please empty your brain below
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Any chance of a desk relocation closer to the door?
| 17.02.15 - 7:48 a.m. | #
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I believe you have my stapler.
Muffler | 17.02.15 - 8:27 a.m. | #
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Dinosaur managers who assess staff based in hours trapped in the office rather than quality of their output.... A modern scourge, but there are sadly so many of them about.
IslandDweller | 17.02.15 - 8:31 a.m. | #
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That presents an interesting issue. Part timers (whether by choice or necessity) are often 'invisible' - overlooked by everyone except when 'their' bit of the work isn't done. Without asking your co-employees, you may find your thoughts as to being 'shamed' on exit could be illusory. You may be regarded as a part timer.
B | 17.02.15 - 8:41 a.m. | #
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I am at my desk at 6:30 am and leave by 3 p.m as this suits me domestically. That still means I tend to do an hour more than my contracted hours each day. Yet I always get the sarky comments about being a part -timer. If given enough notice I can be flexible and work later but I'll leave earlier on a different day to compensate. I am currently working on a project with a manager who doesn't start till 10 at the earliest and he expects us all to stay to 6:30 pm to fit in with his hours. I refuse to do 12 hour days just to fit his pattern but he has already made snide comments about not pulling my weight
Peewit | 17.02.15 - 8:50 a.m. | #
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I have the opposite problem. I don't mind staying late, and I'm often the last one in the office, but I rarely get in early. I'm usually the last one in, so I have my walk of shame in the morning, as everyone thinks "I've been here for ages. Where have you been, slacker!" But no one sees me staying much later, after they have all gone home.
Andrew | 17.02.15 - 8:53 a.m. | #
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It's the perpetual problem. If your boss or a colleague gets in five minutes before you, for all you know he or she has been in for hours. If you get in a full hour before the others, for all they know you've only just walked in the door.
Perhaps send a few emails a few minutes after you're in. Doesn't matter what about; most work emails are pointless anyway. But there'd be a timestamp on them.
Alan Burkitt-Gray | 17.02.15 - 10:16 a.m. | #
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Fuck 'em
Joho | Homepage | 17.02.15 - 10:32 a.m. | #
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Where I worked we had 'flexitime' - swipecard, time in/lunch/out recorded, build up a surplus and take it back = 1 extra day not at work per month. Most people still 'gave' time to the company even after that.
Our US colleagues had no such system. Ours was abolished when their 'presenteeism' culture prevailed.
Gordon | 17.02.15 - 10:40 a.m. | #
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Time to get an invisibility cloak? Or maybe promulgate your different contractual hours>
Hmmm, maybe not, some jobsworth manager would only try to change things!
Bronchitikat | Homepage | 17.02.15 - 10:49 a.m. | #
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I don't even have a desk!!!
Colininthailand | 17.02.15 - 11:24 a.m. | #
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Ah the "politics of the office" and how some people who have "reasonable" jobs with a "relatively" good salary seem to maybe a tad forget that many "out there" have lost their jobs (with some even being owed pay for hours worked)or ended up on a zero-hours contract.
Working Class Hero | 17.02.15 - 12:26 p.m. | #
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I once worked 09:00-17:00 in a 20 person company where they asked everyone to agree to extend work hours to 17:30 with no extra pay. Everyone signed the form except me. I said I would sign it if they raised my pay proportionately. I expected coercion, but the boss just said "if you don't want to sign it, don't" (He knew I worked plenty of unpaid hours anyway when necessary). So I was the only one who left work at 17:00. When we got taken over a year later I moved to 17:30 like everyone else and got a proportional pay rise!
Huw B | 17.02.15 - 12:29 p.m. | #
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Assert your rights. Tell them all to go to ***!
Chris | 17.02.15 - 12:36 p.m. | #
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I know how you feel DG. Years ago I had to shift my start time forward by about 100 mins. This was because the Vic Line was swamped by people diverting from the Central when there was the Chancery Lane derailment. Travelling after 0800 for a 0900 or so start was intolerable. This meant I started about 0715 but I rarely finished before 1630 meaning over an 8 hour day rather than the contracted 7. Even leaving at that time of day brought the inevitable glances from people who strolled in after 9 or nearer to 10. It was even worse because I was the boss and, of course, the boss *always* has to be in the office for all the time others are there. Of course my boss was not averse to calling at 0720 in the morning to ask me to do stuff for him by 0900 in the morning plus also calling at 1600 expecting stuff to be done late in the day too! He worked crazy hours which meant you could get caught both ends of the day.
More intriguing still was sitting in the coffee bar opposite the office one afternoon and observing all the late starters toddling off somewhat before the time when they should have done! You'd think they'd be a bit smarter than that.
Still I no longer have any of those tedious things to wind me up as I don't toddle in to an office any more.
PC | 17.02.15 - 1:10 p.m. | #
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I should just add that watching the clock but not caring about the actual work output is really bad management. I had no issue with flexible hours - we had one person starting at 0600 and finishing at 1400 as that suited their circumstances. Their work quality and volume was extremely good and they flexed their hours when they knew they had to work later. Far better to have an office of those people than clock watchers and tutting at others over the top of their PCs.
PC | 17.02.15 - 1:13 p.m. | #
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Sod the views of others. I don't mind what time my team arrive or leave, because I know they get the work done, and when required they will work all night if necessary without being asked. Some of them arrive and leave late. For me I prefer to arrive at 9 but leave before 5- when I can. This week I have to catch the 05:42 train to work in Derby most days.
Ian | 17.02.15 - 1:15 p.m. | #
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Because of the bus schedule I have no choice but to arrive early at work, often (though not always) the earliest. It seems I am slightly more lucky that I don't manage to go early, but I think if one finishes work one has all the rights to go, and I always admire early goers.
Patrickov | 17.02.15 - 1:41 p.m. | #
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I increasingly think that professionals of 20 years hence will look back on what we do in offices today the way we look at horses and carts and not letting women vote. Who in their right mind would say 'right, let's make sure that everyone works right in the middle of the city, and that they all travel there at the same time, and that we judge their contribution by how much time they spend at their desks.' Looks like things are moving in the right direction with flexible working, working from home, and some of what's happening across the pond. But I can see it being a long time before the culture fully shifts to something a bit more sensible.
...he typed, sitting at his desk and gazing at the clock and avoiding his boss's glare.
Ben | 17.02.15 - 3:17 p.m. | #
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Oh look...almost time for me to go home. I got to say that in years to come when one is sitting looking back at ones life that the last thing one is going to say to oneself is that I should have worked harder, done more hours, got in earlier or stayed later.
Grumpy Anon | 17.02.15 - 3:50 p.m. | #
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I hope you left early enough to eat your pancake for today.
John | 17.02.15 - 4:05 p.m. | #
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Walked out at 4 :)
diamond geezer | 17.02.15 - 4:12 p.m. | #
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Surprised no one seems to have mentioned the key issue: is your boss happy with your contribution? If so, stuff 'em all!
Julian W | Homepage | 17.02.15 - 4:27 p.m. | #
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The tip about sending an email as soon as you get in is a good one! I would arrive at about 6.30 am and fire one straight off to the supervisor.
There's always some junior manager who wants to make a name by living at the office and would arrange meetings to begin after 6.00 pm, I would always refuse - no wonder I didn't rise very high up the corporate ladder!
I retired six years ago so stuff 'em.
RayB | 17.02.15 - 5:15 p.m. | #
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I live on site, or at least I have an en-suite room on site, which I occupy when I need to return to work less than 24 hours after leaving.
I do work some odd hours, but on a usual week, I work 0800-1700 and go home on the weekends. This is 2.5-3 hours each way, but contra-flow, and mostly at 70mph - once I managed to go all the way without stopping! (though had to slow down for roundabouts etc)
My colleagues drive 1 hour each way every day, so 10 hours per week compared to my 5.
On good days I would generally finish my tasks for the day well in advance. However, I am obliged to be on site until 1700. Now technically I am still on site even if I am in bed, but it looks better to the bosses if I am seen to physically depart after 1700. The way I get round this is to take 3 hours off for lunch.
JQ | 17.02.15 - 7:01 p.m. | #
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There's always a job at Dangleway PR HQ for you
john | 17.02.15 - 7:53 p.m. | #
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I'm not sure why my comment re them really suspecting you write this blog was removed, but there you go.
Antipodean | 18.02.15 - 7:17 a.m. | #
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Julian W has the key point - performance. If you 'deliver', those who don't know you and can't affect your work-life do not count. You only see one face in the bathroom mirror each morning so whether you like that view or not, don't sell it out as it'll still look back at you the next day, and every day.
I retired three and a half years ago - age 60, could leave on full pension - best thing I ever did. Don't wish your life away but start thinking about what you might do in the future, instead of worrying about how yesterday (filed for good, I hope) might bounce back at you. I was also the workplace rep for my union where I worked so I had an additional strength in looking after my colleagues and myself (not one of the well-known unions, you've probably never heard of us), and together we ensured 'terms & conditions' were applied as fairly as possible and as uniformly as we could achieve. Your office environment, DG, doesn't sound unionised nor may you be that way inclined, but 'delivery' and 'justice' will see most people through their working days.
You do not have to prove yourself to those who do not matter!
Joel | 18.02.15 - 10:11 a.m. | #
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You can rest assured that those who arrive a bit before their contracted time to allow for travel contingencies don't do one iota of work before they're supposed too. Sadly for you that's invisible.
Chin up, chest out when you leave.
Periodically dropping in to conversation how fresh and cold it is at 7:55 or how great the early mornings look will serve to keep any doubters or sh!tstirrers in their places
Boycotting Tesco cos they closed half my town | 18.02.15 - 1:13 p.m. | #
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Always hated office work and corporate 'culture'. Of their precious mandated eight-hour day, five or six of it would be spent on Facebook. Even wrote an entire book in office hours once.
M | 18.02.15 - 1:55 p.m. | #
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Up at 4:00 am here usually.... or earlier. Which means that by 10:00 am I've often done the majority of the day's work. I just can't get the hang of sleeping in late.
Luckily I'm self employed... and since I'm on the West coast I'm 4 hours ahead of most of clients in New York. But even so I often get up earlier than they do. lol!
john | Homepage | 19.02.15 - 3:14 a.m. | #
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You have my sympathies on this one. My company are rigid about people being seen to be at their desks between certain hours regardless of what they're actually doing.
I recently had someone shit-stirring behind my back because she had decided (incorrectly) that I was doing fewer hours then I was. The shit-stirring took the form of making a point of visiting my desk when she knew I wasn't there and making pointed remarks to anyone within earshot about how I had 'left already'. Fucking infuriating.
BPH | 19.02.15 - 9:35 a.m. | #
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I work in a primary school. Sometimes I have to get in a bit early to do some admin, or for a staff meeting, or if I have a review with the parent of an SEN/statemented child.
But when the bell rings at 3:30, well, you're free to go whenever. Sometimes I'm home by 4:00. Plus 14 weeks holiday a year,
The catch is, of course, you have to like teaching kids!
Richard M | 19.02.15 - 5:16 p.m. | #
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