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Original poster

Saying "I start at 9.30"?

276 replies

cjt110 · 17/09/2018 10:55

I changed my work hours recently to accommodate my son now going to school. I start at 9.30, have half an hours lunch and finish at 5.30. I also have reduced my days from 5 to 4.

Since I changed my hours, I regularly get into the office at approx 9.15-9.20. Also regularly, I get my boss, and other departmental bosses, ringing/speaking to me as soon as I get in.

This morning, I walked in the door at 9.15, hadn't even put my bags down to my boss saying "I've emailed you X and we need to do Y" followed by a conversation about X and Y. I politely said "Ok, fine. Just let me get in the door first"

No sooner had my boss walked away, another boss came up saying "I know you don't til 9.30 but could you check....."

This is becoming a regular nonoccurence. The odd conversation here or there fine but this is happening almost daily now.

How do I address this? I don't want to be rude but I also want to say "Hang on, it's not 9.30 yet - go away!"

OP posts:
Hoozz · 18/09/2018 19:31

I think if you are working in a low paid menial job then you should work your hours and no more. If it's a career rather than a job then you go the extra mile.
Flexi time overcomes these problems. I've worked in several places with proper flexi time where you record your times and can be flexible as long as the total hours work out. If the OP was on flexi time she could leave at 5.15.

GreyGardens88 · 18/09/2018 19:39

It's a bit odd that you are that fussed about it, I arrive to work early most days but I just start working I don't hang around until I'm due to start.

Pluckedpencil · 18/09/2018 19:41

Knowing that this is a thing, I think I'd try to just embrace it. Maybe as you walk in with coat on, go for an informal chat with your boss just to check everything is ok. It must be kinda stressful having all your stuff piling up in the morning as well as their own stuff. If they knew you made a point of coming over to them first thing every day, and others see you soon that, they may be less anxious to come to you and offload, and it also makes you look and feel more proactive and less stressed.

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brotherphil · 18/09/2018 19:44

Are you really quibbling about 10 minutes?

No, she's wanting to take her coat off.

Perhaps, OP, to satisfy all the junior management types on here, you should skip booting your computer and taking off your coat - bring a cuppa from home in a commuter cup, leave the computer on and logged in overnight so as not to waste time booting and logging in, and do the day's shift with your overcoat on. I wonder how long it would be before someone noticed, if you made a habit of it? (Or even a cassock, for that matter.)

DukeOfSussex · 18/09/2018 19:51

don’t ask people things before they’ve even taken their coats off etc but I would once they’re at their desk / standing making a drink even if it were 15 minutes or so before their ‘start’ time.

My maths might be out but isn't that expecting an extra free 65 hours a year out of your employees because they had the temerity to come in early.

Aridane · 18/09/2018 19:57

Gosh -: you’re wearing a coat . Aren’t you a bit hot@?

< misses point of thread >

Pluckedpencil · 18/09/2018 20:01

Thing is, just eat your breakfast and come to work. No need to eat a sandwich at 9.30. surely your ds eats breakfast? Obviously tell people you're taking your coat off and booting up, but really you have created this situation by the hours you are choosing to work. It reminds me of a job share I managed who complained they had to spend 10 mins on the phone a week in handover. Boo hoo.

Aridane · 18/09/2018 20:02

This isn't about starting early - it's not even letting me get in the door before the barrage starts.... If I'm at my desk and ready at 9.20 I'm happy to start.

So changing hours is a red herring? You just don’t like to engage in work until you’ve good and ready - removed the coat, tea, sandwich, toilet, logged on, blah blah blah

Dorsetdays · 18/09/2018 20:49

If the issue is simply a question of dealing with questions/queries before the OP has taken her coat off or logged on etc then I don’t understand why, as a grown adult, you haven’t just said ‘give me two minutes to log on and I’ll be with you”.

No need to get narky about it, no need to waste time thinking up rude responses etc. It’s as many others have said, everyone else will probably have been in for at least an hour or so and are therefore already in full work mode. They’re not being rude, just busy and possibly forgetting your start time which isn’t really that big a deal.

Just politely remind them and don’t worry about telling them you don’t start until 9.30 as leaving dead on 5.30 as you said means you must be finishing work earlier than your contracted hours so a bit of flexibility on your start time is essential to make that back up.

mrsnoname · 18/09/2018 21:24

Oh my god, what world do you live in to even think to complain about this??

FruitCider · 18/09/2018 21:40

I'm struggling to understand why you need to be there 15 minutes before your shift starts.

I work in a prison, I get to the car park 10 minutes before my shift starts, walk 2 minutes to the outer perimeter fence, draw my keys and my radio, go through the inner perimeter fence, sign in to my radio, walk into my wing and put my coat down with 2 minutes to spare which is my logging in time. I can hardly believe it takes you 15 minutes to take your coat off and log into a computer!

(Misses point)

user1468942365 · 18/09/2018 21:53

^ And if it does take you that long, you're stopping working 15 mins early to leave on the stroke of your hour, surely?

RockYourSocksOff · 18/09/2018 22:08

I don’t start until 9:30am.

If I arrive early I often wait in my car or pop to the shop. If I walk into work early I start work, I’m in the building, no one else is checking what time it is. No issues.

Miladymilord · 18/09/2018 22:24

Can't you just have breakfast at home? I'd think it was a bit odd if someone came to work 20 mins early to sit down and have a sandwich

Mummyof0ne · 18/09/2018 23:14

Hmmm I think you’re being a tad unreasonable

If you are unwilling to start work before your contracted time, why don’t you just sit in the car until 09:28?

StealthPolarBear · 19/09/2018 08:23

Because she'd still have to take her coat off and turn her laptop on when she came in. The problem would just be later and she'd probaxvly be late for work. She comes in at 9.15 to ensure she's ready to go at 9.30 or before.

WaxOnFeckOff · 19/09/2018 08:36

Can't you just have breakfast at home? I'd think it was a bit odd if someone came to work 20 mins early to sit down and have a sandwich

I guess it depends where you work. Our staff restaurant does a breakfast service. People often bring it back to their desk to eat while logging on. They could be sitting with a full grill up or a bowl of cereal or porridge or a scone/ muffin or whatever. A colleague brings in toast and jam from home. Getting into work early means a better chance of a parking space so I also see loads of people sitting in cars doing make up, reading the paper etc.

Miladymilord · 19/09/2018 08:38

People often bring it back to their desk to eat while logging on

Ew

WaxOnFeckOff · 19/09/2018 08:42

Most people eat lunch at their desk too. The office isn't in a place where it's convenient to pop out for a look round the shops, invariably you end up working half hour lunch as you'll still read emails or documents and answer anything urgent.

DolorestheNewt · 19/09/2018 09:29

@brotherphil
Just spotted the habit/cassock post. Nice. Should not go unappreciated.

RangeRider · 19/09/2018 11:34

Seems to me a lot of this could be avoided if you just didn’t wear a coat
Grin Snorted at this!!

Kezzie200 · 19/09/2018 11:48

To be fair I don't even look at the clock to be honest - if a member of staff is in the building they are fair game. I do tend to apologise if they are taking their coat off something like "When you are ready to go and have got a coffee...."

I'm not being pushy, and they probably aren't either, just wanting to get on with stuff - I don't watch my staff leave exactly on time either and we have a fully flexible arrangement here where people can do what they want so long as the contracted hours are completed (so in your case, if you did get in and start at 9.15 because I hassled you, you'd be able to get paid for it anyway.

I think you have to accept they are just on it because its early morning. Either arrive at 9.30 or just accept it for what it is.

SherbrookeFosterer · 19/09/2018 16:17

If this troubles you so much, you are in the wrong job or you might need to take time out of work entirely, if you can.

Mikklehaha · 19/09/2018 16:38

Wow. Do you also use the phrase ‘I’m at capacity?’
I’m sorry but I’ve never even thought to be that rigid about timing. For a start I always allow at least 20 mins extra journey time in case of traffic / unforeseen delays. Then, when I arrive a minimum of 20 mins early I just grab a coffee and get to it. Bosses are so much more flexible with you when you are with them. And it really pays to have understanding bosses when you have children to cope with. It all evens out in the end, chill and run with it.

Crunchymum · 19/09/2018 16:39

Don't get in until 9.29 😁