or is my work? really need some sensible advice here

[commutingnightmares]

Have name changed for this as its sensitive.

Feel free to tell me if I'm being entitled but its really starting to stress me out and make me depressed and I need some advice about whether I have any rights or whether I just need a good talking to.

I'm a few months into a new job. Generally OK, colleagues are nice, work is interesting though the pay is worse than I was on before (long story). By and large everything is OK apart from one thing.

As part of my work I'm required to do a job from home very early in the morning (from just after 5am) which takes anything from an hour 15 mins to nearly 2 hours. I took this on readily and the quid pro quo is that I get to start an hour later than my colleagues, which suits me as it helps with my childcare drop off.

After I finish this shift I then have to get my daughter up, get her ready, get myself ready and get a bus and a train to drop her off at childcare before getting to my desk. I made clear before starting that the drop-off was non-negotiable -- my DH can't do the morning drop-off. This was accepted when I took the job.

Due to transport problems I sometimes get in a few minutes after my official start time. This varies but it works out on average that I'm about 5 minutes late most days, sometimes on time, sometimes more, but never very late.

My boss is now saying that I need to get in earlier and that I have to be in by the start time or else, ideally even earlier. I've pointed out to him that due to the fact that the lateness is always accounted for by transport problems, I can't do anything about this (my train network is really rubbish and services rarely run to time). I can't get an earlier train and still get the job done in good time and then attend to all the things I need to do to get my daughter ready, its simply not possible (I've tried).

The morning job is really really stressful for me, my daughter always wakes up in the middle of it and usually gets distressed and upset that I'm working.

I've offered to drop the morning job in order to get in earlier. Boss still isn't happy. Basically the key bone of contention seems to be that I have to be in exactly at the start time on the dot or else. If I'm even a couple of minutes late this seems to be a major problem for them, even though there are other people around and its not clear to me that it makes a massive difference, its usually pretty quiet at that time of day.

I could potentially move my daughter to another childcare provider closer to my home but this would only make a marginal difference to the commute and would be quite a wrench for her as she is settled where she is so I don't want to do this unless I really have to.

To my knowledge there aren't any other issues with my work, or at least none that I've been made aware of.

This is massively impacting my quality of life upsetting my DH and my daughter and constantly in trouble at work, I feel I can't win. I'm busting a gut every morning to get everything done on time and still seem incapable of pleasing anyone. A couple of friends one of whom is a lawyer -- have said they think the boss may be on shaky ground in terms of equal ops and should watch it. I don't want to get into anything ugly, but I can't help feeling that I'm being put under pressure that's verging on being unreasonable.

Can anyone give any advice?

I think the comments about poor time management are very mean.

There are plenty of people who don't manage to take a proper lunch break because they are simply overloaded with work. Rightly or wrongly, people who are less assertive and eager to please will take on more work until they almost fall over. I've seen it plenty of times especially with younger staff. It's not poor time management it's POOR MANAGEMENT.

I agree with scottishmummy all the way through this - worth looking back through all her posts commuting.

On Monday you need to do the following (IMO):

1. Speak to boss re sliding your core hours to 1030-1630. This instantly addresses the lateness - you will never be late again.

1. Speak to the lady who previously did the job. Why is it taking you so long? Is there any bits you are doing which are unnecessary? Are you doing more than you need to? Can you be refresher trained on it so that you can be more efficient with it? etc.

Late is late, if my staff were habitually and did not appear to be addressing it then I would be v miffed - if they can't even organise themselves to get in on time, what else are they slapdash with? (Not saying you are slapdash, just giving you an idea of what your boss might be thinking).

And in response to the poster who asked "would a man be expected to do all that?" - well, yes! Obviously - why wouldn't they, if that was the deal they had negotiated?

Caitlin, it can't be that good for you not having a break. do you eat lunch and get away from yout desk etc. would you work better if you did take a proper break?

You're a few months in new job,you're unhappy and in trouble with boss
Something isn't right,you all need to address why is the morning task taking so long
Perhaps instead arguing why I'm so wrong maybe look at how's this all escalated

OP your post describes exactly what happens in financial services, banking and legal services.

In legal offices the support staff won't be expected to work more than contracted hours, although will be expected,if required with time off in lieu to work earlier or later when asked. The professional staff will be expected to do what it takes to get the job done.

And fwiw I too work in a salaried role, where we often have to put in many hours over and above the norm - sometimes we work through because we have to (aircraft don't stop landing because it's lunchtime), but I do make sure that adequate breaks are taken when able.

And persistent lateness is not acceptable, a one of is fine, but not most days.

monicalewinsky you are right about moving core hours. I am going to do this.

In terms of why its taking me so long as I've explained it partly that it just takes a long time. Its hard to go into this without revealing too much about what it is, but that's just how long it takes me and that's been pretty much a constant since I started doing it. I've tried speeding it up but I can't.

Its frequently made longer by interruptions from my daughter but there is nothing I can do about that. My husband can help up to a point before a certain time in the morning but he leaves for work very early. After that point there is literally nothing I can do.

I do accept that I have to do everything within my grasp to get there on time and I do, believe me, bust a gut to get in on time.

But I still think the "poor time management" comments are woefully naive and generally are probably coming from people who have fairly predictable, routine-based jobs and don't have much experience of the peaks and troughs that really stressful jobs involve.

Perhaps you're not competent for the morning task.you're interrupted by dp dd,and takes you hours
Unless you can be more timely in completion and uninterrupted it may be best reallocate the task
And yes I stand by poor time management,yours is poor.you seem unperturbed by this though

OP I completely agree with you on the poor time management comments being naive. Technically I'm now self employed so in theory contracted hours are irrelevant but being there on the stroke of a certain hour was always irrelevant.

Commuting, defo speak to the other lady that used to do the job too, to tap her for info - she obviously got it down to a fine art and could give you pointers.

It's tough - for a year a couple of years back I had to do an hour commute on top of a 12 hr day so I was up at half 4 in the morning to get in on time, it nearly killed me, so I get where you're coming from (you must be exhausted!).

If you address all these little things and stop beating yourself up (and stop saying 'suck it up', too, because you don't need to be sucking anything else up, you're doing enough as it is), then re-stock and look at what other changes are viable in the longer term.

Good luck for next week xx

scottishmummy Perhaps I'm not. Perhaps I'm not up to the job, period.

This is not beyond resolution,that's up to you and employer.dont be rash
But drop morning task,it's the primary hassle and you're interrupted
And attitudinally you need to take on board a start time,is enforceable and start taking breaks

I think that's nonsense, I have a busy, stressful job with multiple demands and conflicting priorities. There are times I'll work through lunch and just eat at my desk. There are times I'll catch 10 mins break here and there across the day and there are times I'll have a proper "lunch" break. In my experience the busier and more pressured the day the more important it is that I carve out time for a break, if I'm to stay fresh and alert I need some form of downtime. That's not about being uncommitted, it's about my professional responsibility to give my best at work, of course if something needs my attention I'll attend to it but my assumption is that at some point during the day I'll get some form of break, not that I'll plan to work through every day.

As a manager it's important my staff see me taking care of myself so that they understand there's no expectation on my part tht they run themselves into the ground while at work.

If part of the reason the morning job takes longer is because you need to deal with your daughter - as much as she should be your priority, I can't see that it's your employers responsibility to recognise or accommodate additional hours working because you need to do this. I assume that your employers preference would be that you were in the office doing the morning job per the person who used to do it? I wonder if another reason it takes longer is because you need remote access to systems - I know remote access to my work systems is slower than when working in the office which does mean most tasks take a bit longer.

You need to look at how long the job would take, without interruption, and if more than an hour, talk this through and renegotiate your hours on that basis.

Commuting .

Don't be defeatist. You're tired and fed up (unsurprisingly), don't be - be tired and feisty instead! Monday is a new week.

Sorry, that's nonsense was addressed to the idea that people talking about time management and breaks must have predictable routine jobs. I agree with everything scottishmummy said!

Commuting ignore the stuff about lunchtimes and time management it's irrelevant. You are working your ass off. There does seem to be an issue with how long the morning job is taking. I think you need to level with your boss and say either you need to drop the morning job or (s)he needs to be more understanding about the five mins lateness. Nicely though. Offer the solutions people mentioned upthread. If boss won't go for any of them I think you're going to find yourself at deadlock and you may want to think about whether this really is the kind of culture you want to work in.

Also agree with whoever said upthread that you might need more training / support with the morning role if other people are doing it faster. It might also just come with experience.

FunnyFestive I've tried that. Didn't wash.

Surely core hours are called that because they are fixed and for everyone? Mine are 9:30-4. Technically if I got in at 9:35 every day I would be in breach of my flexi-time rules. As you've described though OP, in reality no one would notice or give a fuck.
You need to tell your boss that you will be doing the 9-5 regular normal thing like everyone else from now on. No more working at home in the mornings. Tell him that if that means you can no longer do the offending task, so be it. Someone else will have to.
Seriously. Be firm. Life's too short for this shit.

I can't stand this type of workplace. It's so inflexible. I could understand if it was all hands on deck, but at a quiet time it won't make much difference.

What would be the problem letting somebody start work at 10.15 say, and working their allotted hours? As long as the overall total is the same and you already have a different start time to the majority surely allowances can be made.

commutingnightmares It is hard to be suddenly thrust into an environment where 'clocking in' is more important than actually getting the job done . It's ridiculous and you are definitely not the one being unreasonable here.

What would I do?... I'd look for another job! You sound very skilled - you surely don't need to be working for this particular lot of short sighted numpties?

What I would do in the short term is tell them you are not going to be doing the 'morning job' as it is impacting on your ridiculously clock watched 10am start. Let them find another mug for it (the woman who used to do it and does still occasionally probably really does not want this back again full time - who would??).

Then get DD to childcare as early as you can and work your hours (being there the core 10-4 hours) and not a moment more. If the job doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. They can't have it both ways.

The people saying you are in the wrong being late seem to have missed the point that it's their morning job making you late!... and have quite possibly never worked in an environment where actually getting a job done is important rather than clocking in on time & being paid by the hour.

No,don't ignore. The breaks clearly there are issues.and ignoring them won't lead to resolution

"poor time management not to take lunch" - what rubbish. In many jobs there is absolutely too much work and people who don't take lunch could be managing their time very well (getting something to someone by 2pm rather than 2.30 could forestall the 2.05pm "where is it?" phone call which in itself takes time to manage)

SM's point seemed to be, "or, poor time management by those setting the workloads" - no, they are doing it deliberately. they are giving everyone too much work in order to have very small, cheap, teams. It's not a mistake. there aren't board rooms with good senior management saying "we can't give that responsibility to Trudi as well, or she'll never get a lunchbreak!" and poor senior management saying "fuck it let's give that to Trudi." The good senior management are, by definition, and legally, those who increase share value.

FWIW OP, I think you will never be happy there. you sound like a busy, conscientious person with a horrible schedule and you aren't getting respect for it. You need to get this cleared up before it affects your references so do take the advice above about how to do this. but they sound like gits and you should get another job

It's irrelevant whether some of you work in places where there isn't prescribed start time
Because they op does.shes having a difficult time because of her lateness
If her workload is too onerous she discuss this,with manager

and I stand by no break=poor time management

My understanding is its not just doing the morning job that is making you late, your daughter is making the job take longer than needed because you are also having to deal with her, I also get the impression that your commute isn't actually straight forward because of the location of your daughters childcare, you have mentioned that changing it would sort out the issue but you don't want to. This is partly where time management comes in, it sounds ineffective.

Where you actually employed with this job as part of your contract or is it separate to your job description