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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to rock up to work late a couple of times a week

42 replies

Beansprout30 · 17/02/2014 22:11

Like my colleague does and gets away with. Bet if I did it once id get pulled up on it yet some people get away with murder argghhhh

OP posts:

Pigletin · 17/02/2014 22:16

Does it affect your duties in any way?

breatheslowly · 17/02/2014 22:19

Where I am, it all depends on who your line manager is. Mine is a stickler for punctuality, so I am on time. I don't resent it as my line manager is also pretty good to me. In other teams people do seem to get away with being late, but I don't think it does much for their reputation or relationships within their team.

I think it is just easier all round to decide to be on time.

scantilymad · 17/02/2014 22:21

Does your colleague have childcare issues? Do they miss breaks/work lunch/stay late to make up?
Is it affecting your output or work?
Or do you just not like them?

Perhaps try talking to them about it if it really is untenable.

Original poster

Beansprout30 · 17/02/2014 22:52

No childcare issues he's mid 20's and the latest girlhe is seeing is giving him grief. Yes it effects me because I have to cover for him and no he doesn't make up the time. Generally we get on well which I think doesnt help because he thinks he can sweet talk me. Nothing to do with not liking him, I like him very much but feel like he is taking the pee

OP posts:

falulahthecat · 18/02/2014 08:51

Why not just joke when he leaves on time "Not making up for being late again?! roll eyes and smile here
And next time don't cover for him. tell him you were too busy that morning.
Or better still suggest he could get up 15 minutes earlier and have his argument with his gf 15 mins earlier as well as that may solve his 'problem'

SnowBells · 18/02/2014 08:58

I don't think it should be about punctuality. It should be about output. There are some people obsessed with facetime but are so inefficient, you won't believe it. That's the reason they 'work long hours' but they think they simply work hard...

Beccadugs · 18/02/2014 09:04

I hate this. I was pulled up for being 5 mins late when I had been being sick due to morning sickness.
Another colleague leaves whenever she likes cos she has massage appointments. We have the same line manager. Drives me bonkers!!

BrianTheMole · 18/02/2014 09:07

It should be about the work you produce, not about bums on seats at 9am, unless there is a reason to be there bang on time.

Joysmum · 18/02/2014 09:10

I agree with you.

I can understand that he may have childcare issues but he isn't making up the time. If he were being more flexi in the time he gives back, to make up for the flexi time he takes then that would be different.

UriGeller · 18/02/2014 09:14

Its easy to say that but when everyone else makes the effort, chivvying kids, bolting breakfast and running for the bus to make it to work on time, then 10 minutes later someone just strolls in, its a bit of a pisstake.

I'd have a quiet word. Say something like, "listen, people have started noticing you're late in some mornings, you don't want to start getting into trouble" if you like him, its worth giving him a heads up.

Goldenhandshake · 18/02/2014 09:14

This aggravates me too, our contracted hours are 9-5.30, I was late a few times due to severe morning sickness and fainting on the train, never more than ten minutes late, and it was mentioned to me as a negative thing, yet there is a person in the team who pisses off at 5pm on the dot every day and no one bats an eyelid!

littlemisssarcastic · 18/02/2014 09:20

I used to be late almost every day when I was a young whipper snapper of 17.
A colleague complained loudly even though it did not affect him and we didn't work in the same dept.

Manager explained that I worked until the work was done, often until 8.30pm whereas my colleague was the first out of the door at 5pm.

This is not the case in your situation so YANBU. He should sort his personal problems out in his own time or make the time up, or be super efficient in other ways.

SooticaTheWitchesCat · 18/02/2014 09:42

It's exactly the same where I work, except it is my boss who is always late! She is 15-20 minutes late every morning and then she often goes home early too. Yesterday she came in at 11.30 as she had a delivery, now it is 9.30 and she isn't in again.

Yet if any of us come in even 5 minutes late (which is very rare) she looks at the clock. If we have to have an hour of for any reason she says we have to make it up (which I do happily) but she never makes up her time.

It should be the same rule for everyone.

SnowBells · 18/02/2014 13:20

Can I please just ask - why it is so important for people what time they are in for work???? Or how long they stay at work?

I am a big proponent of OUTPUT ONLY should count. Someone can be really efficient and can do things quicker than another person, for example.The amount of times I see people be punctual and all that at work but do sod all early mornings is laughable!!!

Yet they pride themselves for being 'punctual'. Actually, the more senior you are the less you have to abide by these syupid norms.

TheScience · 18/02/2014 13:23

Can I please just ask - why it is so important for people what time they are in for work???? Or how long they stay at work?

Depends on the job doesn't it? In lots of jobs someone has to be physically there doing the work at X time.

LessMissAbs · 18/02/2014 13:27

SnowBells Can I please just ask - why it is so important for people what time they are in for work???? Or how long they stay at work?

Because businesses generally start working at 9am or earlier and continue til 5pm, and risk losing out if someone isn't there to deal with enquiries or questions at those times.

If its also in the contract of employment, unless you have factory style punch clocking in and out cards, how on earth do you think workplaces would keep track of who has worked their contracted hours or not? Do you really think every employee can be trusted to do 8 hours of work a day?

YouTheCat · 18/02/2014 13:28

I have a colleague who doesn't turn up late but does spend half of her working hours chatting and drinking coffee. It has no impact on my work (apart from listening to her moan that she has no time ) but it does make me seethe that she gets away with doing so little whilst the rest of us never stop.

AmIIndecisive · 18/02/2014 13:30

I think in life, some people are just better at getting away with things, maybe because they are good at their job, maybe because they are more loved or better at sweet talking everyone round.

I wouldn't worry too much about what someone else is doing, you aren't their manager and not responsible for them, if you don't want to cover for him them don't, but I would just focus on your own job so I think yes YABU.

BIWI · 18/02/2014 13:30

Why are you covering for him? By doing so you are enabling him to behave like this and get away with it.

muppetthecow · 18/02/2014 13:36

Can I please just ask - why it is so important for people what time they are in for work???? Or how long they stay at work?

It really does depend where you work! I work in a pharmacy, and if people are late we legally can't do anything - we can open the door but without a pharmacist we can't sell/give out any medication. Even if the pharmacist is there on time, without the full staff of dispensers we can end up with a big back log by ten past nine (there are always a queue of people at nine!) which it can take all day to catch up from. One of our dispensers is frequently late after the school run, and even though she takes the time back at lunch, it puts us on the back foot all day.

Original poster

Beansprout30 · 18/02/2014 15:06

I have to cover for him because it is his job to answer the phone and customer requests, if he's not here it's down to me on top of my own work. Our hours are 8.30 to 5.30 so wecannot make up the time at the end of the day. We have customers to service so we have to stick to our contracted hours. We are both paid for the same hours so why should he get away with having a few latestarts when im having to do his extra work!

OP posts:

Preciousbane · 18/02/2014 15:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaGuardia · 18/02/2014 15:26

Clearly his job is not very important and he will soon be made redundant. Some of us save lives for a living, so we have to be on time.

HungryHorace · 18/02/2014 15:45

The firm I work at want punctuality AND output. Surely that's not uncommon?

We have to clock in and out using some software package or other, and give a reason if we are late.

We have clients to deal with though, so one person being late can lead to a reduction in client care if there aren't enough people in to answer the phones.

At one place I worked, the MD's office looked out onto the car park. He once sent a very pointed email reminding everyone they should be ready to start work at 8.30, not arriving then.

IME, those who are late on a regular basis tend to be most slack also.

BIWI · 18/02/2014 15:57

Then you have to have a word with him and make it clear that it's not fair. And if he doesn't get it, then you need to take it up with your line manage and/or HR

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