A contribution from TimeSpin to the current debate about time theft and modern forms of working
Recently, a topic has been making headlines that is a pressing concern for both employers and employees alike: time theft. This refers to behaviors such as private cellphone use during working hours, extended breaks, or doing household chores during work hours while working from home — all without documentation or agreements. Media reports mention Reddit users openly boasting about "doing everything except working." However, anyone who thinks this is simply laziness or disloyalty is overlooking the bigger picture.
Time theft is rarely the problem — it's often the symptom.
In many cases, such behavior is a silent protest against a system that lacks meaning. Employees who were once motivated and engaged often feel overlooked, underchallenged, or trapped in rigid structures. People want to feel needed. But when they’re not taken seriously, and their efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated, they often withdraw quietly — or resort to posting ironic memes on social media.
What Modern Companies Should Learn from This
For forward-thinking companies, this is a clear wake-up call: it’s no longer just about measuring presence — it’s about fostering trust and creating a sense of purpose. Especially in the age of mobile work and home offices, teams need direction, appreciation, and a sense of agency. Rigid control and mistrust destroy what agile collaboration is truly about: flexibility, personal responsibility, and a passion for innovation.
But how can trust be practiced in concrete terms — without slipping into the opposite extreme of complete disorientation?
Tangible Trust: How TimeSpin Makes Time Tangible
This is exactly where TimeSpin comes into play. Our solution is based on a simple principle: time tracking should not be about control, but about clarity and transparency. The tactile dodecahedron cube from TimeSpin enables employees to track their activities intuitively and independently — without surveillance, but with maximum transparency.
The idea behind it: when starting a task, the employee turns the cube to the corresponding side. Each face represents a different activity — consulting, research, creative work, communication, or project planning. The time is automatically recorded and synchronized at the end of the day — not as a tool of control, but as a foundation for honest feedback, objective progress tracking, and shared reflection.
Trust Needs Structure – and Structure Needs Tools
In the home office, trust becomes an even more delicate asset. Leaders are no longer physically present, hallway conversations disappear, and informal social oversight fades away. That’s why it’s all the more important that employees can demonstrate what they are accomplishing — not as a means of justification, but as a foundation for collaboratively shaping processes. TimeSpin enables exactly that: a simple, non-invasive, and motivating way to make progress visible.
Conclusion: Those who cultivate trust don’t need control — but they do need tools to enable transparency.
TimeSpin is more than just a time-tracking tool — it’s a contribution to a new work culture where companies and employees engage with each other on equal footing. Anyone discussing time theft today shouldn’t respond with sanctions, but with the question:** What’s missing? What do we need to make work meaningful again?**
With TimeSpin, we create a framework where time is once again valued — on both sides.