To be irritated by colleagues weekly query about when I'm leaving work?

But surely it’s not a mystery call any more OP, you must have been there when she’s taking the call by now. What is it about?

I would have thought that a company in a position to offer this service would have at least one private meeting room. It doesn’t add up that a company that can facilitate this kind of service for its staff operates from one small open plan office, meaning private conversations can only take place if literally everyone else leaves at 5 on the dot.

I would love to know where previous posters work that it's ok to abandon ship at work before your actual finishing time to appease a co-worker and their non-work related issue (just in case they're having the crisis you've imagined up for them in your own head).

It's not "unkind" to work your paid hours and need a normal amount of time after you finish to get ready to go home. How ridiculous.

Can you imagine sitting in a meeting with the board trying to explain why you've been paid to spend the last 15mins every monday stood around making a cup of tea? Or are we suggesting OP should be losing 15mins of her lunch every Monday too to make sure the hours balance, and to make sure she's fully bent over backwards.

@CurlewKate this response is really unfair. If the colleague has particular needs then it’s on the colleague to organise.

It’s not for the OP to facilitate. ESPECIALLY when the colleague hasnt even explained anything about what is going on.

Why is the OP now responsible for creating this private space for someone else?

The OP is entitled to leave whenever she wants because guess what, this is a work environment and OP works there too.

It’s so patronising and myopic to say that the OP is “opposed to putting herself out”.

You don’t even know OP’s position.
This is just an example but what if the OP has to / wants to go home at a certain time for her own personal needs?

If you need a private space at work then you are the person who needs to ask for it or find it. If you don't know how to do it or cant find one you speak to your manager and / or HR, as the person who needs the private space.

You dont badger other colleagues (who are also completely entitled to leave the office space at a time that works for them) on a weekly basis.

To say someone is “not putting themselves out” in this scenario is madness.

And yes, I too have has counselling at work. It was my responsibility to organise my appointments. If there was not a private room on my floor, I moved floors sometimes to find an appropriate place to take the call.

I think it's different if these are counselling sessions that work has arranged and/or given permission for this colleague to use their facilities for. That is quite a common thing to happen (I know from having worked in this field).
If the meetings are for something else, then she shouldn't be expecting to use a work room for them, but it's hard to imagine what else they would be; sessions that happen at the same time each week and are so private that she doesn't want to tell her room mate what they are or let her overhear even the beginning of the conversaion. It doesn't sound like a catch up with a friend or family member.

it's a workplace not a charity!

What about the OP, not entitled to empathy? It's a work place! Who cares about the constraint, they are the same for everyone, no right to get rid of other employees when it's convenient.

Again, the nerve of some people 😂

Easy - you just tell her, yes. And then stop talking!

It might be cos she's calling her affair partner or dealer just as much 😂

It's not reasonable to expect a colleague to change her hours and vacate the office without explanation 'though. And you can't guarantee even if OP does go out that someone else won't come back in.

I think the colleague could ask, if it's something vital - doesn't have to explain the nitty gritty of why. I think it's the hinting that irritates.

@BreezyScroller
@category12
Neither of you have any idea what is going on in this person's life.

Going by the relationships threads on here DA and various versons of control are incredibly wide spread.
They could be trying to get themselves out of an abusive situation. Maybe trying to seperate the wood from the trees.

We don't know what other constraints they are working with, councillor only available at set times, they maybe don't have a car either. The money or freedom to rent somewhere for an hour.

Remember one of the most dangerous times for someone facing DA is when they start to assert themselves and get ready to leave.

I think a hand of empathy wouldn't go amiss. Maybe Op should ask if everything is OK.

It is when it's cold and wet.

The colleague needs to reschedule the call for quarter past or find a private space, not expect their workmate to leave work early.

Let's be honest, the entitled little Madam is free to find any private space she likes, her car, renting a meeting room, book an entire serviced office if she wants. What she can't do is get rid of other employees to have sole use of the office, the cheek 😂

I would say I will be leaving at the same as I usually do on a Friday no need to ask each week - if it changes - I will let you know. Perhaps you can see about finding somewhere else to sit for your meeting if you are anxious.

Then I would write a note on a sticky and pop it on her computer BaMamma will be leaving work at 5pm on a Friday for the forseeable future or write it on bit of cardboard and hold it up for her if she asks again.

Why do you say sorry to her

Giving the colleague the benefit of the doubt, I'm think if she could go to another room she would.
I'd also think if she could have the meeting in the privacy of her own home she would.
Or at a better time.

I think Op could ask her, is everything OK, does she need privacy?
Any of us could need help and a bit of privacy at work

Is leaving 10 mins earlier once a week (or even just doing it occasionally) really that big a deal if it means so much to her?

Coworker, according to the OP, was receiving calls on a mobile. So, why can't coworker go to another room? Its not a fixed landline! Coworker can walk into another room surely.

I agree

No I do agree she needs to find somewhere private definitely as it’s really inconvenient to have to do it there.

I just think sometimes we get so pushed to the limit by people taking the piss and being CFs in different ways that we forget that sometimes we can just make someone’s life easier because it’s a nice thing to do. It doesn’t always mean it’s a slippery slope and our boundaries are going to be trampled forever because we let our guard down. If the colleague’s a knob in general that’s a different matter, but if you get on fine, why not? If it meant waiting in the cold for half an hour, fine, that would be stupid. But it’s not that long and it’s only once a week.

The people telling OP she's BU seem to be making assumptions about when she's expected to clock off, and the other space that's available. For example the post basically saying hang around in the bogs for 10 minutes. Might be ok if they have a proper toilet area with cubicles and other space that's also a decent distance from the colleague, not so much if it's just a small room with a toilet and a sink in it. If the office has a reception area with seats in it, that's a different kettle of fish to it being one small open plan setup.