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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

469 replies

onlyafewdaystogo · 23/01/2019 11:10

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 Shock. 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.

OP posts:
ChasedByBees · 23/01/2019 12:09

Technically he’s right and I wonder if he’s trying to do things by the book to cover his own back as he’s just started?

It may be worth someone having a word with him about customs and culture or he could be inadvertently affecting morale or diminishing his own standing.

ShatnersWig · 23/01/2019 12:11

Wonder if the group that took you out got bollocked for being late as well?

Tensixtysix · 23/01/2019 12:11

Half an hour late is taking liberties. But you'll have freedom soon! Grin

echt · 23/01/2019 12:12

Wow there's some right keen little worker bees on this forum

No-one has said anything other than the OP has a contract that still applied. The OP has not been back to say whether her manager knew about the expected leniency with regard to the last week on a job, nor whether her lateness had an impact on others' work.

Mookatron · 23/01/2019 12:12

Oof what a twat. Maybe he is practising telling people off. He must know you don't give a shit. What's he going to do, sack you?

Tinkobell · 23/01/2019 12:17

Unless you were sitting on your own in the Italian OP, I assume others were late back too? I can see how this could be irritating over a period of extended Pre-retirement lunch days that you've described.

Jaxhog · 23/01/2019 12:18

Maybe he got a bollocking from the Manager of the people you were with, or from HIS Manager about it? Whatever it was, you ARE still being paid for your time there. Don't make it harder for those who aren't leaving.

ReanimatedSGB · 23/01/2019 12:18

Unless:
It's a big enough department that he doesn't actually know you're on your last week...
The whole group were late back and some of the others should have been getting on with important work, so there was a negative impact on other people...
The whole deparment has a casual attitude to timekeeping and this new chap has actually been given instructions to tighten up on it...

Then he's being a cock. TBH many, many jobs don't actually suffer if employees take it a bit easy: if the necessary tasks are being completed, there is no need at all to insist everyone sits obediently at their desks outside of allotted breaks. Jobs where you do need to do everything at a set time are a different matter, but it doesn't sound like the OP is in that sort of line in the first place.

RiverTam · 23/01/2019 12:18

different dept, Tink.

ItsAllGone19 · 23/01/2019 12:19

Some people on this thread work in shitty organisations if they think you're taking the piss onlyafewdaystogo because you wouldn't have reached retirement age with your company after many years service if you generally took long lunches whenever the fancy took you. Give and take is the cornerstone of a good working relationship, your soon to be ex-manager might end up finding that out the hard way if he's so small minded about a clearly once in a blue moon event.

Hope you have a wonderful retirement and manage to find at least one other long lunch before you leave Grin

iklboo · 23/01/2019 12:20

I once went out on a colleague's retirement lunch. The big boss was there too. It got to 2:30pm and he stood up and told us we were all now officially on a half days 'training' and got the beers in Grin

thenightsky · 23/01/2019 12:23

My arse of a boss gave me a 'ticking off' when I wasn't at my desk about 3 days before I retired. (I was in another department being given a present and a card). My response? 'so sack me'.

Another lady I worked with went home for lunch on her last day and never came back! We had a card and present and buffet laid out for her last afternoon as well. Never heard from her again.

LagunaBubbles · 23/01/2019 12:24

would have no problem picking up a bit of slack for someone who's about to retire after years with the company. Are people really that petty?

Sadly going by a few on this thread yes!

Faultymain5 · 23/01/2019 12:26

If I was so by the book I would come in to work every day 9-5.30pm. take a full hour for lunch and not answer any emails on holidays or out of hours, not do any work anywhere except at my office space. Instead, sometimes I'm early, sometimes I'm late, sometimes I have a long lunch sometimes I have no lunch, and because people konw how hard I work, no-one has anything to say. Because the work gets done and in my department, I'm the only one that does it, so no-one picks up my slack.

I would assume people asking OP out to lunch have known her for years and as she is winding down, well they're treating her. Someone coming in and commenting, how pathetic does that make him look and if he didn't want to be looked on as a dick, he should not act dicklike.

slashlover · 23/01/2019 12:29

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.

But you don't retire for another week, and this happened yesterday, with another happening before that so your last week has now spread to two.

Polarbearflavour · 23/01/2019 12:29

When I worked in the City, my boss (director) used to take us out for drinks on a Thursday afternoon! On my last day, he gave me a bottle of champagne and sent me home at midday.

toddlepod · 23/01/2019 12:30

You're RETIRING. Never need a reference, not working towards a promotion/bonus or personal recognition... Who does anything productive in their last week, generally, except prepare handovers and tie up loose ends? But permanently retiring.... oh bliss.

Practice your sincerely apologetic / reflecting on recent time-keeping criminality and reassure your manager that you'll work on your time management for the rest of your very last week ...not.

Enjoy your last week and best wishes for a fabulous retirement!

anappleadaykeeps · 23/01/2019 12:32

He may be envious of your Retirement deal - in our company, younger staff have much worse pension deals (versus the old "final salary" scheme that some of the older colleagues that have been there 15 years+) and will probably have to retire later (67 versus 60 in some cases).

I had an boss once who didn't have/want children, but disapproved that I was being given maternity leave. He refused to let the team do a card/collection for me, as "she is already getting maternity pay, she doesn't deserve a present as well".

Polarbearflavour · 23/01/2019 12:32

Some miserable people posting here should try working with the military! Late start on Mondays, lunch time finish on Wednesdays for “sports” and lunch time finish on Fridays! Grin

Deadbudgie · 23/01/2019 12:33

He’s a knob, be grateful you won’t be working for him going forward. Next week people will be picking up a lot more slack. Bet you’ve done a lot more than 1 hr unpaid overtime in your time there!

Asta19 · 23/01/2019 12:37

All the anal managers don't do themselves any favours. When I've had managers like that I would arrive and leave on time and only do the work that can be done in those hours. When I have a good, decent manager, I will go above and beyond. If they want me to stay late to do a last minute task I'll do it. Your staff will treat you how you treat them. Sadly the worst I've had have generally been women (although I've also had some lovely female managers). Unfortunately some women think they have something to prove and need to be tough on people to succeed.

Have a lovely retirement OP Flowers

ajandjjmum · 23/01/2019 12:38

Polarbear - unless you're in Afghanistan etc.

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 23/01/2019 12:39

You should take his criticism in the spirit it was meant, and sellotape some haddock to the bottom of his desk drawer when you leave.
Happy retirement!

Carnivaloftheanimals · 23/01/2019 12:40

Wow the mindsets of some people on here. And in my experience people who do everything by the book often spend so much time looking at the book and discussing every petty little issue that they're actually less productive than more flexible managers who just get on with the work and treat their staff like adults.

greendale17 · 23/01/2019 12:42

Smile, nod and be very aware that new boss is a seathing mass of jealousy that you are
a) retiring
b) obviously popular and well thought of.

^This without a doubt. YANBU and your boss is a soulless jobsworth.