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.

What’s he going to do? Put you on an improvement pathway? Just smile and wave.

What an idiot!
It is the norm here to be doing exactly as you are - I'd probably take no notice and be deliberately late back from lunch now. What exactly are they threatening to do about it? Sack you?

No-one expects anyone to be actually working in their last week - one of our directors retires this week. He's been disengaged and just doing handover for the last 3 months! We wouldn't want him to be hands on now, more hassle than it is worth trying to unpick things.

He sounds like a bit of an arsehole to be honest. Maybe he was more concerned that the colleagues from the other dept who took you out were also half hour late back to their desks, but more likely he's just jealous that you're retiring and he still has to work for goodness knows how many years.

As you can see from my username, I can't wait to be in your shoes, but I have quite a few years to go yet. Good luck for your retirement OP.

Oh behave and get a life itsyersel. I too would absolutely hate to work with someone who has such a petty, mean minded and joyless attitude.

OP it's perfectly normal where I work for people who are retiring to take it quite casually for their last few days. No one is watching their time or anything like that. Also, as you've said, most of them have very little to do as there's no point in them getting involved in forthcoming stuff that they won't be around for. So they're usually just boxing up their belongings, tidying their desk, ringing people to say goodbye, being taken out for lunch etc.

Ignore some of the rather narrow minded posters on here.

Tell him you'll make the time up next Thursday ;)

Great suggestion from Longtalljosie. Short lunch today and make a point of telling him you are 'making up your time'. He will look a right twat.

i can see both sides-youve not got much to do now so prob arent impacting anyone

maybe someone complained to him on the side and hes just loking to be doing his job

He's obviously looking to change the working environment. If this is usually allowed and accepted, looks like he's having none of it.
Just ignore, it's not like you need a reference.
Happy retirement, hope you have lots of fun things planned.

What a jobsworth tit your manager is.....enjoy a happy and fulfilling retirement.

If someone complained he should have given them short shrift, not pandered to their silliness.

Mans a twat - ignore! What does he think he has to gain, you retire in a week - presumably some sort of power trip - sad!

He's a wanker. Ignore and be glad you're retiring

This. What a self important prick.

My mum retired from a job where she had been a senior manager, often putting in an extra 5 hours a week unpaid at least.

She left 2 hours early on her last day and her manager docked her finely pay by 2 hours.

I don’t bother putting in any extra effort or time or having any loyalty to companies! We are all just a number.

Within days of retirement/resignation, an employee is forgotten.

Stamping his authority? Easy win!

Maybe if the manager is new they aren’t really aware of the coming and going as you please culture for people who are about to retire? Maybe other colleagues who weren’t at the lunch weren’t impressed with a lot of people taking an extended lunch (not just you but everyone else at your celebration).
Having said that I wouldn’t give it too much thought - your leaving and will likely never see them again after that.

He has probably done it so it doesn't turn into a daily event for your last week or so that the half hour doesn't start turning into an hour. He also has to be seen as setting an example that half an hour late back multiple times is not acceptable. Each time you are out late for lunch with your work colleagues also takes others away from their work.

He is NBU for pulling you up on it as you are still being paid to work the hours and for the reasons above. But YANBU for being annoyed by it but just smile and nod knowing you'll be out of there next week.

He does sound daft and joyless. However, my lovely Dad always tells me to see things from the other side before getting angry:

Perhaps this stickle is not happy in his new position?
The way others are treating you might be irritating to one who isn't getting lunch invites/friendly contact from so many people.

All good wishes for your retirement!

itsyersel you sound like an absolutely awful manager.

ps the last person to retire from the company I work for got three months paid leave before they retired!

and people come back from lunch late for "meetings" with colleagues / managers on a regular basis and nobody gives a shiny shit because we all appreciate that sometimes we come in early / leave late / work through lunch etc

give and take.

Tell him to bring it up at your next appraisal! Happy Retirement, just think of the relief of not having to deal with arseholes anymore.

the man's a bellend but unfortunately lots of MNers subscribe to this kind of management style so be prepared for them to descend.

I had a manager who, when we were taken out to lunch by a new supplier, in response to us saying 'see you later' just smiled wryly and said 'I really don't think I will'. And he was right, it was a veeeerrrrry looooooong lunch [wine

Enjoy all your lunches and retirement!

I am an employer , and this wouldnt bother me at all . As for those who have said it's not fair on others having to take up the slack , how on earth do you think they come when people are off sick or on holiday ?
If 2 half hours in a working week affects their business then I would question their business model !

That must have been really annoying. You have worked there for years and may have put in many extra hours along the way and he is splitting hairs about an extra half hour for lunch? I hope it didn't put a dampener on those lovely farewell lunches you had.

I wish you a long, very happy and healthy retirement.

I'm off for maternity leave on Friday and took a slightly longer lunch yesterday which one colleague was annoyed by.

I just said sorry and carried on. I'm always early for work so had no guilt over it and my boss wasn't bothered at all.

"Last year our dept got a new Manager who's a bit of a stickler."

Well I think if you mean that in general he expects people to do their jobs & be on time/not take the piss regarding breaks then that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Even if he knows what the "norm" is, I don't suppose that he has to endorse it?

Presumably the rest of the group weren't late back though & no one was prevented from getting on with anything?