Page 2 | To deliberately inconvenience my colleagues?

MistletoeMoments · 2025-01-16T20:13:20+00:00

I spent a big chunk of last year covering a colleagues sick leave. I was going to be the least inconvenienced by it, so agreed to do it. It was supposed to only be for a couple of weeks, but he ended up being off for 7 months! I was exhausted by the end of it, as I was juggling my own work, and it also involved a change in hours (earlier start). Anyway, he came back and things went back to normal. He's now scheduled to be off for a long weekend tomorrow, and I'm 99% certain nobody has arranged cover for it. I suspect it's just assumed I'll be doing it. WIBU to just go in at my normal time tomorrow ready for my working day? It means my nightshift colleague will need to stay behind for 1hr until I come in. He'll get paid for it, but I feel a bit bad because I used to work nights too and I know how tired he will be!

SleepingStandingUp · 17/01/2025 14:33

MistletoeMoments · 16/01/2025 20:47

It's more a moral dilemma. I'm 99% sure there's no cover in place so my colleagues are going to be inconvenienced by having to stay late.

Not my responsibility, but there's nothing really stopping me from coming in early just in case.

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Just ask the manger if there's cover or if he'd like you to come in early, if you GENUINELY are happy to do so

Or rock up your normal time, and say well I assumed they'd arranged cover, obviously it's not my business to do so. Perfectly acceptable

unbelieveable22 · 17/01/2025 11:06

Well done @MistletoeMoments for standing up for yourself
If this morning's encounter in the car park has shown you anything it is how little they respect or appreciate you. The assumption that you would just be there is breathtakingly arrogant.
You should raise the issue of the onslaught in the car park formally with management. Start a new chapter with them.

HelloThere2025 · 17/01/2025 10:57

I know what you mean about having a sneaking admiration for people who can walk off into the sunset letting others pick up the slack.

The fact your manager is male may have something to do with it...

Original poster

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 10:49

ThePoshUns · 17/01/2025 10:41

Yes OP 🙌🏼
Stop making it work. Your manager has no issue taking time off, follow their example, they're taking you for a mug.

I quite admire it, really. Something will happen and we'll be like "Oh we need to speak to [manager]" and he'll just be gone Out of office. Nobody any the wiser.

Then just saunters back in after his break with no worry or concern for anything that might have occurred during his absence.

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ThePoshUns · 17/01/2025 10:41

Yes OP 🙌🏼
Stop making it work. Your manager has no issue taking time off, follow their example, they're taking you for a mug.

battairzeedurgzome · 17/01/2025 10:36

Unless you have been asked to cover and have agreed to do so, it's not your problem and should not even cross your mind. What your nightshift colleagues do is a matter for them. Let's hope they have the sense to leave on time.

Original poster

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 10:10

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 17/01/2025 09:48

And what plans have you made to actually take those ten weeks off?

If they're so understaffed that you get shouted at for not coming in early when someone is off for a long weekend, how are they going to facilitate you taking ten whole weeks off?

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At the moment I facilitate it myself by picking quieter weeks, and delegating some of the urgent tasks to various managers and colleagues. It takes about a lot of planning sometimes just to allow me a week off!

This thread has empowered me to say I no longer care how it's facilitated. I'm entitled to those 10 weeks off so I'm going to take them, whether it causes hassle or not.

My manager certainly never has any issues taking leave!

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Original poster

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 10:07

Flossflower · 17/01/2025 09:45

What I don’t understand is why the night workers can’t just work what they are paid and contracted for even if you don’t turn up early. Surely if everyone keeps papering over the cracks, management don’t have to mend them.

Nightshift cannot leave until their relief comes in. The office can't be left unmanned for safety reasons.

Personally, I've been advocating for just leaving it unmanned and throwing it to the managers to deal with. I can't make that decision by myself though, all my colleagues need to be on board with it too.

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TorroFerney · 17/01/2025 10:02

Theswansofvanderlyle · 16/01/2025 21:36

Wow, has someone really ruffled your feathers?

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No she’s probably worked (like I have) with someone like the op and it’s hit a nerve! Oh I’ll stay oh look if you didn’t have me it would be bad here I am inconveniencing myself again but if I don’t d in it no one will. No one cares like I do.

Likewhatever · 17/01/2025 10:00

Lazy managers expect their managees to sort this stuff out between them. It’s their actual job, to manage resources, and they try and palm it off. Well done for standing your ground OP.

TorroFerney · 17/01/2025 09:59

MistletoeMoments · 16/01/2025 20:47

It's more a moral dilemma. I'm 99% sure there's no cover in place so my colleagues are going to be inconvenienced by having to stay late.

Not my responsibility, but there's nothing really stopping me from coming in early just in case.

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It is not a moral dilemma. Why is it better for you to be inconvenienced than your colleagues? Stop trying to manage everyone’s feelings, they are adults.

TorroFerney · 17/01/2025 09:56

MandSCrisps · 16/01/2025 20:15

managers are paid for this, why haven’t they picked it up? I assume they approved the holiday?

This. It’s not your problem, don’t be the office martyr. It’s not up to you to solve all the problems.

LookItsMeAgain · 17/01/2025 09:51

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 09:31

I kept track of most of the hours. Some of them I used for flexible working e.g. taking an early finish on a Friday.

I've added them to my standard entitlement and have a lovely 10 weeks to take off this year

So I have received a form of compensation for my efforts, but tbh I'd rather have had the payment. It's hard enough for me to take time off because nobody picks up the slack while I'm off (ironically enough).

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On this point, I'd go back to management, using this morning as reason why you cannot take the time off that you have effectively worked up by providing cover and you want to review the situation again. Using the issues that happened this morning as your example, you can show that when no coverage is in place, things go to pot! You have a considerable amount of time to take off so how are they going to facilitate that? You'd like to revisit the option of being paid (at least for some of the leave that you are now allowed to take for the time you worked up) and then you can review when you're planning on taking the leave so that there is cover in place.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 17/01/2025 09:48

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 09:31

I kept track of most of the hours. Some of them I used for flexible working e.g. taking an early finish on a Friday.

I've added them to my standard entitlement and have a lovely 10 weeks to take off this year

So I have received a form of compensation for my efforts, but tbh I'd rather have had the payment. It's hard enough for me to take time off because nobody picks up the slack while I'm off (ironically enough).

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And what plans have you made to actually take those ten weeks off?

If they're so understaffed that you get shouted at for not coming in early when someone is off for a long weekend, how are they going to facilitate you taking ten whole weeks off?

SandyY2K · 17/01/2025 09:47

MistletoeMoments · 16/01/2025 20:47

It's more a moral dilemma. I'm 99% sure there's no cover in place so my colleagues are going to be inconvenienced by having to stay late.

Not my responsibility, but there's nothing really stopping me from coming in early just in case.

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This isn't a moral dilemma at all. Far from it. There are no moral issues in the mix here.

Given that even HR told you or wasn't your responsibility, I'm truly perplexed that this is an issue.

You seem like a massive overthinker.

LookItsMeAgain · 17/01/2025 09:46

I hope you have the comments that they made about you only needing to work your hours and you are not the de facto cover for this other colleague when they are off sick/out/whatever. If you do, I'd be writing a strongly worded message to HR, management and anyone else (if you have a union get on to them straightaway) stating that this was where you left the situation when it happened before and it is up to MANAGEMENT to replace the worker or find a workable alternative but you are not it!!!
Make it very clear that you were accosted on your way into work (you hadn't even begun your day and you were being blamed for not showing up to cover someone who you had previously been advised that you are not expected to cover)
Going forwards this is not acceptable and management need to put in place a permanent resolution.

Flossflower · 17/01/2025 09:45

What I don’t understand is why the night workers can’t just work what they are paid and contracted for even if you don’t turn up early. Surely if everyone keeps papering over the cracks, management don’t have to mend them.

IAm16StoneHalloween2024 · 17/01/2025 09:35

“nobody picks up the slack while I'm off (ironically enough).”

What.The.Fuck.

Original poster

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 09:31

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 17/01/2025 09:26

Did you keep track of the additional hours and actually take the TOIL?

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I kept track of most of the hours. Some of them I used for flexible working e.g. taking an early finish on a Friday.

I've added them to my standard entitlement and have a lovely 10 weeks to take off this year

So I have received a form of compensation for my efforts, but tbh I'd rather have had the payment. It's hard enough for me to take time off because nobody picks up the slack while I'm off (ironically enough).

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MissScarletInTheBallroom · 17/01/2025 09:26

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 09:23

Please tell us you were paid extra for covering your absent colleague for 7 months.

No, I wasn't! It wasn't an issue at first, but as the months started ticking by, I raised it with my manager and requested an additional payment. He said he would look into it. Heard nothing for weeks before I arranged a meeting with my HR Manager who told me I "wasn't entitled to any additional payments".

I was offered TOIL for any extra hours worked.

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Did you keep track of the additional hours and actually take the TOIL?

Original poster

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 09:23

IAm16StoneHalloween2024 · 17/01/2025 09:15

Just bumping this as it’s a bloody good question.

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Please tell us you were paid extra for covering your absent colleague for 7 months.

No, I wasn't! It wasn't an issue at first, but as the months started ticking by, I raised it with my manager and requested an additional payment. He said he would look into it. Heard nothing for weeks before I arranged a meeting with my HR Manager who told me I "wasn't entitled to any additional payments".

I was offered TOIL for any extra hours worked.

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IAm16StoneHalloween2024 · 17/01/2025 09:15

GuineaPigWig · 16/01/2025 23:15

Please tell us you were paid extra for covering your absent colleague for 7 months.

Just bumping this as it’s a bloody good question.

ThePoshUns · 17/01/2025 09:14

Well done on standing your ground OP.

LadyDanburysHat · 17/01/2025 09:14

That is still very different to asking you to cover though. I'm glad you decided to go in at your normal time and ensure this is sorted properly in future.

Original poster

MistletoeMoments · 17/01/2025 09:13

LadyDanburysHat · 17/01/2025 09:09

Did anyone even mention that this person was absent directly to you. Even if expected it should have been directly told to you. Terrible management behaviour.

Yes, we're a small team so everyone knows when someone is planning to take a holiday. My colleague was speaking to me about his plans for his long weekend, etc.

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