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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

would you leave "early" on your first day of a new job?

164 replies

happydutchmummy · 09/09/2013 21:48

We had a new colleague start today and I did her induction and new starter thing this morning. I wasn't the one who'd interviewed her, but I spoke to her on the phone when she accepted the job. Both times she asked what her set working hours would be and both times I explained that we operate a flexible working policy in our office, as long as she is there during core hours, she can choose to work around them as she wishes (e.g. come in early and leave early, or start at 9 but stay till later)

She approached me at ten to four to ask if it would be on for her to leave at 4:00 today as she had wanted to come in at 8:00 but was told she couldn't as I don't start til 8:30 and I was settling her in. So basically she wanted to leave half an hour early as she felt she could have started work earlier but was delayed by my start time! I told her she was free to leave whatever time she wanted, but she would have to make up the extra half hour of work later in the week as she'd not worked her full hours for today.

Aibu to find this a bit odd? During my first weeks in the office I was eager to be seen as keen and enthusiastic and I wouldn't have dreamt of leaving early, especially not on day 1! Or is her attitude totally acceptable as we do work flexible hours...

OP posts:
mamij · 09/09/2013 22:12

If not childcare, does she have any other care arrangements such as an elderly parent or relative? Maybe try to suss out the situation first before making assumptions?

Jinsei · 09/09/2013 22:13

Yanbu but ive started to notice this more and more. No kne seems to want ti make a good impression any more

Not in my experience. I've had three new starters in the last month, and they're all on their best behaviour still. Grin

Mind you, I'd expect nothing less!

Vijac · 09/09/2013 22:14

Not good. Does she have a trial period, I'd watch out for her. But it is worth checking what her home commitments are, if there is a genuine reason then that is different. Also ok if she works really hard when she is in but just likes to finish early (possible though she may just be lazy).

Jinsei · 09/09/2013 22:15

If not childcare, does she have any other care arrangements such as an elderly parent or relative? Maybe try to suss out the situation first before making assumptions?

If she had caring responsibilities, she'd have cleared her finishing time in advance if necessary. Not just asked on the day. What if the OP had said no?!

Original poster
happydutchmummy · 09/09/2013 22:16

She's not young, (I'm a couple of years younger than her and I'm 31) and I wish I could excuse away her behaviour with a house full of unruly teens or something similar but I fear it is probably more down to her personality than anything else.

I'm glad the general consensus seems to be that it's not the done thing to leave early on your first day....

OP posts:
Lilacroses · 09/09/2013 22:17

My new colleague has been doing this but she has been very open about the fact that she is in the middle of a difficult time in the year childcare wise (childminder on holiday) and that she will be able to do more hours later as soon as that is over. I think, in that case, it is fine but just to ask to leave early on like that on your first day with no particular explanation......ummm not that good.

Saffyz · 09/09/2013 22:18

Maybe she had some kind of appointment booked to get back for, that she didn't want to talk about? I'd just see it as a one-off, but if it happens again you'll have to talk to her about what's expected.

MirandaGoshawk · 09/09/2013 22:19

I would give the benefit of the doubt on her first day. Maybe she found it all a bit overwhelming & wanted to escape!

2rebecca · 09/09/2013 22:20

I'd not be happy with this and watching for a clockwatching jobsworth attitude to her work.
Some people do seem to have a wage slave mentality where they give what they have to and no more.

ExitPursuedByADragon · 09/09/2013 22:20

I once employed someone who went to lunch on her third day and never came back.

She has a crap attitude and it will not end well n

LickleLemon · 09/09/2013 22:23

How odd.

I would go out of my way to ensure I had back up child care, suck up crap public transport timings etc the first week or so rather than appear to come across as unkeen.

All the thousands of people out of work and then someone like this cba to grin and bare a little inconvenience on their first day is a bit galling imo.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 09/09/2013 22:30

Any chance she's just totally misunderstood the system? Or that she simply didn't have much to do for her first week?

My husband did something similar to this - worked an extra thirty minutes each day for his first week at work, then tried to leave early on the Friday. It did not go down well. To be fair to him, it was his first 'civvie' job after 16 years in the military and just didn't understand the nuances of the long hours culture that he'd moved into.

Jinsei · 09/09/2013 22:32

The bit that would worry me the most is not just that she left early, but that she tried to blame it on the OP. Bad form.

FredFredGeorge · 09/09/2013 22:36

So in employing her you said she was free to work flexible hours as long as she was there in core hours (9-4?) but then you immediately told her she wasn't free to work the hours she chose but had to work 8:30 until 4:30 today.

For me, that is as much a red flag against you as a company as her as a new employee, if you'd explained that it was normally flexible hours but sometimes you have to ... then it would be more reasonable. Yes it's a little bit unusual to not show enthusiasm, but equally it's pretty unusual for a company insisting on full hours for the first day in a normal office job. It's normal to get people to come in at 9:30 - 10 etc. so the mentor has got all the morning stuff out of the way.

So for me, she was no more unreasonable in trying to establish her working conditions than you as a company were in dictating the working hours this week.

joanofarchitrave · 09/09/2013 22:38

Hate to be an old bag about this, but I would document it. Smells horribly like someone I employed years ago - we had to sack him in the end.

Two positive things - she turned up, which my nightmare employee didn't Confused and she asked you rather than just getting her coat on and saying 'bye'.

I would be very keen to be seen as doing more than asked on day 1, but conversely, would not want to be seen doing massively more than asked IYSWIM - been teacher's pet too often to want that. Maybe she just hit the wrong balance initially.

So, overall, document it and then benefit of the doubt.

SuiGeneris · 09/09/2013 22:41

Oh dear. Did something similar today, first day in new job. Arrived 8.45, left 5.05 so as to get home to the kids by 6. Would it really go down that badly? Was very open at interview that I need to be back by 6pm for the kids but am happy to start early (planning 8am starts) or log in after kids have gone to bed....

lborolass · 09/09/2013 22:43

Wow, FredFredgeorge, you think the employer is in the wrong here?

Are you really saying that the employer shouldn't set the rules, that the long serving employee should change to fit around the new girl? What kind of job do you work in if you've never heard of someone working their full hours on their first day?

OP - you are totally not being unreasonable.

Jinsei · 09/09/2013 22:48

For me, that is as much a red flag against you as a company as her as a new employee, if you'd explained that it was normally flexible hours but sometimes you have to ... then it would be more reasonable. Yes it's a little bit unusual to not show enthusiasm, but equally it's pretty unusual for a company insisting on full hours for the first day in a normal office job. It's normal to get people to come in at 9:30 - 10 etc. so the mentor has got all the morning stuff out of the way.

I completely disagree! I've worked under various "flexi time" systems, and all of them have been clear that it's a privilege, not a right - and I bet this is stated in the T&C that the new employee has agreed to! It is standard practice in any of the organisations that I've worked at for new starters to do a standard 9-5 day, unless they have negotiated otherwise. And it would be frowned upon for new starters to work less than their contractual hours on the first day, when they haven't accrued any hours to take back!

Doodledumdums · 09/09/2013 22:50

YANBU! It actually makes me cringe that she had the guts to do that!

My guess is that she wont be back tomorrow!

BrokenSunglasses · 09/09/2013 22:52

I can't believe people are defending this sort of behaviour on the first day of a new job. If she had childcare issues then she would have said, and I'm sure the OP would have been more understanding if that.

The way this woman sounds as if she's coming across, she's really not doing herself any favours.

It is possible to come across as enthusiastic about a new job at the same time as having an unavoidable appointment or childcare issues, even if you are daft enough to have things like that to worry about on your first day.

Jinsei · 09/09/2013 22:52

Oh dear. Did something similar today, first day in new job. Arrived 8.45, left 5.05 so as to get home to the kids by 6. Would it really go down that badly? Was very open at interview that I need to be back by 6pm for the kids but am happy to start early (planning 8am starts) or log in after kids have gone to bed....

Totally different and not a problem, a) because I'm guessing you were contracted to do 9-5? and b) because you were clear at interview that you needed to leave at a certain time.

Leaving on time isn't an issue, no point in staying late if you don't have to. Waltzing out of the door at 4pm when you haven't done a full day's hours is a different story!

123caughtaflea · 09/09/2013 22:52

Like SuiGeneris, I did something similar on my first day in my new job. In fact, I have to say I have left early a good few times, BUT I do have caring responsibilities, I was up-front about the impact from interview stage onward and I do take work home with me. Nor have I ever implied that the situation is my colleagues' fault, indeed I am eternally grateful for their tolerance.

ShellyBoobs · 09/09/2013 22:56

I'd be looking to get rid asap.

It's harsh, I know, but people do generally try to give a good impression when they start a new job, especially on the first day.

The problem you'll have is that the longer she's 'given a chance', the less likely that you'll get rid of her at the end of whatever trial period.

notjustamummythankyou · 09/09/2013 22:57

I think the only thing that is unreasonable is her apparent blaming of others for the fact that she couldn't start when she wished. That is bad form on a first day.

But leaving at 4pm when you all work under a flexi time policy anyway? Well isn't that what it's there for? As long as she definitely makes up the time and understands that 'flexi' can work both ways, I see no problem. I'm not sure if I would make a judgement on her yet, but give her the benefit of the doubt first and then judge .

eretrew · 09/09/2013 23:03

No way it suggests a terrible attitude to work. She must be on a probation period, it might be useful to remind her of this and I bet she won't do it again.