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Being treated differently now that I am part time

6 replies

Firefox · 03/12/2012 20:46

I recently moved to part time working - 4 days - as my new manager did not agree with the ad-hoc working from home I used to have. He is more focussed on presentesism. However, I can't help feeling that he has one set of rules for others in the team, and a harsher set for me as a part timer. Also, if there are team lunches, these are always arranged on my day off and I am never invited.

Now I find out that other team members are being allowed to work from home, come in late or leave early; and whilst this does not happen on a regular basis, it does happen within the various members of the team at least once a week.

I'm not going to the team Xmas lunch as I feel excluded anyway. My manager hasnow told me that he expects me to stay in the office and work whilst the rest of the team spend the entire afternoon out. They are getting paid for the whole day. I feel that is unfair that I can't leave and go home early instead.

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BluelightsAndSirens · 03/12/2012 20:48

What does your contract say about your hours?

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Firefox · 03/12/2012 21:03

My contract says that I am required to do a standard 28 hour week. ie 7 hour day. In reality I do more than this daily.

My new manager however clocks everyone's start times, finish times, lunch hours etc - despite everyone does do their contracted hours. I get the impression he would like everyone to arrive before he does, only leave for lunch after him, and return before he does, and then leave the office after he does.

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BluelightsAndSirens · 03/12/2012 21:45

Did you get anything in writing when you started doing your work from home, ad hoc hours?

Do you have the same day off every week, ie a Wednesday? It does sound like he is singling you out for some reason, the idea of you working during a team day out is dreadful for team moral as well as your own of course.

Is he approachable?
Do you have HR?

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MizZan · 03/12/2012 22:32

Firefox - sitting on the other side of the fence, as a manager of both part time and full time staff, I would not be too pleased if a member of my team (whether part time or full time) opted not to join our team christmas do and then demanded time off in lieu of that. with respect, to me that seems indicative of an attitude which is all about 'me me me' and entitlement, and not about wanting to be part of the team, and I'm sure your manager is probably viewing it that way too, even though he or she hasn't reacted in the most constructive fashion. I can't see that an HR dept would support you in this position either - probably quite the opposite, at least in the private sector.

have you thought about talking directly with your manager about this. I mean about the whole situation, not about the xmas do. try to understand what the concerns are from his/her perspective, and ask in a non-confrontational way how you can address those while still maintaining your part time status. it's almost always better to be open, unless the person's just completely unreasonable and really looking for an excuse to push you out, which is rarely the case. it sounds to me like your manager is looking for you to affirm your commitment to the team and the company, so if you can take the step of doing that as part of initiating the conversation, it may well change the dynamic between you, which could be a good thing on both sides. good luck!

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Firefox · 03/12/2012 23:42

MizZan - thanks for your perspective. I didn't realise it could come across that way. I didn't want to go the the Xmas lunch as I felt that I wouldn't be welcome as I have already been excluded from other team lunches Sad. I haven't demanded time off in lieu of the Xmas lunch either - although it would have been nice to be able to leave an hour or so earlier than usual.

I had thought because I do above my hours, am never off sick, will always be flexible around my days off and work later when I can that I had demonstrated commitment to the team and company. Maybe however, this needs re-affirming now that I am part time.

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janey68 · 04/12/2012 06:59

I agree with the advice about leaving the Xmas meal issue out of the equation. It will look petty that you are refusing to join in but expecting time off while the others go. No one can force you to join in, but it might be worth considering making the effort for the sake of office dynamics- particularly as its during work hours, rather than being in your own evening time.

It's diffiicult to unpick how you're being treated compared to others. If you were previously doing very ad hoc hours at home, then probably you're feeling put out at having to come into the office full stop. You need to be quite objective and keep a log of specific ways in which you are treated unfairly

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