New manager keeps disturbing me with irrelevant things every time I’m on my phone :/

[Ghostpost]

I was employed before her, and have been here a couple of months. We’re in a research type environement and everything is really laid back with phones, work hours, days off etc. Everyone knows work gets done, deadlines are met so everyone is happy that the place is so flexible around family life.

She’s been here 3 days and has mentioned twice if I have enough work to keep me busy (😒).. I’m an adult and I know what I need to do. And although it would be really easy to take the piss here, I have been working incredibly hard to make a difference to our department.

I’ve noticed today she keeps coming and disturbing me every time I’m on my phone reading twitter or whatever. She’s making me feel like a school child not being allowed on my phone. She’s looked over at me a few times already whilst I’m typing this.

If I wasn’t working she would have a point to make, but I refuse to be micromanaged like this, as I’m not a child. It’s making me uncomfortable.

Op you asked if you were BU. Why ask if you don't want answers/opinions?

I also suspect that she has been warned about you and that this is the start of you being performance managed out of your position.

If you're being constantly asked if you have enough work to do you're being told in a non-confrontational way to get on with it. I think your cards have been marked and new manager has been sent to assess the team workload etc and trim the fat.

I’m an adult and I know what I need to

Yes probably get off social media and do your job. Without trying to sound really rude I would expect to hear this from a 15 year old.

I wouldn't be on my phone if I didn't need to be, you are lucky you can use your phone, maybe just use it to check if your children are ok. You aren't working so she has a point.

Tbf OP, you playing on your phone at woek so you're not working regularly for small chunks of the day. We have one on our team who goes outside for a smoke every hour and it's infuriating.
Also, I find it hard to understand how you can get stuck into a piece of work and just stop to play on your phone. I would have to get back into the work which would make me less productive overall.

Someone just like you at work was given numerous warnings about phone use and ignored them.

She was sacked on Friday and sobbed.

Some people do not listen. Good luck OP!

op if you are able to get through work well with in time and still go on your phone then frankly they are employing you for longer than they need. As a new manager they have probably been aware that this may be the case so they are watching what goes on, especially if your other co workers are doing this to.

I would be worried op, it may have been the culture but if the work can be done well within the time given and folk are paid for a longer period thus allowing them to take their time and take regular breaks then they are oosing money hand over fist and maybe they are looking for ways to save the place money. From what you describe they could look at cutting hours. The work still gets done but they will no longer be paying employees for the luxury of taking their time with regular breaks, listening to music whilst working etc.
I can see that the workplace your in from what you describe could be ran much more productively and as others have stated this kind of environment unfortunately just encourages piss takers and with you complaining about her monitoring it is suspect you have may be started taking the piss a bit and getting to comfy with the relaxed atmosphere,

I have a sneaky peak at my phone when no one is looking. But scrolling through twitter is unreasonable in work time I think.
YABU

Lmfao....Really?? Like other have said is this REAL?, Sorry op you come across as entitled petulent and very immature. How do you not know that this new manager has been tasked with weeding out piss takers..maybe the company need to make a few cutbacks in the near future?? You simply dont know....
If i were you, id wind your neck in, buckle up and get your head down into your work as your paid to.
Btw a break from screentime doesn't mean staring at your phone screen instead!!

I do think you’re taking the piss OP and more than they others you work with by the sounds of it as you are one of those being singled out. Just put the phone away or look for another job.

We have to adapt to the culture where we work. Your culture's changed with the new manager, so you either change with it or move on to a different work place, no? To my mind, if you're incapable of adapting to such a little change, I'd be seriously considering if you were worth the trouble, as it shows a lack of flexibility and respect for your manager. They're hinting what they need you to do, but I'd be telling you, by now. Put your damn phone away, on silent, and work, interact with your colleagues and all will be well.

@HereBeFuckery When you say Nope. I'm out. Bullshit of the highest order.

Do you just leave jobs if you think they expect too much or do you not need to work at all so this never arises?

I’ll go against the grain and say they sound like they don’t understand organisational culture and are an insecure manager.

My teams work from home. I have little idea about their minute by minute activities and wouldn’t know about social media usage.
I’m happy for them to go,to,the shop or collect children during traditional working hours and trust them to make up the time. It’s called give and take. I know because they’re allowed flexibility that they offer loyalty and give back ten times over. I am pretty sure I could ask them to do something on Christmas Day and I’d get a positive response.

I think you need to have an adult to adult conversation and discuss what the concerns are and come to a reasonable solution. If you’re delivery is in line with KPIs then make sure they know this. If it’s about them being insecure and inexperienced as a manager ask how you can support them. Make sure they see the outcomes of your work too.

I think you've just come on here to boast about
your cushy job

@Damsel - no, I have been in my current job 8 years. If they started to take the piss and hold 'ooh well we might fire you if you don't' over my head, I'd be out before they could blink.
I meant I can't read this thread anymore. It's too depressing. No wonder folk are so unhappy if they let themselves be treated like doormats.

Not allowed phones'? FUCK OFF I AM A GROWN UP. I will decide if I can have my phone on me

Wow.

@CherryPavlova are you actively trying to get the op sacked? My employees work from home too, and I don’t give a toss what they’re doing as long as the work gets done to deadline.

However if we were sat together, I went over and asked “can you take on more work?” And they continued to scroll through Mumsnet murmuring “nah I’m good” it wouldn’t have a positive outcome.

Also the fact that the manager has singled out the op in such a short space of time (she’s been there less than week right) means that either she’s been warned about the op in advance, or the ops piss taking is so obvious it’s been noticed very quickly.

I still don’t understand and it doesn’t seem to have been answered why the manager just doesn’t deal with it in a managerial way.

Why not just raise phone use as an issue.

Seems odd.

@jaques according to the OP she’s been there three days. IME it’s a period of observation, plus meeting with everyone you need to meet and planning any changes etc that you’re going to make - usually with the full support and collaboration of those above you.

Off the top of my head I can think of three instances where I’ve started a new role where I’ve been tasked with tackling a problem employee. It’s shit as it means whoever is above you has palmed it off and waited until you’ve arrived which makes it harder (and makes you the bad guy). I get a feeling that this well may be the case here.

IME it’s a period of observation, plus meeting with everyone you need to meet and planning any changes etc that you’re going to make - usually with the full support and collaboration of those above you

But she’s not observing - she appears to be tackling it in a really odd way. Instead of just appearing every time OP is on her phone (seriously what manager has time for that?!) it would be simpler to deal with the issue.

I get a feeling that this well may be the case here.

Maybe. In which case let’s Home the manager gets a little more effective at managing situations!

Scentsandsensible Absolutely not. That’s why I would suggest an adult to adult conversation to agree acceptable working practice and an understanding of organisational norms.

I think she’s trying, for now, to do it in a diplomatic way - because otherwise it goes like this...
New manager callls op into a meeting about phone use. Op - “well what’s the policy on phone use” - this then enforces an answer which then needs to applied to everyone, and there isn’t one yet as it’s not been an issue or is an issue that has not been tackled.

It’s also the reason why people who take the piss with flexibility ruin things for everyone

I think she’s trying, for now, to do it in a diplomatic way

Maybe....but that sort of “diplomatic” often equals wishy-washy non-management that doesn’t change anything but causes conflict.

I would far rather a straightforward conversation about expectations from the start.

@HereBeFuckery I completely and utterly agree with you.

Once some of you get out of your present jobs you'll realise it's only minimum wage drones who operate in the presenteeism culture, jobs requiring brains give you space.

Yes! When you’re given responsibility and trust, you’re output increases dramatically. You want to check your emails in the evenings, you want to make up those data sheets that everyone forgot about..you’re willing to stay awake until 12/1am making posters or what not for conferences and meetings.

My brother is in a similar job and works from home 3 days a week. He is a high earner and gets work done.

I’ve had jobs where people have stood over my shoulder making sure I get things done, and it stops you working, makes you feel shit like you’re not already doing enough, and then you burn out.

If I was taking the piss, I wouldn’t get anything done. Yet I’ve achieved so much already, where even the NM was shocked and told me it was impressive what work I’d done in a space of a month. Picking my phone up does not mean I’m taking the piss, or that I’ll be caught or fired. Some of you sound like Victorian slaves. Such pathetic backward mind sets.