Yes I should get paid my current salary for my current work. Feedback on my work is that it is "Good" which means the employer is happy paying me for my contributions. I'm not being paid for my labor and time - I'm being paid so long as my employer thinks what I'm giving them is worth it. I'm not grifting anyone - I'm just in an at-will employment arrangement.
Caring about hours worked is for bad managers, plain and simple. The biggest reason to not work in the office is that it's easier to avoid these bottom-of-the-barrel, butts-in-seats leaders. With them out of the way, you're free to tune your output in such a way that keeps your employer happy while also freeing up your life.
Its not about "hours worked." Its about available throughput.
If you're under-loaded, then a good manager can shift the balance around the team. Maybe someone else is over-loaded. If the whole team is under-loaded, then maybe the team can deliver more features. Maybe its a good time to pay down some of last year's technical debt. Maybe its a good time to take a bet on a higher-risk research project.
If I spend 4 hours working and the result is enough throughput to make my team and manager happy, then that's what I'm going to do and I'll do everything in my power to keep it that way. Everyone's happy, what's wrong with that?
I just can't relate to this mindset that is oriented around optimizing company success. I'm more focused on my own success.
My peak throughput isn't necessarily there for the company's taking. I guard it as my greatest secret. My manager only gets 2 signals from me regarding load: It's good..or I'm overloaded. Never the truth when I'm underloaded if everyone's happy - that would just be harming myself for some company's benefit.
Caring about hours worked is for bad managers, plain and simple. The biggest reason to not work in the office is that it's easier to avoid these bottom-of-the-barrel, butts-in-seats leaders. With them out of the way, you're free to tune your output in such a way that keeps your employer happy while also freeing up your life.