To be shocked at boss telling me off for being late back

[onlyafewdaystogo]

I am retiring from work next Wed, after many years working for this company. Last year our dept got a new Manager who's a bit of a stickler.

Anyhow, due to upcoming retirement several groups of colleagues have been taking me out for lunch in the last few days. Yesterday I went to an Italian restaurant with some people from another Dept that I have a lot of dealings with.

We had a lovely relaxing lunch and I got back to work at 3 o'clock instead of 2.30. My boss knew this group were taking me out. He called me into his office about an hour later and told me off for being late back from lunch and said it's the second time it's happened in recent days and I'd have to watch my timekeeping.

AIBU to be . It's always been the norm when someone is retiring that they spend the last week or so winding down and not really being bound by the normal time bands etc.

My colleagues were really surprised and annoyed when they heard.

@RIVERTAM don't talk shite, the guy has told her to watch her lateness, big deal she was late TWICE! So he is correct

or he's a prick because this long term employee is retiring next week so who is that petty, and also who thinks that just because retiring woman can take a couple of long lunches that means they all can? Only those with shit for brains, on both counts.

What exactly does he think he can do, if she's late again? Sack her? Give her a bad reference?

Beckybec
Well maybe if you had RTT you would have realised that none of your post actually applied in this case?

Itsyerself
Well of course we are blaming the manager, its a bit of officious tripe
.
Its a traditional practice at OPs work that there is nothing to do before you retire and your teams and work colleagues from other depts you have close relationships with over the years take you out for lunch as the manager well knows.

Nobody else does it on a regular basis, they arent stupid!

How the freak can she be unreasonable to other staff when she has no work to actually do? Her being late doesnt affect them at all. (And they are all shocked she got pulled into his office for it.)

It doesnt matter if the manager is a man, woman or an alien from Mars. He knows the procedures for people retiring, its not exactly impacting on his day is it? If he cant cut someone a bit of slack before they retire I hate to think how he will treat the remaining team members.

YANBU OP and your manager is a total arse. I work in a demanding environment but we are treated like grown ups, not naughty children people going on about ‘you have to work your contracted hours’ etc are the types who never work a minute over their official working hours and are a nightmare to work alongside. A more mature way of working is give and take.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/uk-people-unpaid-work-hours-year-british-workers-a8266676.html%3famp

“British employees work more than 10 hours overtime every week on average, clocking up 469 hours of extra work a year

Such unpaid work undeniably costs employees. Research from the TUC shows that workers gave away more than £31bn worth of work last year. That extra, unpaid work was worth an average of £6,265 per employee, the trades union estimated.”

Some people posting here are far too wrapped up in their jobs. It’s JUST a job, who really cares? When you die, you and your job will be long forgotten. It’s all meaningless really!

absolutely and if you want to donate your unpaid labour then why not do it for a good cause?
So many drones out there.

Very little in life actually matters, let alone an office job. Sure if you are a healthcare professional or teacher it’s a bit different. But most people have a Bullshit Job that doesn’t actually matter. I’ve posted links to that before.

Some people are in for a shock when managerial office jobs start being automated and universal basic income is introduced. You won’t be able to take self-worth from your job then!

@Beckybec, why on earth do you choose to come onto a thread not just once but twice without having bothered to read the OP's posts?

Personally I find that a bit pathetic. I had a similar thing before I emigrated - my last couple of days at the company people kept coming over to my desk to congratulate me, drop off prezzies and ask me about my plans when I moved. My line manager was always a bit jealous of me and was absolutely seething when I told her the news, and she kicked up a big fuss about me not working as hard on my last 2 days. My handover was immaculate and no one had to pick up slack for me because I'd been really organised about the whole thing. She told me off in front of people because it made her feel better, I think. I just smiled sweetly and said "yes, of course, I'll work extra hard tomorrow to make up for it". She was trying to assert her dominance but it made her look like a dick, everyone was quite shocked and amused by her petty jealous behaviour.

You have a week left OP - just smile sweetly and nod your head. And give him a really big smile and wave when you walk out the door for the last time. I'm actually having a chuckle here at how jealous he sounds - I recommend you do the same :)

Half an hour late is taking the piss. YABVU.

Happy retirement though, and congrats on your escape from the daily grind!

I have to be honest and say that I've never worked anywhere where there would be more than one long lunch or retirement do. I know you're winding down but maybe he thought there'd be more lunches to come with different staff? How does he know when the celebrations are going to stop and not turn into a piss take?

I'm not joyless really I've just never come across this 'universally accepted' culture of doing no work in your last few weeks. Might as well get your coat now OP.

I've just never come across this 'universally accepted' culture of doing no work in your last few weeks

With some office situations it is inevitable that you will have less and less to do (until basically nothing) near your leave time. I was made redundant and had to hand my work over to a call centre. Once that was done there was nothing for me to do for the last week or so but clear out my desk etc. My last day was meant to be a Friday but they asked for all IT equipment back from all of us being made redundant on Thursday lunchtime. So Thursday afternoon we all went out and had some good food and drinks. None of us had any work to do and couldn't do it anyway as they had taken all our IT equipment. Fridays none of us went in, what would the point be?

Yeah OP don't do it again they might give you a bad reference or sack you!

Oh wait.

Even if someone about to leave or retire in a few days did something that pissed you off as their manager, surely most people would just sigh inwardly and think 'thank God she'll be gone in a few days' rather than making an issue of it.

Not that I think there was anything to make an issue of in this particular case.

Hi @onlyafewdaystogo, came across this thread and wondered how your last few days went and the past 2 days of retiring before the weather changed.

lol who gives a toss? I'd come in late have long boozy lunches and leave early every single day!