How to deal with potential resentment?

[trickortreat86]

I work in a small team. About 2 months ago a colleague announced he was going to be changing his hours slightly so he could start after lunch on a Monday and finish before 5.30 some days, but gave no real details.

A month ago he started starting work at 2 on a Monday and doing 3 x 1.5 hour sessions to make up for the time... at 9pm. We work in a regular 9-5 type role, no working with colleagues abroad or anything. This means every Monday morning myself and another colleague have to cover their work. Another colleague doesnt work on Mondays so we have that work too, but that's fine, they are PT. Predicably there are loads of interruptions at that time of day and lots of over weekend queries.

Colleague does not do any of our work in his extra hours. There was an incident a couple of weeks ago where there was an urgent query at 7pm which anyone could have answered, but it was left until the next morning. I'll admit I am bit suspicious that colleague is even working these extra hours as no evidence of it.

I know this isn't something I can change, but I suppose I'm asking for suggestions on how I can deal with the resentment?

I read your post, and noticed that no one had answered. So I'm answering now, even though your post is a couple of weeks old, and I don't really have any good advice.

Sounds like a frustrating situation!
Can you talk about it with any of the other persons in the team?

About how to deal with the resentment, I don't know! Maybe try to think about that colleague as little a possible?

Can you speak to your manager about this?

Explain that Mondays are the busiest day but you seem to have least staff then and also that evening enquiries aren't being dealt with and you want to double check that they're part of the job remit of the fella working at 9pm.

I'm assuming he got the changes as part of reasonable accommodation? Whilst that's a good thing generally, it shouldn't be to the detriment of the business and other employees. He should still be doing his fare share. Speak to management. Explain it is putting undue work and pressure on others

His new hours should be on a trial period basis, and so you should be able to put forward to your manager(s) the reasons why this person's hours do not work for the rest of the team.
Wherever I have worked a persons change of hours would be on a 3 month trial .