Dobbed someone in unintentionally

[Happyperson123]

I'm in a mess at the moment. I've been in my job for 5 months and really enjoy it. It's more money and good hours.

We work 9-5 each day but can sometimes get TOIL if we do stuff at the weekend or go to meetings at night.

I was meeting with my boss and he asked me about one of my colleagues (who I really like). He wanted to know what time she left the office. I came right out and said 4.30pm. This is true but she does start early and I told him this as well. He said that he would deal with it and not to say anything.

Next thing is she's going mad because he spoke to her and told her she had to do the same hours as everyone else. She wants to know who told him and I don't know whether to come right out and say that he asked me but I know everyone will think turn against me. It's very clique there and if you're not 'for them' you're 'agsnst them'.

He's come into the job and is making changes that need to be made to increase productivity but he's not exactly popular. I think they brought him in because the previous manager was messing up - but Ive only been here a month longer than him.

I just don't know what to do. I'm sure he won't say anything but she'll be looking at all of us wondering who the snitch is.

Any advice please?

[MyBrilliantDisguise]

Say nothing. She was choosing her own hours, which she wasn't allowed to do. She can blame whoever she wants, but it's purely her fault.

[ExCoffeeAddict]

So has the culture always been that hours are flexible? Is that going to change, and you need to do 9-5 on the dot apart from when dicussed with your manager? That fair enough but needs clearly communicated.

Your colleague has just been told to work her hours. She needs to just move on. Don't worry about it and forget about it. He's the manager it's his job to manage. But communication needs to be clear of his expectations

[0hCrepe]

Don't say anything. Everyone is prob pleased she's been pulled up on it at last.

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

Why does someone have to have told him? It's a fairly easy thing for him to find out without being told. I would just stay quiet.

[BarbaraOcumbungles]

I'd probably come clean and say "it was me, but I didn't realise it hadn't been agreed, sorry"

You can't just make up your own hours at work. She's in the wrong, not you.

[Happyperson123]

Not sure about the culture I've always done 9-5 apart from when I did some weekend work at a function.

The culture is very laid back and I got a shock when I started in that everyone uses their mobiles A LOT and are on the net A LOT.

I think he wants to get people to do more work but he only started a month after me.

So you don't think I should let her know?

[ExCoffeeAddict]

No. If she keeps going on about it id tell her to speak to her manager about it and stop engaging. She's probably just annoyed her come and go work hours are stopping

[Happyperson123]

I'm worried if I tell her she will go off me and she's one of the strong characters in the office who is kind of the 'alpha female' . She's funny but I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her.

I wish I'd just said that I didn't know when he asked.

The reason he probably isn't 100% sure is he goes to quite a few meetings so doesn't check on everyone. We write out our timesheets every week and it's always the same apart from some of them that do extra meetings and stuff.

[Whisky2014]

Say nothing. And make sure you stay off the your phone and the net.

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

If you write out your timesheets then either he already knew from the timesheets or she has been falsifying timesheets!

[EggysMom]

Stay out of it, don't tell her it was you. She's looking for someone to blame for telling tales, rather than blaming herself for not working the proper times.

[TweedAddict]

But what was she writing on her time sheet?

5.00 I bet!

[Happyperson123]

Thank you all for your comments.

It looks like my best bet is to keep quiet - I really feel a bit better reading through - it is her fault really for making her own hours. I was stating a fact - I need to get this into perspective and give myself a shake!

Thanks.

[chipsandpeas]

i once by acident got someone sacked
i started work earlier than her and happened to mention i saw her out the night before, unbeknwest to me she had called in sick
worst was i was only a temp at the time and got her job

[scrabbler3]

It's her own fault.

If she really needs to finish at 4.30 she should talk to him about coming in earlier to make up the time, or taking a small pay cut.

If you work hard and keep off the Internet you'll stay on the right side of him. It sounds as if your colleagues' party is over.

[Happyperson123]

Update

Had a couple of really crappy days. She is in a real mood and hardly speaking to me but is being extra, extra, extra nice to everyone else in a completely OTT way.

When I came back from the bathroom yesterday the room went quiet and she had 3 of her friends round her desk who went back to their own desks as if they had been talking about me. (But I might be paranoid?)

I'm feeling very upset now. I hate this - I wish I'd not said anything this is going to end up being unbearable for me.

I feel like coming right out and saying what happened but I think I may have left it too late 'cos she's been going on about it all week.

Any advice on how to get through this?

[daisychain01]

Work hard and dont let it become a distraction.

Do your hours and try to separate yourself from people who are work colleagues compared to your RL family and friends. If they whisper and snipe so what. Just dont give them headspace. If she keeps it up for long enough she will have to ramp up the action to keep the same effect and the effort will be too great to sustain.

She is being reeeeeeally childish if you ask me!

[Gingernaut]

He wouldn't have asked if he didn't suspect that she was fiddling her hours.

Knowing you were the newbie and probably weren't as 'tight' with her as the other work buddies, he asked you.

Try not to let it get to you, but if they do bully you, speak to him or HR.

He put you in a horrible position, but there was nothing else you could do.

[daisychain01]

He wanted to know what time she left the office. I came right out and said 4.30pm

I expect he caught you off guard, what were you going to do, as a new employee, lie? No, you had to tell him the truth, because you can bet your bottom dollar, if he found out you hadn’t told the truth, it would have shot your credibility to pieces. He should now be protecting you from retaliation

if the nastiness doesn’t stop, I would use the word retaliation because it does have significance in employment law, when it means an employee having to face bullying for doing the right thing.

[Happyperson123]

Does anyone think I should just come out and tell her that it was me? If she does find out - that's going to be really bad.

I'm worried sick about this now - still in my probation period.

I wish I could just grow up and stop worring.

[Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar]

Why does it have to be anybody “dobbing her in”? Is your manager not actually in the same building? Someone other than her workmates have surely seen her swanning off early?

[AdalindSchade]

What’s her problem? Either she has immovable commitments meaning she needs to leave at 4.30 in which case she has to clear it with her manager - or she’s just a cheeky twat who thinks she can make her own hours. If the latter then she needs to get over herself! Ignore op and just crack on with your work.

[Butterymuffin]

No, don't tell her. You have started thinking you need to answer to this woman - you don't! She's not the boss. And if she'd not done all this on the quiet there would have been no problem - all this is her fault not yours.

They can suspect all they like but they can't prove it was you. Tough it out and it will be forgotten by the others soon enough. Don't be confrontational but don't be subservient to her either - talk to her politely but coolly as if you genuinely are not at all bothered about what she thinks of you or getting your approval. Fake it till until make it in short. If any of them step over the line into bullying, go to HR.

[daisychain01]

Don’t do anything.

Just don’t, you haven’t done anything wrong. And anyway what’s done is done onwards and upwards.

If it helps to strengthen your resolve, do some online courses in assertiveness, and how not to give a shit at work.

Honestly, you have nothing to fear. They could have if they carry on like they are.

Could you take 1-2 day’s annual leave, get together with friends and then go back looking super confident and rested.

[Happyperson123]

Thanks everyone

@daisychain01 - I like your thinking. I might see if I can get a long weekend next week.

I ended up going out with my friends last night and having quite a few drinks which has helped me get a bit of perspective.

I hate being such a wimp.