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, if your manager doesn't want employees on their phones, then she needs to apply the rule to everyone and not just you. If you are picking your phone up a lot, then maybe that is why she is noticing you. Why do you need to check twitter or whatever?

A lot of people are obsessed with their mobiles and just don't realise it. I totally agree with employers who ban mobiles during office hours. Nobody needs to be checking facebook or twitter all day long when they should be working. If grown ups can't realise this for themselves, then the managers have to take a stand.

I had to tell an apprentice to put her phone down, when I was training her on how to do something and she was looking at it under her desk. I know youngsters who have been sacked from jobs for being on their phones all the time and I know of more and more workplaces that are banning them during working hours because their employees just can't put them down.

I did work in a company which had this attitude and I did spend a good deal of time online after my work was completed.

BUT

If my manager had wanted to change things I would have done so without complaining.

In my current job there is no downtime whatsoever.

If you are being paid by the hour (which essentially what most salaried work is) then if you're not working, you are being paid for that. So if you're on your phone every 10 mins, then either you don't have enough to do; you aren't working productively; or you are a bit of shirker.

It depends a lot on the type of job OP does. When I used to work in an office, there were often stretches of time when I didn't have any work to do so I would read the paper or play a game on my computer. I would also sometimes stay pretty late to get a task completed (and no, the two things are not connected in the least. The 'no work to do' periods involved waiting for stuff to arrive/be passed on to me.)
Some companies have this sort of thing built in to the culture because that's how the business functions best - they need to have a certain number of staff in the office to deal with emergencies/rush jobs and their business model absorbs the cost of paying some of these people to doss for part of the day.

And no, you can't 'always find something to do'. Well, you could scrub the floor or something, but then you're doing the cleaner out of a job.
As PP said, only idiots fetishize 'looking busy' and presenteeism.

I was a social worker. My boss knew that I knew what needed to be done and was never bothered by checking email or other social media things.

I guess it really depends on your work place and your managers attitude.

'Literally a few minutes every 10/15 mins'

With an 8 hour day and your 'few minutes' being guessed at 3 minutes (my estimate) that's basically over 2 hours a day you sit on your phone when you're being paid to work. Piss take

So, to simplify:

There are 6 tasks to do, 3 people in the office. They each do 2 tasks, meet the targets, do it to a good standard etc. But they do it and have plenty of time to check phones, chill out etc.

What’s to stop the managers making one role redundant and deciding that 2 people can do 3 tasks each while working a full week with no time to piss about on Twitter?

Those talking about doing chunks of productive work with breaks, flexible working etc - that’s clearly not what the OP is doing here. Checking the phone once every 15 mins or so? 15 minutes isn’t enough time to get a solid chunk of work done in any industry!

Then they never give their work their full attention and are cheeky fuckers

Don’t be daft. If they’re getting the work done to the required standard, what does it matter what they’re watching.

OP’s manager is being unreasonable by not being a manager. IF she has an issue with phone use and wants to change the culture, then she’s of course at liberty to do so. Doing through the correct channels would make it slightly more realistic.

If I were your manager I wouldn't be interrupting you although I think it's totally unacceptable to use your phone every 10/15 minutes, I would be calculating how much time you spend on it over a month and reduce your wages accordingly.

If I were your manager I wouldn't be interrupting you although I think it's totally unacceptable to use your phone every 10/15 minutes, I would be calculating how much time you spend on it over a month and reduce your wages accordingly

Why wouldn’t you just manage the issue and raise it like a reasonable person

So they are interrupting you looking at your phone in the time they are paying you to be there?

Is this a joke?

@Ghostpost YANBU. A lot of MN posters seem to work in draconian environments and tend to resent others who have more freedom. They’re very black and white about work stuff.

The next time she approaches, I would point blank ask the new manager why she keeps coming over to your desk. If she gives some waffling answer, I’d respond, “Oh? Well according to the existing working methods here...”

The next time she approaches, I would point blank ask the new manager why she keeps coming over to your desk. If she gives some waffling answer, I’d respond, “Oh? Well according to the existing working methods here...”

If you go on that road, be very prepared for an answer you won't like.
Staring to behave like a child : "but he's doing it too" is so not going to help you, and I want to see the handbook or contract that states you are perfectly allowed to waste half your day on your phone

@FrauHaribo
Staring to behave like a child : "but he's doing it too" is so not going to help you,

Where did I say the OP should do that? Twisting my words with your overactive imagination is weird.

Oh god I work with someone like this who thinks we can’t see her , yes work gets done but the barest minimum and rubbish error ridden quality I imagine due to her concentration being constantly broken .

I find it selfish and absolutely disrespectful to the rest of us I always assumed it was because I’m old and don’t get phone obsession thanks to all who have said isn’t normal

Just stay off your phone, simple solution really....

I never, ever, ever go on my phone when my boss is around. It looks so unprofessional. I don't mind with other people but not with my superiors

It's not draconian to expect one of your workers to not be scrolling through Twitter.

It's one things replying to a quick text, another to sit there doing absolutely nothing whilst aimlessly looking through Twitter. She's right, it looks like you don't have enough work to keep you busy

I have my phone on my desk but use it sparingly when others are around. When I’m on my own I use it more. I’ve had so many non-jobs with little to do.

On asking for more work I’ve been ignored, told off and told to stick with my own work or been given boxes of archiving or shredding which takes me a day and then I’m back to nothing to do. I just keep quiet now and look busy!

In the past on Mumsnet I’ve been told I should be scrubbing floors or doing a deep clean and how dare I do nothing! I’m not a cleaner and have no intention of taking a job from somebody else. Advice firmly ignored.

YABU

I do occasionally check my phone in work time, but if I was told to stop then I would acknowledge they’re perfectly entitled to not want to pay me to be on my phone.

You definitely must be a millennial. There’s no way that looking at your phone whilst working or having it out is acceptable in my view and if I was your manager, you’d do my head in!!!

I get you.
I have always worked in relaxed environments but some come into these environments are they disturb it which your manager is doing but then you are doing it on work time.
I would stay off my phone tbh

My phone is locked away in another room while I'm at work.

Best get to the papers OP and say something about human rights.

I use to work for this company so relaxed. Never use to take lunch breaks but could go out when I wanted.
This new woman comes in and literally makes everyone on edge because she use to snitch everyone up for anything. Real nasty piece of work.
Took a special interest in myself and literally ruined the company now she left the employees who are left hate working there.

Some people choose to come to work to cause trouble because their lives are so fked up at home they want to make everyone else a misery

God I'm so glad I don't work where the majority of places do! Do you never take a tea break? Exchange a few minutes chat with colleagues? Share snacks around or talk about last nights must see tv? Do you not check the news/weather/read or send texts to your family and friends during the day other than at lunch?

This seems so alien to me. Every office environment I've ever worked in you've done the above. As long as you are good at your job and get your shit done, it shouldn't matter how you spend your time.

Reverse?