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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:
StealthPolarBear · 17/09/2018 12:11

Presumably other people were doing the same sorts of stuff, coats off, logging on

StealthPolarBear · 17/09/2018 12:12

Wanda she is happy to start early. She wants to start once her coat is off and computer on. Not before.

1Wanda1 · 17/09/2018 12:14

Well for goodness' sake, it's not hard to say "absolutely - as soon as I've got my coat off and computer on, I'll look at that" in response to whatever is being asked.

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ShotsFired · 17/09/2018 12:14

There is a lot of black and white defensiveness about when you are on and off the clock on this thread, which is quite alien to me.

By that I don't mean I am some martyr to my job, but everyone I work with or sit near is pretty flexible. One guy often walks in the door while having a daily conference call with overseas colleagues, and he just carries that on while he settles down at his desk. But he might go out for a long lunch.

I will deal with work stuff as and when - middle of Friday evening I was on a call with California for 30mins, no big deal. But I can pop to the shops or (like last week) take a bootload of stuff to the tip when its nice and quiet mid morning, without anyone batting an eyelid.

The idea of it being so rigidly fixed and anything outside that can fuck off sounds peculiar when people are people and have lives and stuff outside of work that will inevitably impinge on the "official" working day.

MozzieMagnet · 17/09/2018 12:14

Oh and another one for 9.27

In my last job my shift started at 8.30. God forbid if I was ever one minute late. Circumstances then allowed me to get in at 8.10 - with 20 mins for a brew/chill/do my hair...so what happens? My boss decides to change my start time to 8.15 Hmm

Mitzimaybe · 17/09/2018 12:15

I might say "Sorry, I'm desperate for the loo - can we pick this up in a few minutes?"

StealthPolarBear · 17/09/2018 12:15

And she does, but it's bad manners in the other person's part.

Meet0nTheIedge · 17/09/2018 12:18

I used to work with someone who had this arrangement in a very busy office, it was really hard not to pounce on her as soon as she walked in if you had already been working for an hour and really needed her input on something. Often if you didn't pounce several other people would and then you couldn't get a moment of her time till much later in the day, also she would arrive and often be straight off to meetings, again making it hard to catch her. She never seemed fazed by it TBH, she would just say OK and carry on taking her coat off, logging on etc. I do tend to agree that to some extent it's give and take, there are times as a parent when you need flexibility to leave a bit early, pick up a sick child from school etc and showing willingness to be flexible yourself does stand you in good stead.

ShotsFired · 17/09/2018 12:21

Haha, flipped from this to facebook and this is the first thing that pops up!

Saying "I start at 9.30"?
Haireverywhere · 17/09/2018 12:21

I think once you arrive you're fair game. I don't think it's right but if you are in front of people they'll be after you. I agree we should let a colleague settle down and make a drink etc but that doesn't happen in reality often where I have worked.

ChocolateWombat · 17/09/2018 12:23

People should wait for anyone to take their coat off before they start asking them something....regardless of if they are full time or part time or what time they start....that's just manners.

However, expecting to be there in the office for 15 mins or however long without anyone speaking to you about a work related thing is rather unrealistic.....if everyone starts at different times it's hard to remember who starts when, and basically if you're there at your desk or around, you're at work and seem available. If you don't want to be available, do just a drive a few minutes later.

I would also remember what others have said, that a hit of flexibility works both ways, and there will be times when you want to or need to or just do arrive a bit late or need to arrive a bit early.....if you're a clock watcher who is very rigid, you need to expect others to be the same towards you too..........so avoid this if it's annoying you, by simply arriving a few minutes later, but if you are there and have got your coat off and people speak to you, just be gracious and respond.....you can delay logging on to your computer or starting to actually work if you really want to until the minute you are supposed to work, if it's that important to you.

And yes, being in a job where basically you keep working until the task is finished, which can involve 12 hour days or weekend work, this fretting over a few minutes seems very alien to me.

buttheydo · 17/09/2018 12:23

I don't envy you. It must feel like you're starting on the back foot each day. I am not sure if I could manage starting later than everyone else. I like to get there nice and early in the peace and quiet!

If you start at 9:30, you won't be able to stop people accosting you as soon as you come in. It's an unavoidable hazard of a later start. They're all mid-flow and as soon as they see you they'll assume you're in the same mindset. They won't be necessarily be aware of whether it's 9:15 or 9:30, they'll just see you at work.

So you will have to change your morning routine I'm afraid. Chill out in your car if you get there early. Have your tea already in a thermos. Walk in at 9:25. Hit the bathroom and kitchen on the way to your desk, whilst you're still in your coat. If anyone does accost you, just pleasantly say, "Give me ten minutes to read that email...." "Hang on, I just got in, how about we talk about that at 10:00..."

Give yourself (and them!) some time to get into the new habits.

StealthPolarBear · 17/09/2018 12:25

"
However, expecting to be there in the office for 15 mins or however long without anyone speaking to you about a work related thing is rather unrealistic"
And she doesn't :)

RomanyRoots · 17/09/2018 12:25

Make sure you don't go in until 9.25
They can't do it then, and if they do it's 5 mins, early.
You could reply, yes just going to log on and make myself a brew etc.

Growingboys · 17/09/2018 12:26

I think your attitude is awful! I would just say sure, and then turn on my computer and get down to work.

It sounds like you've been given flexible hours and so I'm not sure why you've got such a bad attitude to your colleagues.

I have 3 DC and work full time and would never have that sort of attitude!

PlinkPlink · 17/09/2018 12:26

"Just leave it on my desk/in my inbox thanks. I'll make sure I get on to it as soon as I start my day."

Said enthusiastically and kindly. Just keep repeating it whenever they talk about work. They should get the picture 😂

EK36 · 17/09/2018 12:26

This happened to me too when I reduced my hours. You can't say sorry but come back at 930 without looking like a dick. I found that by sitting in the car until 5 minutes before I'm due in, worked really well. So don't go in until it's your official start time.

RomanyRoots · 17/09/2018 12:28

And yes, being in a job where basically you keep working until the task is finished, which can involve 12 hour days or weekend work

Do people really do this? Gosh if I worked I'd be straight out of the door at home time, couldn't work extra unless they paid me a huge amount for overtime.

Nicknacky · 17/09/2018 12:30

Of course people stay till the jobs done. That’s far from unusual.

DerelictWreck · 17/09/2018 12:33

@romanyroots you're joking right? That is how to world works...

TheOneWith · 17/09/2018 12:34

Well you’ve spent plenty of time on mumsnet this morning so you’ve more than made up those few minutes of “starting early”.

AssassinatedBeauty · 17/09/2018 12:36

@TheOneWith I would assume that today is the non-working day...

Pinkandyellowandgreen · 17/09/2018 12:36

What's the problem?

Is it that you aren't being allowed to get in through the door and settle yourself?

Or is it that you resent having to do anything/ have any kind of work interaction before your official start time at 9.30am?

If it's the first one, then that's fair enough and I'd address it directly as others have said.

If it's the latter, then I too think that is a terrible attitude that is alien to me and if you feel like that, then don't arrive at work until you are prepared to engage with your work colleagues.

BarryManilowRocks · 17/09/2018 12:36

YABU.
If you don't want to work during that 15 minutes, stay out of the building.

tillytrotter1 · 17/09/2018 12:36

When I was still teaching I was regularly in school at about 7 45, I was often stopped by the caretaker about a problem before I'd barely left my car, it goes with the territory.