About colleagues working hours

[leftmyheartintokyo]

I work in a team of four - line manager plus 2 colleagues and I on the same level but doing different roles. All reporting to line manager.

We have flexible hours which are to work 8.5 hours between 7am and 7pm, with an hour for lunch. Most people tend to stick to a routine but there is room for flexibility.

Two of my colleagues, including my line manager, consistently work way less than this, starting work past 9 and leaving at 4.45pm as well as taking their full lunch hour. Their reasoning is that they need to get trains - but we work in a large city and they live in the suburbs - there are trains to both their home destinations at least every ten minutes.

The other colleague (not line manager) is fairly new but she follows him to the station - presumably because he's set that example that these are the hours.

It's really starting to get on my nerves. We're really busy lately and seeing them put in less than a full day constantly is annoying. If I ever miss hours he is meticulous about making sure I've made them up.

WIBU to have a word with HR?

I would recommend having a chat with your line manager before HR.
You could say you were considering HR but didn't know if everyone else's contracts had changed but not yours...

It's hard when one of the line managers is setting a bad example! I'd ask if the flexi-arrangements have changed and are you now only required to 6.5 hours a day?

Are they making it up at home later?

Another Flexi-Time CF! I know from experience on here that you will get some support but will be told, in no uncertain terms, that it's none of your business what anyone else does.
I feel your pain

I was going to say stay out of other peoples business and stop clock watching other people. However, if you’re getting a hard time for leaving early YANBU.

Are they making time up when you aren't there perhaps? Weekends? Working from home? Or maybe they aren't on a 8.5 hr contract? Are they taking back time in lieu?
If not, and you are sure you have all the facts, then I think you should raise it. It is affecting your job and workload. Do you clock in or have some other way that hr can check hours actually worked?

Hmm . . . could you seek informal advice from the line manager above yours? In a "have you got a minute, can I have a confidential chat please, don't want to make a fuss" sort of way.

Ask your line manager first in the way snash suggests. HR will ask you if you've spoken to them anyway.

I got Personnel to come in and go over the flexi policy for EVERYONE, not aimed at anyone in particular. I don't know if this is feasible for you with such a small team but it did have an impact in my situation. Maybe not the one I expected but we no longer have a flexi-time CF

They probably work on the train, in the evenings and at weekends and have had this arrangement agreed in a 121. I am sure you could do the same if you were willing to sacrifice your free time.
I am similar to your colleagues and am physically in the office less as I need to drop off and collect DD from nursery. All cleared with line manager. It hadn't occurred to me to explain it to my colleagues.

I am 100% sure that none of them work on the train, in the evenings or weekends. They don't have children so this isn't the reason.

I wouldn't go to HR, they're not there to mediate squabbles, and it'll look naive. They'll just tell you to speak to your manager.

So... speak to your manager. Ask them if the standard working hours/flexi arrangements have changed, as you've noticed coworkers keeping more flexible hours you didn't realise you were entitled to.

But have a think about whether this is the hill you want to die on. It isn't gonna look good to the manager having an employee basically say 'it's not fair! They've got something I don't!' When their working hours are none of your business and not in your chain of command/you have no authority or standing to address or eek question this. If it's bugging you enough you can approach it as a genuine query, but make sure that's how if comes across, not 'laura gets to go home early so I'm going to too'. A lot of managers want you to just focus on your own work and doing a good job, not analysing everyone else's work and hours to make sure you're not working harder than they are.

Do you want to work flexi? If yes go to your line manager and tell them you want to have a x min lunch and knock off x earlier and you make up the extra x time at home during the week. See what he says, if he says no ask why as others have that flexibility. If he says yes ask him to confirm in writing these are your new working arrangements.

I think people are misunderstanding - we all work 'flexi' - but these people aren't working enough hours per week.

I don't think anyone is misunderstanding

Can you not leave straight after them, sounds odd that you have to make up hours but the others don't appear to do this

I have also been in the same position as you OP, flexi-time CF's piss me off!! If HR's position isn't to mediate & remedy these situations WTAF are they there for??! Abouttoblow has very recent & relevant experience here- I would listen to all her advice as she NAILED it (with some fall out it's fair to say!!).

My experience was far less positive, unfortunately I had no support from upper management, and due to the lack of professionalism & productivity of my FTCF we were both made redundant (I got a new job internally straight away).

I agree if manager is on the rob too, best going up a management tier, but be prepared for there to be blow back. Maybe wait til new year as lots of people "wind down" at this time of year. I'd also be making a diary/journal to record times although I was accused of bullying by my union rep when I did this

I get you Left
These people will not be making up time, working at home or anything else. They take the piss because they can.

I can never get a copied link to work but you can go and have a look at the thread. Hope it gives you some ideas .... or at least a smile.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3023633-To-make-an-official-complaint-about-colleague