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?

Christ, you'd have a fit if you watched me at work, then. Sometimes come in late. Sometimes have an extended lunchbreak. Often on FB, MN or doing internet shopping during the day.

BUT. I get shed loads of work done, not missed a deadline yet, am always available for early mornings, late nights or weekend work if required to help the team, and have had 3 substantial payrises in the last 5 years. Because I've found a way of working that really works for me AND my employer - who, thankfully, is more concerned with high quality and quantity outputs than how much daylight there is between my arse and the office chair.

On topic, I never took the piss when I was working for others, but now I work from home.....oh!....it's so hard to get started some days. Wish I had someone to hold me accountable!

Not sure how I'd feel in a job were I was micromanaged and had someone watching the clock tbh. Not many people would like it.

I`d let your colleague do her job and you worry about your own stuff, op.

As alligator says.

Next time you have a private meeting with your Manager, mention that this is having an impact on morale, and you'd like some guidance on how to deal with it.

Yanbu OP.

Can’t stand people taking the piss like that. If they did it when the manager is around them fair enough. But they don’t, they do it on the sly.

Odd that so many people are framing this as an issue of productivity. Whatever else OP's colleague might be, she's productive. She's getting all her work done in under the contracted hours- she's more productive than the others, if anything. Actually if we had more like that we'd be more productive than we are! The pretty long hours the business has and the need this imposes for more productive workers to slow down or time waste are common themes in the discussion of low UK productivity too. Presenteeism is not a good thing.

Anyway OP, I agree there's some piss taking going on here, but personally I'd act in my own interests and prioritise that ahead of anything. You can bet the business owners would do the same.

It's possible that if you tell the owners, the implications for you won't be positive: they may feel you're overstepping. They may already be aware, but turn a blind eye because she's getting her work done, and because it's easier to ignore than try and reduce her hours with the subsequent example to the others that this is what'll happen if you're efficient. They may not know and be pleased to find out, and take action that leads to the colleague being an arsehole to the OP.

Alternatively, if you don't tell them and they figure it out anyway, they might be fucked off at you for not saying something earlier. So personally I'd decide which of those is most likely and then behave accordingly. I certainly wouldn't tell the colleague yourself though- that really isn't your place. Either owner or nobody.

I think it's disgusting, especially in a small business. She is taking money she hasn't earned, but which could be spent on all manner of things which would improve the business.

If you don't have HR then I'd tell a boss.

Would there be any particular benefit to the business in colleague working full contracted hours OP? Ie do you think the owners would be able find her more work to do, or be willing to attempt to reduce her hours by the amount of the time she sneaks off? Or get rid and replace her?

OP you could’ve been writing about me in my first job out of uni because this is exactly what I did but management were happy with it.

It was a small, project based company so work was unevenly distrubted throughout the week / month / year. When we had a deadline to meet, I was often required to work extra hours (often from home) & depending on how much extra I did, I could either choose to be paid for them or to take time back in lieu during a less busy period.

I would often take time back by having extended lunches & like the office admin in the OP, I would only do it when management were out of the office. This wasn’t because I was being shifty or trying to hide it but because I was actually trying to be considerate by ensuring that I was available to management should they need me. When they were out of the office, I knew I wouldn’t be needed so it was the best time to take these lunches as it would be the least disruptive time. I would always email my line manager & get his ok though.

I’m just realizing that the contractors at that workplace must have thought I was taking the absolute piss because just like in the OP, they would’ve seen me take extended lunches only when management were away & they would’ve been unaware that I was actually taking time back for extra hours completed at home & that I’d emailed for approval.

How much of your day are you "wasting" watching what your colleague is doing?

When I'm at work I'm too busy working to notice what my colleagues are up to, I don't have time to make notes on how long they have been at lunch. Maybe she is more productive when she is sat at her desk than you are, and achieves more in less time.

If what she is doing is impacting significantly on her productivity then I'm sure her line manager will notice and deal with it appropriately.

If it doesn't impact on you directly then it isn't your business.

Not sure how I'd feel in a job were I was micromanaged and had someone watching the clock tbh. Not many people would like it

Well tbh I bet they don’t. Maybe they should start running their own buisness then?

It's none of your business is it? You don't employ or line manage this woman so keep your big nose out of it. You are not in charge here.

Were you like this at school? Telling tales to the teacher?

Wow I’d love to do a job where you can do what the fuck you like and still get paid for it. I’m in the wrong career.

It’s a small company so it’s hard not to notice.

Once you’ve noticed cheeky fuckery it’s really hard not to notice.

The risk with dobbing her in is a) she might have agreed this with the managers b) she will almost definitely know/find out it’s you.

I suggest you simply take your break during Part 2 of hers and divert all calls to her. Then prime everyone you know to ring constantly.

Presenteeism... . Isn't that usually used to describe a situation where a person is at work for extremely long hours, a lot of them outside normal working hours, but not actually achieving in line with supposed hours "worked"?
It certainly doesn't describe being onsite for your contracted hours...!
Of course she's taking the piss. If she thought the managers would be fine with it, she'd do it it in front of them.

No, I've heard it used in the general context of requiring an employee to be present for longer hours than the job actually takes. Maybe incorrectly. But whatever you want to call it, it's an issue in our economy.

I can't stand people eating lunch at their desks. What kind of business to do you work for?

I don't really like it either. I've worked in a couple of places where there was nowhere else but your desk and it wasn't ideal.

Grass them up..

I thought "taking the mick" was Mickey Bliss = piss !

Never heard it as anything to do with the Irish.

Also see below:

Micky/Mickey/Mike/Michael (Micky Bliss/Mickey Bliss) - Piss (according to Cassells and other reputable sources this is probably the origin of 'taking the micky/mickey'. If you know or can suggest who Mickey Bliss/Michael Bliss/Mike Bliss was - 1940s or earlier, please let me know - Separately, mick in this sense might instead be a shortening of the medical word 'micturation' meaning urination, and again I would be grateful for any reference supporting this derivation)

I’d report her. I’m suprised so many posters wouldn’t. If it was an occasional thing then it wouldn’t bother me but she is doing it all the time.

I used to work with several women who used to come into work on time then go to the bathroom for ages and ages to do their makeup and have a chat. It was painful to have to watch.

I think it's not right what your colleague is doing, but I don't think you are in a position to do anything about it. It's like how smoker's can basically just FO outside for 10 minutes every hour - it's one of those unfair things that will make you look petty if you complain.

I hate coming into work and smelling yesterday's pot noodle.

Some idiot once heated up a fish stew in the microwave and the place stunk like Neptunes arse crack.

Employees that come to me to report about others timekeeping get short shrift from me. I hate work monitors.