buddy before you give him an invoice for 5 days after working only 4

We are not going to visit you in Nick, nor will we send you Vaseline and KY jelly

That did cross my mind.

The amount of hours I work should be none of the client's business.

The way I look at it I'm a business providing a service for 3 months worth 240 beans.

This is broken down into stage payments that equate to 4 beans per day to fit with the clients invoicing process.

Whether or not I'm physically on site every day doing anything shouldn't matter to the client as long as I deliver what I said I would by the agreed deadline.

And just because I'm not in the office sending emails on the 5th day who's to say I'm not working?

Perhaps I've decided that the most effective to work is to have one day a week where I'm away from the office with no emails or phone calls. I then sit in the pub all day contemplating the technical solution to the problem of the day. If thinking is working, how can anyone prove I'm not thinking and therefore not working on the 5th day?

I've got a fairly flexible working relationship with my client already which means I can work from home as much as I want - normally 1 or 2 days a week.

As long as Director matey is happy with what I'm doing I don't see a legal problem.

[morsing]

Given that you do in 4 days what the other guys do in 10, you're already half price.

Excuse me?!?!?

[wantacontract]

I think you should start asking for real money, beans will get you nowhere.

Thats a good one...

if it was me. I would take it....current business climate means I would avoid downtime where possible....

[Diver]

Are we talking embezzlement/fraud here?

Make absolutely sure that you get it in Writing & Signed from/by Director buddy before you give him an invoice for 5 days after working only 4

We are not going to visit you in Nick, nor will we send you Vaseline and KY jelly

[Turion]

Forget this beans bollox. You should know rate for the job, so if you've been rippin'em of take the cut and shut you know it makes sense man.

Answer: you done good, now go back to permie land.

[BrilloPad]

What is the current bean to £ exchange rate? Will it go up or down?

[Ardesco]

Get the director to tell the bean counter to **** off, he's a director FFS he should be telling the bean to shut up and deal with it or sacking him and hiring a new bean counter who has a clue!!!!

[Money Money Money]

Are they magic bean jack?

Hold out as long as possible, if the bean counter doesn't cave do the 4 days why looking for something else, use your spare day for interviews or plan b!

[minstrel]

Take out a contract on the bean counter. Or the director should.

Given that you do in 4 days what the other guys do in 10, you're already half price.

Exactly. Director understands that but Bean Counter only sees head count and daily rate. He doesn't have a work rate column in his spreadsheet.

They could end up 3 permies/offshore guys on 2 beans a day to replace me, but that is perceived as a lower cost option by Bean Counter as they're on less than 4 beans a day and he's got no way of relating the total costs.

[d000hg]

Given that you do in 4 days what the other guys do in 10, you're already half price.

Sigh. The old "contractors are twice as good as normal people" line. Maybe it's only companies who don't have decent employees who hire contractors?

[NotAllThere]

Take out a contract on the bean counter. Or the director should.

Given that you do in 4 days what the other guys do in 10, you're already half price.

[BolshieBastard]

You need to see how easy it is to pick up another contract. Normally I would not reduce my rate for any reason.

If I could secure another contract I'd leave. Then, the director would complain and eventually the bean counter would get hassle and learn a lesson.

If there are no other jobs, then I'd probably look to do the 4 day week thing (which my current client does but pays me for 5 days! ) while looking for another role.

Put yourself in a win \ win situation and remember you're a business.

[ratewhore]

Firstly, I think you should get paid in sterling like most of us.

Once you've sorted that out, only you can answer your own question my young padawan...

...personally, I'd walk!!

[Advocate]

Hypothetical situation...

I'm on a contract being paid a daily rate of 5 beans per day. The Line Manager (Director level) I work for is happy with my work and wants to renew my contract. However, the central Bean Counter has made an edict that no contractors shall be paid more than 4 beans per day.

I'm not happy to drop my rate as I'm doing a good job and client wants me. The Director wants me to stay and is more than happy to pay me 5 beans a day.

Despite numerous protests from the Director, the Bean Counter is adamant that it's 4 beans per day max. I can take it or Director has to find someone else.

The Director and I are trying to find a way through the impasse.

One option we're looking at is the possibility of reducing the rate to 4 beans per day to comply with the Bean Counter, but for the Director and I to have a flexible working arrangement where I charge 5 days a week but only work 4 days. I end up with 20 beans a week for 4 days work = 5 beans a day, same equivalent daily rate.

As long as Director is happy to sign off the timesheets, we'll stay under the Bean Counter's radar and everyone is a winner.

Well, I'm actually a loser as my total revenue will probably take a hit. I don't think it will be too bad though as I quite often take long weekends off which I can now bill.

It's got to be better than taking the drop to 4 beans a day and still working a 5 day week.

I imagine most of you will tell me to just walk and find another contract. I quite like the contract though and now I'm getting to like the idea of a 4 day week!

What does the panel think?

I think you should start asking for real money, beans will get you nowhere.