Why is new boss being such a knob?

And he doesn’t monitor and pull them up on ignoring him?

Maybe there had been an issue with people arriving back late at the office.

But someone else could have made that drink for them!

When we were both working from home during lockdown, my DP would often make me a cup of tea if I was stuck on a long call.

Scottishskifun
He sounds out of his depth so is trying to throw his weight around.

Exactly this. He's the sort that doesn't have any actual management skills but can talk a good game to his management, and thanks to watching too much of The Apprentice thinks the way to get ahead is by being a bolshy overbearing twat. Hopefully he won't last long; it doesn't sound like he will.

I’d have no tolerance for this - I’d ignore him and carry on making myself a coffee or going to the toilet etc. would love to see him justify to HR a disciplinary for me drinking a cuppa FFS.

If you’re lunch break is unpaid, they have no right to tell you what to do in it, I feel for you. I had a power hungry boss that just pissed everybody off and it became a really unhappy office until she left.

I’m sure it has been said above more than once, but this is a show of power. He’s come into a team with a proven track record and where a previous acting manager is still present. He wants to create an impression with his managers, show your team that his way is better than the manager you’ve lost, and show you that he’s the boss. He’s asserting his authority.

you have been telling the team to ignore him? And there’s no consequences for ignoring him?

I would have a large flask. To show if he wanted to see why my coffee is warm. Just for show and then show if he questions it. what a ridiculous rule-as if working in an office would stop you getting a brew when needed, it’s not like you’re going to do it at inappropriate times, just like you wouldn’t in the office. Is he questioning toilet breaks too?!

What more do you need? He’s actually put all this nonsense requests in writing you say.

That's a good idea.

Get yourself a massive thermos flask, OP and fill it up before you start and again at lunchtime.

Fucking hell, what control freakery!

What you do in your lunch break is nothing to do with your employer unless it impacts on your work. They're not paying you for that time, so it's fuck all to do with them.

The not making a drink rule is just ludicrous too. I drink about 10 mugs of tea during the day, I'd go into withdrawal if I was only allowed to make a cuppa at set breaks.

I'd definitely raise it with HR.

Is he still on his probationary period? Doesn't sound like he's a good fit. If enough of you complain constructively and evidence a drop in morale and productivity, they might throw this one back?

What if you do a large insulated hot drink that stays warm for 2hrs+?

He sounds unhinged.

You have a responsibility to all your reports to progress this with HR if they have come to you and expressed unhappiness at how the new boss is behaving. You seem very focussed on how it’s impacting you but if I were you, as his second in command so to speak, i would be more focussed on my team not being happy

Make large flasks of drinks, or not tea just something you pour in the cup, and appear constantly without having it entered in the diary because there is nothing to enter. He will have to constantly check the diary. Make it clear when he asks, sometimes you will have brewed sometimes you will have a flask and if he wants to know he will have to check.

Not helpful to anything else. Silly and petty. But I would still be doing it, because it is also harmless and completely compliant.

That’s exactly what it looks like to me too. It’s excessive.

You aren’t showing that you could have picked up the call.

you are showing that you were back from break and working…tell me you don’t WFH without telling me, you can’t always answer calls from people because you could be in meetings all day

Forgive me if I have asked a question others have written, I could not see. Has he come from or had experience in his career of managing call centre departments? His behaviour and style reminds me of this. I work in a call centre going on almost 8 years, tiny team that was migrated in to the larger company sadly .

Bloody hell, how much time is he wasting monitoring you all like this?!

I'd ask him what he is looking to achieve and whether this is really an efficient use of his time.

Is he out of his depth and doing what all managers out of their depth do and defaulting to the micro things they can control and understand. I've had a few of those over the years who have no ability to think strategically or willing to make decisions in important areas and stand by their decisions. They hide behind little things and process to try and look like they add some value. Scarily, a good number end up getting promoted.