Lunch breaks and colleagues taking the mick

[baxterboi]

I have one colleague who just royally takes the piss with lunch breaks.

Say they leave the office at 12:30, they come back at 1:30 but with their lunch which they then heat up / prepare and then spend 30 mins eating at their desk whilst reading or facebooking. They only do this when both managers are out of the office. I am not this persons line manager, just sit right near them.

Twice a week they have to pop home to let their dog out and they live about 20 minutes away. They're often 90 minutes or more but again this happens to fall on days that both managers are out.

I just feel that if it was the odd occasion its fine but when it is 2-3 times a week (even worse when a manager is actually on annual leave!) it actually makes up a lot of time!! I tend to bring lunch with me and go for a quick walk at lunch time just to stretch my legs.

AIBU to either say something directly to them or even tell a manager?

These kind of attitude prevail across most companies and all sectors and is responsible for our low productivity levels compared to international competitors. And it is why eage levels are lower. Too many lazy workers.

I knew that you would get no sympathy OP.

I HATE it when people do this at my work - we work 9-5 and you can take your lunch 12 or 1 - there used to be this lad that used to go out every day between 12 and 1 and then sit and chat to the people on their lunch hour between 1 and 2 - nobody ever noticed because they thought he was on his lunch too.

It's the same with timekeeping - there was a girl who came in every single day at 9.15 - after 37 days in a row of her being 9.15 (she NEVER made the time up) I suggested she might get an earlier train.

Somebody overheard me an I got a bollocking from management. None of my business apparently.

Whilst it is true that it is not any of your business it is hard to sit there and watch isn't it ?

I agree with the PP who said it encourages this sort of thing too - lazy ass two lunch boy at our place also used to get up and go 10 minutes early every single day - when a new colleague started and sat next to him she started doing the same because she felt it was the culture.

If your contract says you work certain hours and you sign it that's what you should work. :(

How effective is she the rest of the time?

Others might only have their official lunch break but take a lot more leg stretching/wee/coffe/sanity breaks during the day. Or might work at a slower pace etc.

If she’s getting her job done and they’re happy with her output then I think you should just keep out of it really. But if you want to, tell the managers you feel she’s taking the mickey & just wanted to let them know what’s going on when they’re not there. I wouldn’t say anything directly to her because you’re not her manager, nor even her co-worker (in the sense that her job doesn’t impact you).

@alittlequinnie she may have an agreement with Management and that's why you got told by them it's none of your business..

Tbh I just got back from a quick walk after seeing the first few responses just feeling a bit crap about the people saying its fine, just leave it, not your business!

I guess it is just different work ethic. Thanks everyone for your opinions / comments.

Yes 8-5 is a long day but we all get paid quite well.

Your colleague might do her 35 hours in 20 hours. Maybe it takes you 35 hours to 35 hours, IFYSWIM.

Just what is your aim OP? You’ve told us you are a conscientious employee. If you inform on colleagues what will happen?
Employers might not appreciate it — might wonder about office relationships
Employers unlikely to catch your colleagues at it
If your Colleagues get to know they will make your life a misery and you will be the one to leave
Employers will have a good idea about how much work they expect them to complete within a set time and will investigate if they are unhappy.

Do you have a sign in/out sheet as part of Fire/Emergency evacuation?
If not, you really should

Your colleague might do her 35 hours in 20 hours. Maybe it takes you 35 hours to 35 hours, IFYSWIM.

I could go into detail about our individual roles but it would take all day. I'm a fee earning designer and they are office admin.

Oh, gawd, you're the Office Police. Mind your own business.

As an aside, I think the phrase "taking the mick" is considered racist now, OP. Just a heads-up for future. I know I have said it myself back in the olden days.

@eleanorhooverbelt

Is cockney rhyming slang racist? I do apologise I genuinely had no idea.

'I'm a fee earning designer and they are office admin.'

You see them as inferior and yourself as superior. We get it. If you want to martyr yourself by not taking a lunch except for these 'quick walks' then knock yourself out.

Lol @ expatinscotland

I meant our job roles are very different. If I took a couple of extra hours off a week it would effect my billing, hence why I wouldn't do it, amongst other reasons.

I do not see them as inferior at all. I just think people should do the job / hours they are paid to do.

I think if you're contracted to do 35 hours, that has to take 35 hours, by definition.

If your contract just says that you have to do the amount of work an average employee is able to do in 35 hours, though, then my mistake.

I'm with you, OP. It's selfish and annoying.

Your colleague might do her 35 hours in 20 hours. Maybe it takes you 35 hours to 35 hours, IFYSWIM.

The colleague might, in that case she should raise this openly with her boss that she doesn't have enough work for her contracted hours. She will (I assume) have a work contract like most people that says she is to work a 35-38 hour week.

The fact she only takes extended lunches when she wont get caught by the boss shows she is taking the piss.

She deserves to be caught, but if I was the OP and it didn't directly impact me (although it must be demotivating seeing it happen) I would leave it.

Life is too short to worry about what other people do. Unless it is causing serious problems within the business just ignore them. If your bosses are worth their salt they will notice eventually and act on it. Put your head down and get on with your own work, this is not your business.

Is cockney rhyming slang racist? I do apologise I genuinely had no idea

Don't worry, OP. I had no idea either...until I did iyswim. I certainly never meant to insult Irish people when I said it. I have been caught out on a couple of things myself but when you know better you can do better. Not having a go at you at all. Just it might save you some bother further down the road.

Here's some further reading:

www.independent.co.uk/voices/rear-window-punch-lines-that-kept-the-irish-in-their-place-taking-the-mick-1422052.html

"This phrase is not new; the full phrase is "to take the Mickey (out of someone)"
Britons have been using this figure of speech for decades, if not centuries. A "Mickey" of course, is a "Mick": a pejorative, racist term for an Irishman (so nicknamed because so many Irish surnames begin with Mc- or Mac-) It is a common stereotype, in both the UK and USA, that Irish men have volatile tempers, like to brawl, and make good boxers. So, To "take the Mickey (out of someone)" means to take the fight, the vigor, the gravity, the self-importance out of them, by mocking them, usually in a very subtle way."

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Take%20the%20Mickey%20out%20of

Only to be read in your lunchbreak, OP

' I just think people should do the job / hours they are paid to do.'

That's not for you to police. You're not their manager.

Funny thing is, my maiden surname was "Mac..." and I never made the connection as being racist until I was told. Well, you live and learn

Hmm i actually think that it depends what people are paid for.

If they are to work 8-5 then they should be working 8-5. if they can do the work in less time, they should look for someth8ng else to do, let their manager know etc...

If they are paid to do a certain task and they can do it on less time, then it’s up to them to choose what to do with said time.

The issue I have is that I suspect that the woman is paid to work a certain number of hours and is doing it on the Sly (hence when both managers aren’t in). She is also abusing of their trust.

The colleague might, in that case she should raise this openly with her boss that she doesn't have enough work for her contracted hours.

^

Or maybe she's just efficient??

I sort of agree with the op, it’s not really fair but this person must get her stuff done in her usual hours anyway so management clearly don’t mind. Why not casually mention timekeeping in a general way when you have your one to one with your manager, and see what he or she says.

It's no wonder that our workforce is the laughing stock of the world.

OP, I would speak to the manager and just say, "You might want to tighten up lunchtimes when you're not here." That should be enough.

Presumably the OP wants her company to do well and presumably the owners do, too. It seems this employee doesn't, but will be complaining if he/she is made redundant.

It's funny that when a cleaner leaves early people talk about getting CCTV onto them, but when it's an office worker with whom posters can identify, you're called all sorts of names for not wanting their behaviour to continue.