To leave work on time?!!

[skyblueeee]

I find working full time (9-5:30) quite hard, I feel tired and restricted, which is why I can't wait for the clock to strike 5:30 and I can walk out the office, drive home, eat dinner and relax....

But the problem is, no one ever leaves at 5:30 I look around and everyone is still working while I walk out the door, I even get a few judgemental looks from colleagues. I'm usually the first one out, if not I'm one of the first.

Does it look bad to leave work on time? Obviously if I had something urgent to do I would finish it, but I don't want to stay just to look good. I already get home about 6:20pm depending on traffic and not keen to have an even longer day....

Stop engaging with CalF. He has never managed anything or anyone. I would be surprised if he has 'managed' to make a cup of tea this morning.

Unless he lives and works abroad (which he has surprisingly failed to respond to multiple times in this thread) he/she is talking complete shit.

I have been a manager in a contact centre, we were quite strict but not even close to the level CalF is claiming. If someone left without giving any explanation and suddenly it would certainly have raised eyebrows and queries would be raised but immediate termination? pull the other one.

Calf if any of that routine is real and not the fevered products of the deranged imaginings of a would-be dictator them what a laughable waste of time and resources! Imagine the hit in productivity and cost paying managers to patrol to ensure a minion doesn’t leave their desk for two minutes to wash up a cup! All of that waste in order to ensure your workforce is resentful, disloyal and less productive than if you let them see daylight once in a while . Honestly, it’s the crappiest management idea I’ve ever heard someone dream up!

And obviously it is totally made up and pp are right to advise not engaging. Sorry.

As long as you do your work and your employer is happy with your performance, of course YANBU.

But this presenteeism culture is sadly very common. I used to have a job where I would get in early (at about 8.30 as opposed to most people's 9.30–10) and leave on time. I'm an early bird and tend to 'fade' as the day wears on, so it made sense to come in at my most productive time. I used to get the odd 'look' or comment though, but my attitude was fuck em – my boss is happy with my work.

You would be free to leave without divulging any information, but your contract would also be terminated on the spot. I don't know of many companies that allow staff to leave without senior management authorisation

When the hospital called to say my Mum was dying I didn't ask for permission to leave, I told the MD I was going and didn't know when I'd be back. He was fine with that as he's actually a human being who understands family is more important than a job.

No way would I be 'putting in a request' on some stupid system for a family emergency. How long does it take for the so called senior manager to review and accept the request?

You won't be sitting on your deathbed wishing you'd hung around in some stuffy office longer than you needed to just for presenteeism. I always leave on time and don't feel bad about it at all. Truth is if there's any change in the company they won't think twice about getting rid of you so why should you give more than what they're paying for!?

@Youshallnotpass

Name one thing I have mentioned that is illegal...

I'm not engaging with you Calf

CalF123

Name one thing I have mentioned that is illegal...

Locking people in a room and refusing to unlock the door- pretty sure that’s illegal no matter what your “contract” says

My husband’s boss recently pulled him up during an appraisal, saying he was expected to stay later. Never mind that he’s always in early (7.30.) or that he doesn’t get home until after DC are in bed as it is. Bearing in mind he recently sacked someone for being off with MH issues. Good job I’ll never meet him as I’d love to stab him in the face with a fork. Knobber.

Of course I wouldn't physically prevent them, but staff who leave the premises during the working day would have their contract terminated immediately.*

Which is illegal and you would loose at a tribunal.

You appear to have absolutely no idea how to manage staff legally, fairly, morally or effectively. Shocking

In the office I manage, the exit door is locked until 5.01pm when it is opened to allow staff to leave after they have completed their contracted hours.

That's made up.

Well I hope it is.

In any kind of office, shop etc. type role with set hours, there is no reason to work beyond your contracted hours unless something unusual and pressing crops up. Doing so, IMO, is due to bad time management throughout the day, an unhealthy culture in the workplace or having personal reasons to avoid or delay going home.

I say this as someone who has worked 11 hours of overtime past the end of their shift in the last week alone, including four hours last night. It’s the nature of my job and pretty much what you sign up to when you join. I’m paid for it and enjoy my job. Prior to career change I worked in various offices and left on time. Why wouldn’t you?!

I wonder if cal. works for the type of company that demands full access to your farcebook other forms of social media are available account?, or even orders you open one (even though that requirement isn't even in the contract). Even when on holiday, you always have contactable to do work.

Even when on holiday, you always have contactable to do work.

Sod that! I used to have emails on my phone and iPad but deleted the apps. I don't want to see emails in the evening and weekend and even less if I'm on holiday!

Oh this is still going! Hilarious that Cal is still maintaining their story! It's completely illegal to "terminate a contract" if someone has to leave work for a dependent related emergency, and they certainly don't need to seek permission to leave. I'm surprised you didn't do a bit of googling before you started bullshitting. At least try and get a few things right. All the information you'd have needed is very handily on the gov.uk website.

I was eagerly waiting for the "i work part-time" gem too, got to justify why "senior management" is MNing all day.

Regular patrols is a mistake. You need to add the element of surprise and keep them guessing.

Who knows what they are doing between 9.30 and 11.45.

Anyone else imagining Cal's workplace having a giant steam whistle which signals to for village that the working day has begun? And all the staff rhymically marching in line wearing a grey uniform? Sort of like the beginning of 'Oliver!' but instead of orphans singing about gruel they're adults plotting a takeover? I think this could be a good movie...

I work flexi hours in theory, I am required to fill in a time sheet, but in practice I feel there’s very little flexibility. I am an early starter, I’m usually in between 8.15 and 8.30, but most of my colleagues are late starters so of course they’re still there at 5 and I feel guilty about leaving much before 5.15. I sometimes get to finish around 4.30 on Fridays. They did away with core hours (when you had to be in the building, 10-12 and 2-4) which was supposed to increase flexibility but it has actually had the opposite effect. And if you have a half day that used to mean you could finish at 12, but now it seems to mean working through lunch and finishing at 2.

Let's just say that cal is being truthful. I am not sure you can legally lock people in on an unpaid break. If you want to keep them there, pay them.

I hope it is just someone with an active imagination, but if not I hope that someone who works there has the balls to take this further.

I don't know of many companies that allow staff to leave without senior management authorisation

That's because you work in some terrible backwards firm, reminiscent of a workhouse culture if it's even true. In the real world staff can tell their immediate manager you have an emergency to deal with and just go. Doors are not locked in the real world, even in a call centre

I don't know of many companies that allow staff to leave without senior management authorisation

Say what now? I'm middle management and senior management doesn't even bother to check if I turn up unless we have meetings together. They know they can trust me to judge for myself whether or not my physical presence is required and to get stuff done when I opt to do it from elsewhere.

I trust the people working for me in the same way - recent graduates are asked to stick around for a bit until they learn the ropes and then left to self-manage once they've grasped how it works.

That would be because we're highly qualified professionals capable of taking care of ourselves and knowing what's good for us, not slaves belonging to the firm.

I'm out of the door at 5:30pm on the dot nearly every day. I stay late when needed, though that would only be if someone else had fucked up and I had to stay to fix it: I manage my work in my working hours.

I do arrive at least 20 minutes early every day, but that's for my benefit (to beat the traffic) rather than to donate unpaid labour to the company.

People who consistently work late are either mugs or bad at time management.

I’m a boss, and I hate people working after home time. I want to lock up!

I think if you haven’t got the work done by then, you’re not working hard enough.

We start at 10 as well, and quite often knock off when we’ve reached the targets. 4pm is quite often finishing time. Lunch / breaks are up to you. We go for a pint on fridays after work. We do stay a bit later on Friday as sales are made.

Some one who hangs around the office looking busy isn’t seen in a good light at all.
Home working is ok if they turn up for Monday and Friday meetings. We have an open system so their work is seen.

I’ve made it very results focused, with a good deal of autonomy about how targets are reached.
Anyone not reaching targets isn’t kept.

We have an ansaphone for late or early calls. Our office manager comes in about 9, knocks off at 4.