The working world has become ridiculous

[Rothschild]

Recently a manager at my company attended an online meeting in tears because of a minor issue regarding her child's school. She excused herself from the meeting and took a mental health day.

I can barely get hold of anyone at 3pm in my (large) organisation because everyone is doing school pick up. I don't believe they're getting much work done once they've picked up because they become hard to contact, don't respond to messages and won't attend meetings, despite it being their normal working hours.

It's ridiculous. When our children were small we paid for wrap around childcare or for someone to collect. We were available to work between 3 and 4pm and afterwards.

I'm not talking about anyone who has negotiated flexibility or finishes at 3pm, I'm talking about others who are, frankly, taking the piss.

And if I had taken a mental health day every time I'd had some difficulty in my life I'd have hardly worked.

@AmberRose86 No, I’m just letting you know that hybrid was a thing pre covid. And productivity was also low pre covid…

@Tadpolesinponds why would companies not be happy to see the back of management who can’t manage?

You don’t know anything though !

my husbands company work 9.30-5.30 - me i can do anything between 8&6

our little girl really struggled with settling into reception and we had to halt breakfast and after school early days as she simply couldn’t cope - both of us got permission to mix up hours so one of us could always start around 9.30 after drop off and the other started early so we could get her at 3.30

work left do we could jump back on after kids in bed

you don’t know other peoples private arrangements

If someone takes days off because of their father's dead dog, then as an employer I'd want good evidence from the GP that this person is suffering from clinical depression or similar. If they sent in the evidence then they'd get sick pay. My employer didn't give time off for the death of a parent.

Yes same here. Really feel like a mug! And don't get me started about Fridays, I am pretty sure I am the only idiot who bothers to work.

If your organisation has Flexi working then core hours are usually 10-3 and meetings should be within core hours.

Yes such a shame that jobs have become more flexible and accessible to working parents and people with disabilities. Almost as if the concept of full time work in most office based roles is totally arbitrary and you can get your work done in fewer than 37 hours or work those 37 hours outside of the 9-5 model and still be productive.

Or are your meetings all so Very Important that they can’t possibly wait until the following day?

These same people who are unable to function at the most basic levels are also raising the next generation. It's no surprise our young people are also incapable of functioning at a basic level.

At my place of work we also have those who cannot turn the camera on for a meeting because they're still in their pyjamas at 2pm, Forgot the in office meeting was scheduled and all kinds of bullshit excuses.

We're about to have a restructure and it's going to be an interesting watch as quite a few people in some teams already think the general manager is going to be spiteful towards them (I.e. their records are going to mean they're at the top of the list for downgrading).

I think they are saying she should have turned up for either of the the arranged face to face meetings

Management who can't manage, employees who refuse to do the work they're employed to do - yes, both should be taken through disciplinary or capability processes as appropriate.

I do this to fit appointments in. If I have an appointment that likely won't fit in my lunch hour, I'll start early every morning to increase my hours and inform my LM. I've been at my workplace for 11 years, and I've never taken the piss, so I'm trusted. I'll even start early to make up any time over the time I've provisioned for myself.

The managing director recently went around asking people for feedback on the office days and my honest opinion is that it doesn't suit me, but I attend if asked, obviously I don't if I can't. The office days might be beneficial for some for the mere fact of changing the scenery, and/or if there is training... but otherwise there is no intrinsic value and it becomes a case of leave the house to sit in an office having chats that otherwise happen online anyway, then go home (exhausted in my case). I look for value and worth, and if it's not there, I don't benefit because I'm still just a bum on a seat open to interruptions and getting very, very little work done.

I would guess that at least some of those meetings, could be an email.

I agree @Rothschild
At least one person I work with has their toddler at home all day too.

Depends on your management and your company. We have WFH/hybrid but some people just don't want to come in. It will cost money eg train fare, the dog needs walking, work/life balance, I only do 4 days,they live too far, etc. The management I have allow it because they use the same excuses. Note salaries are 50k+. Issue with something eg network? The manager goes off sick. We did have an interim manager who called bs on some of it but they got offered a better job. No accountability and no leadership so people just take the piss (imo)

The GP would give someone telling them they didn't feel able to work because of bereavement of a pet, a fitnote, without asking many questions. As employer you dont get to see "evidence" of any medical conditon.

Well yeah. But I'm not surprised she didn't with a colleague that judgemental!

Exactly - what this thread is telling me is that a lot of managers are absolutely piss poor and not following performance management procedures (which their organisation almost certainly has).

Nobody “has” to give an employee a week off because somebody else’s dog had died. That should have been sickness leave (self certified for the first 5 days and then certified by GP), and if repeated then the employee needs to be on a PIP, and gotten rid of. If people are not available past 3pm that also needs performance managing. A decent manager would sort this out quickly.

I'm sorry you had a terrible employer. Hopefully your current company is better.

And that GPs and other MDTs intervene long before low mod/stress becomes clinical depression

Couldn’t agree more.

3 people out of my team of 5 are completely useless. They go home because they’ve got the sniffles or they slept badly and feel tired. They refuse to do aspects of their job because it’s too difficult.

If it was up to me I’d sack every single one of them or put them in different roles but unfortunately I don’t have that power.

A lot of today’s workforce are incompetent and lazy.

NHS

@Needlenardlenoo so senior staff are rubbish?

I have said this before on here and no one agreed with me. The majority of people I deal with have their diaries blocked out from 3-4pm and it’s because they’re doing the school run.

And you’re right, it is difficult pinning anyone down after 3 or 4 because they’re either doing the school run or the kids are at home.

People here must hate the toodaloo lady

Same, it's always Libda from HR or Janet from accounts popping up for a chat and while I DO like my team and workplace, the one day I go in I get very little done. All my best work is done at home where I can concentrate, even though Janet and Linda are nice people

When I managed a team 15 or so years ago... no one left the office until I did. Not because I am scary or informed this (actually found it amusing) but that was the work style / ethic.
Now I work for 20-30 year olds it's totally ok to take multiple days off to deal with a dog or do spin classes. It's great.