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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To leave work at 5pm?

140 replies

sunshineandrainbowz · 16/07/2020 20:53

My work hours are 9-5 but it seems all my colleagues stay later than that (I come to work on a morning to emails sent at 8/9pm!) and it gets commented on a lot that I shoot out the door at 5pm.

I don't particularly enjoy my job but I do it well and everything is done by 5pm but I get snarky comments that I leave at 5 and don't stay longer. I don't care for overtime pay etc. and just want to get home. (I've been here a year and the comments have been consistent)

Am I coming across as unprofessonal/is it making it obvious I don't absolutely love my job? My boss has never called me up on it it's just side eye and comments from coworkers but it's making me uncomfortable Blush

AIBU/rude? (I have anxiety so I'm probably overthinking this)

OP posts:
Lifeisgenerallyfun · 16/07/2020 22:43

I hate presenteeism. If you can’t do the job in the hours you are contacted you are either not being efficient or your work load is too high. Odd times when something urgent comes in yes, everyday working another 50% suggests something is wrong

roarfeckingroar · 16/07/2020 22:48

Depends if it's a job or a career and how ambitious you are. I'm technically 9-5 but often work until 7/8, especially wfh

Alez · 16/07/2020 22:54

YANBU. It's nonsense having to work overtime. Tbh I think it's nonsense even if you don't get all your tasks done in working hours - if someone can't get their work done in working time it's up to managers to train them to do so or reduce their workload. The PP talking about the person who wouldn't work overtime is frankly a bad manager. If you constantly overwork your staff you need to hire some more. However I'm sure lots of managers would disagree with that!

Pobblebonk · 16/07/2020 23:04

I don't particularly enjoy my job but I do it well and everything is done by 5pm but I get snarky comments that I leave at 5 and don't stay longer

Then you have an easy answer to the snarky comments: "I never leave until I have done all my work for the day. So what is your problem?"

islockdownoveryet · 16/07/2020 23:11

Thinking about it I never understand why people feel the need to pass comment that you leave on time.
My colleagues know I have dc to collect or get home to so why does it surprise them that I leave at 5pm ?.

I feel like I should be annoyed by it but I'm used to it .

WindsorBlues · 16/07/2020 23:15

Don't let other people make you feel guilty. Do your job, do it well within the hours you've agreed its what you're paid for.

I once worked in an office where a lady would never leave on time and stay up to three+ hours after our 17.00 finish. She'd also make sly digs about others leaving early, but refuse all offers of help when we asked. When she retired her 'work' was split between the rest of us, it was then we discovered she wasn't actually doing any work. I felt sorry for her as there probably wasn't much of a home for her to return to if she'd rather sit in the office doing nothing each evening.

FishyDuck · 16/07/2020 23:27

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Inthemuckheap · 16/07/2020 23:34

@FishyDuck

I'm a senior manager and director of a company and I am certainly not impressed by staff who race for the exits at 5pm. We want staff with an excellent work ethic who are passionate about their jobs and excited to go that extra mile to support the company and their colleagues.

If you are finished with all your work for the day, you should be asking your managers and colleagues whether there is anything you can do to help them.

Are you absolutely sure that you're not making cups of tea during the working day or switching off your computer before 5? These behaviours are not acceptable at my place and you owe your employer significant amount of time if you've been exhibiting them!

I'm also Director and part owner of a multi-million pound company. I am incredibly impressed by those who work the hours they are paid for. I measure output not hours on chair. If your staff frequently aren't finished by close of play, maybe they're just not very good at their jobs or you are understaffed?
Pobblebonk · 16/07/2020 23:39

@FishyDuck, what is the problem with OP switching her computer off before 5 if she has completed her work? It doesn't sound as if it's the sort of work where others can shunt work off onto her, and at, say, 4.50 p.m there is absolutely no point in her asking her colleagues or managers for more work.

And why shouldn't OP make cups of tea during the working day? People are entitled to be adequately hydrated. Do you make all your staff drink water, or is that regarded as too much of a luxury also?

FunTimes2020 · 16/07/2020 23:44

@FishyDuck

I'm a senior manager and director of a company and I am certainly not impressed by staff who race for the exits at 5pm. We want staff with an excellent work ethic who are passionate about their jobs and excited to go that extra mile to support the company and their colleagues.

If you are finished with all your work for the day, you should be asking your managers and colleagues whether there is anything you can do to help them.

Are you absolutely sure that you're not making cups of tea during the working day or switching off your computer before 5? These behaviours are not acceptable at my place and you owe your employer significant amount of time if you've been exhibiting them!

Ooh, you don't sound like a good boss at all...
BlingLoving · 16/07/2020 23:52

Breezy, "Ooh, I guess I'm just more efficient than everyone else" as you head out the door I'd say.

Have had a performance review? Any feedback from your boss that you don't do enough?

If you are finished with all your work for the day, you should be asking your managers and colleagues whether there is anything you can do to help them. This should only be true if it's before the end of your day. Or perhaps if your colleagues are super stressed because of a deadline or something. Otherwise, if your hours are a certain amount, aiming to leave on time is a good thing.

And if people are being paid overtime, I'd be willing to guess that the bosses don't appreciate slow working so that they can then stay late and be paid overtime just to get their work done.

ladymary86 · 16/07/2020 23:52

@FishyDuck
"We want staff with an excellent work ethic who are passionate about their jobs and excited to go that extra mile to support the company and their colleagues."

Translation: we want staff to work hours we don't pay them for so our productivity doesn't cost as much 🙄

GrumpyHoonMain · 16/07/2020 23:59

I don’t work long hours in the office. Will leave bang on at 5pm but then check emails / reply to them from my work phone to ‘play the game’. You only need a couple of important emails, sent before you go to bed, to cement your reputation as a reliable worker.

Longdistance · 17/07/2020 00:00

Your colleagues are inefficient and cannot complete their working time. No one gets a medal for staying late.
I have a colleague like this. She never goes home on time. She’s inefficient and interferes in other people’s work, she needs to get on with her own.
You’re obviously organised and can prioritise your work as what’s important and what isn’t so you can log off on time and leave stuff for the next day.
I’d be tempted to tell them ‘if you were more organised you too can leave on time!’ And skip off into the sunset.

Scout2016 · 17/07/2020 00:02

Some shocking management attitudes expressed here. You want mugs who slave themselves for you and cover for your being short staffed. I wouldn't want to be promoted in your companies. But no risk of that, because I'd - heaven forbid - make a cup of tea during office hours and leave at the end of my contracted day. Overtime should be optional and paid, if it's necessary you have staffing or workload problems. If it's just expected you have attitude problems.
@Inthemuckheap I'd rather work for you. I suspect you would think there was something up if an employee routinely had to work late, rather than they were driven by a passion for your company.

alibongo5 · 17/07/2020 00:05

All these people saying "as long as your work is done" - I could stay hours over and my work wouldn't be done. But meh, I don't get paid enough to ensure ALL my work is done. So I prioritise and ensure the most important things are done in the time that I'm paid. And then I switch off and go home and start again in the morning. Constantly reprioritising. But all the time i'm there I work hard. But unpaid overtime? No.

ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble · 17/07/2020 00:07

Don't bite people.

Before you waste any energy on Duck I suggest you look at her previous posts. It all becomes rather obvious after that.

NoWordForFluffy · 17/07/2020 00:08

@FishyDuck, I reckon I'd play buzz word bingo every time we had a conversation. And I'd get a full house every time too.

Get over yourself. Your employees shouldn't need to work overtime just to look 'excited'. Jesus wept.

savagebaggagemaster · 17/07/2020 00:12

You know what's impressive? People who do their work in the hours they're paid for, then go home and actually live their lives. There's nothing admirable in destroying your mental well-being by being a workaholic.

NoWordForFluffy · 17/07/2020 00:14

@ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble

Don't bite people.

Before you waste any energy on Duck I suggest you look at her previous posts. It all becomes rather obvious after that.

Did Duck used to have a different name? She talked about locking doors so people couldn't leave until let out?
PastMyBestBeforeDate · 17/07/2020 00:15

My favourite manager ever used to wait until a few minutes after 5 and suddenly stand up and say "Why are you still here?"
I liked that. He knew we worked hard in our hours and when the shit hit the fan we'd stay but he didn't think we should do presenteeism. We weren't on flexi time.

Pobblebonk · 17/07/2020 00:17

I too never finish my work before the end of the working day, it's just not the nature of the work I do. But if I haven't got imminent deadlines, have covered everything urgent, and have done a full day's work (even with adequate tea and toilet breaks!) , I have no qualms about going home at the end of the normal working day.

Adeleide2 · 17/07/2020 00:19

I have been a manager for many years and in my experience people who work 9-5 are often the ones who are efficient, good at time management and focus and also great at their jobs as they are not burnt out from too many hours in the office.

ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble · 17/07/2020 00:21

Did Duck used to have a different name? She talked about locking doors so people couldn't leave until let out?

I don't know (and not familiar with that poster/thread) but it has been mentioned on a thread about micromanaging to the minute.

WinterAndRoughWeather · 17/07/2020 00:22

FishyDuck is either a Walter Mitty-type fantasist or a complete lunatic. If her company exists, I’m glad I don’t work for it.