To be a bit pissed of with new working hours?

[Binting]

I work in a busy team in the public sector as admin support. I’ve always been flexible with my hours to meet the demands of the professionals I work with. Major things can come in at the last minute and I’m happy to stay and help out late and make up a bit of time later in the week if the deadlines are tight. My colleagues are paid way more than me and don’t have set hours as they are expected to do the work necessary to get the job done, they get better pay, more holidays and a better pension as a result. I earn below the average wage.

I have just reduced my hours to 28 a week and wanted to check what the arrangements would be regarding flexibility during my working day, i.e. if i stay late can i make up another day or could i take 30m lunch and leave a bit earlier or save the time up. Today i was told i need to do 9-5 with an hour for lunch. For such a large organisation there is nowhere i can go in my building to sit away from my desk and eat lunch, so it would mean going out and probably spending money, or sit at my desk for an hour and try not to get into answering queries, phones or look at emails popping up (which i don’t mind doing for half an hour, but not for an unpaid hour). I’m not someone who would normally say i can’t help because I’m on my lunch, but now I feel like i’ll be forced to do that (I actually won’t do that, i know i won’t). What will happen is i’ll end up working over my hours to help everyone out, but I’ll feel a bit resentful about it. I just don’t see why it can’t be a bit more flexible, as it has been for the last few years and as it is for the higher grade staff. Should i just suck it up, stick to the hours and let it affect my colleagues (sorry, can’t stay to finish that typing, fix the copier, scan that over to X as it’s 5pm and I’ve done my 7 hours) which will force them to plan ahead regarding my assistance, or what?

I’m feeling a bit grumpy about the whole thing but i do need to handle this in a professional and dignified way. WWYD?

I haven’t worked in this role but have had people do this sort of role for me or a team.
I think you should be very matter of fact. Send an email to those you are supporting explaining that unfortunately due to a change of working practice decision by HR or x,y,z you will no longer be in a position to manage workload flexibility. Please be aware of this when planning.

Then wait for them to all to swarm/moan and send them in the direct of the jobsworth manager.

It’s definitely the hour for lunch that’s frustrating. I honestly couldn’t sit at my desk reading if the people I share an office with needed my help. They work so hard and are really under the cosh at the moment. I can’t see myself working to rule either. I’m in an environment where we have to respond quickly to the senior leaders at times which means me playing my part to facilitate that, lunch break or not!

I feel better for venting though. And really, we should have a room we can use for breaks away from our desks. I’m going to moan to senior leaders about that.

@suze Fortunately the team I’m in are chain tea/coffee drinkers. Flip, if I couldn’t have my 5 cuppas a day I really would work to rule!

you are going to have to teach them what their own inflexibility is going to lose them... work to rule, at lunch, no matter how annoying/cold/pain in the ass it is, leave for the entire hour, even if it is standing outside in the cold under an umbrella, no work during lunch, then at 5pm on the dot, stand up and walk out, if people ask you do do xyz at 4.55pm you will have to tell them "sorry ive been informed i must stick to my agreed hours so ill have to do it tomorrow" and do that everyday, and if someone moans or bitches that you used to do it, tell them that you are no longer allowed any flexibility so you have to stick to your assigned hours, and that that rule is from management... and stick to it

I honestly would work to rule otherwise you will earn less and still work the same hours!!!

^ This.

OP, you are going to have to work to rule. If you’re at lunch at your desk and are asked to do something, you’re going to have to say no can do, sorry!! Go speak to “manager!”
If you don’t, you’re going to be working extra for nothing and that will be setting a precedent!

I would eat your lunch then go for at least 10/15 fresh air/walk so at least get a proper break.

Why on Earth not come on MN for your lunch hour

Stash yourself in a meeting room. Who needs to know?

• I honestly couldn’t sit at my desk reading if the people I share an office with needed my help. I can’t see myself working to rule either*

I think your boss is banking on exactly this. Please don’t let them take the piss.

Work to rule and look for something else.

Hi OP

I think there should be give and take which it sounds like there was before. I'd have another chat with them and ask what happens when its busy or there is a tight deadline and your colleagues are expecting you to help out? Will they really be ok with you going? Likewise if it's ever quiet are they happy with you not doing much when you could leave early and bank those hours when its needed more? If yes then I guess you have to do it, but I'd see if you can find some way to let your colleagues know your new instructions, before it gets busy, so they don't think it's you letting them down

Did you routinely use to work 30 mins longer than your finish time under the old hours? If so, then just work through lunch and leave on the dot as a rule.

I can understand why you don't want to sit around el desko for an hour and turn away work. It would piss off the people who need your help and create a bad impression, even though you are within your rights and even though it is your manager who is making you work to rule.

I would tend to go for continuing to be professional and helpful to your busy colleagues rather than obviously work to rule to make a point.

Is your manager new and does not know and trust you yet?

As someone who could very easily be one of the type of public sector professionals you are admin support for I would be mortified if I found out you were staying late/ working through lunch etc for the reasons you give. As you pointed out they are better paid and have better benefits than you, you shouldn't feel responsible for stuff you aren't being paid enough to feel responsible for.

As you have already discovered 'going the extra mile' doesn't actually gain you anything in the public sector. Your colleagues will cope if you work the hours you are supposed to and put a sign over your computer screen for an hour saying 'on lunch please do not disturb' which is what some of the admin in my department do for all the reasons you have identified.

It sounds like in practice you are going to have to either spend up to an hour wasting time / being out in the rain to make a point, or you're going to have to work those hours. So I'm going to go a bit against the grain and say just tell them that since there is no flexibility and no practical way to take a genuine lunch break, you would like to be paid 9-5 with a 30-min break, arrive at 9 and leave at 5. That way you at least get paid for the work you do!

My manager has always been quite flexible but now say they don’t want to set a precedent to others.

So, take an hour for lunch and leave at 5 on the dot. Don’t make a point of doing it or being stroppy, just quietly do it. Any comeback from others with deadlines, just say your manager has said it’s best not to set a precedent.

It could just be a misunderstanding though. Perhaps the manager interpreted it as you wanting to come and go all hours which is difficult to kept track of. Could be she just meant 9-5 as standard, but didn’t tack on that there is some flexibility as usual. Might br worth clarifying that before going for the passive aggressive throwing toys out the pram.

You’re entitled to a lunch hour so take it. Eat your lunch and go for a walk. The world will carry in without you. You don’t get any prizes for being a martyr. The work will still be there when you get back.

I agree you need to remove yourself from your desk if you need to. Sit on the stairs or go for a walk. Stairs would be passive aggressive, a walk would at least be exercise and being outdoors would be a healthier break.

If this really isn’t doable you need to log the hours/minutes you work through your lunch break (by logging in and out if necessary) so it is trackable. Once this has happened regularly for a week you can show it to your boss and ask her to work out how best to make up for this unpaid overtime.

can you not have a meeting and ask to change to half an hour for lunch?
i also dont understand if you are in the public sector why your pay is so low? You say you earn below average

stick to your hours though, and try and negotiate half an hour for lunch.

Have you a car parked near work . I think I would go and have a nap but then I love a nap .
I think I would go back and negotiate a 30 min lunch break with either finish 30 min earlier , start later or whatever .

I think you are being a bit ridiculous tbh. Most offices I have worked in are not necessarily kitted out with a canteen or somewhere to eat lunch... and most people either go for a walk (sit outside in the summer) or eat at their desk.

Also a big part of working set hours is that there is somewhere there 9 - 5 (whether or not they are busy that entire time). If someone needed assistance at 4.45pm it would be a bit of piss take if everyone had gone home half an hour earlier because they chose to have a shorter lunch break.

These are your contracted hours (they are reasonable!) so I think you have to just suck it up.

Many years ago a new manager took over at work. He caused havoc with his new rules. One was insisting no-one ate at their desks. There was uproar. But then we played him at his own game. We all took our tea and biscuits to the rest room - which only accommodated 10 at the most!!! There was about 20 to 30 of us!
He soon changed his mind.

They have told you you have to work 9-5 so I’d be doing exactly that.

I’m going to go against the grain a little. You sound a bit like you are bugging up your role and making it sound a little like your team would fall apart without you. If this is the case then it’s a while other staffing issue. You take your lunch, eat at your desk and read a book. If anyone asks you to do something you smile politely and say no problem, I will be happy to do it after lunch. Same with evenings- I’m finished at five but will be happy to get to it first thing for you. No rudeness no resentment no problem.

I have a similar situation. The best way to solve it is that you leave on the dot and never stay late even if required. If they ask for flexibility, fantastic, because then you can negotiate some flexibility back.

I always eat at my desk and always need to deal with queries at that time (it is our busiest time). So after my boss asked me to have lunch, deal with queries and still deduct the lunch break from my timesheet “as otherwise the company will be breaching the rules”... now I eat my lunch at the desk while I answer the phone and deal with multiple queries and then I go for a long walk. It is boring sometimes but if you find a “break buddy” who is in the same situation, it becomes pleasant.

I know the above is not reasonable but neither is what they are asking for.

If you are supposed to work 9-5 with an hour for lunch then do that. If someone needs help outside these hours say no, I’m on lunch or I’m going home.
If you think your lunch hour will drag then read or knit or go for a walk anything.
I don’t understand the issue I’m obviously missing something.