AIBU to think that team should be available at 9am for meetings?

[Overthebow]

I set up a weekly client meeting for my project team at 9am. I have had a decline from a key team member as it clashes with school drop of time. AIBU to think that 9am is a standard working time and my team should be available to attend important client calls at this time, unless they have a formal working hours agreement in place?

This thread has really brought out the forelock-tuggers being “shocked” that 9am is an issue. Some people just can’t seem to bear the idea that it’s perfectly possibly for industries to run in a way that works for both the staff and the business. I suspect because they haven’t had that environment themselves they don’t like the idea that it could potentially be better.

YABU there's rarely a need for a 9am meeting, even across time zones. If you need the odd early meeting then email the project team explaining the issue and giving them fair prior notice to attend, that way they can get cover if needed.

I've worked in Project Management for 13 years and putting in a 9am meeting isn't going to get them to warm to you. I'd do some jigging around to keep everyone happy.

Can the meeting start without this person there? In most of my team meetings we have updates from several people each time, so someone else would be able to go first.

I think 9am meetings are ok for face-to-face, but online is trickier because you need your computer to be switched on and warmed up, you need to make sure your tech is working etc. Realistically if I had a 9am meeting I'd need to be at my desk at 8.45 to get everything up and running.

A lot of schools aren't doing breakfast clubs at the moment and childminders are like gold dust around here as a result. If school doesn't physically open until 8.45 then you can't leave young kids off any earlier than that.

Dialling in via mobile is potentially workable, if people have phones with a good data allowance.

Why so fixed on nine? I wfh, in a professional organisation where people who don’t have kids sometimes don’t start till ten am, and then just work later. We have no core hours, people are able to complete the work required and it’s ok for people to say I can’t make 9am let’s move it to half nine or ten. It’s no big deal. We’re all grown ups. And weirdly, by trusting us, especially during this pandemic, we’re all quite loyal to the organisation.

And I do have before and after school childcare in place, but I hate 9am meetings. It’s such a rush sometimes, even 9.15 or 9.30 helps me get my head into gear, check my emails, scan my to do list for the day. Just be nice if there’s no need for it to be sharp at 9am.

So the key person just joins the meeting slightly later? Depending on your role, some are in meetings all day, every day - its not remotely unusual for people to join later or leave the call earlier depending on their level of responsibility. You're making a fuss over absolutely nothing, frankly.

[quote YukoandHiro]Lots of schools still aren't providing proper wrap around care because of covid. What do you expect them to do? Do you pay them enough to have a nanny? If not, can't you start your meeting at 9.15?[/quote]
Why can’t they do what everyone else who had to start work at a normal time has to do? Childminder, family member, neighbour..
I’m quite staggered by this idea that the client can go hang. Is this really how it is? I’m quite certain that if at any stage in their career my many friends who work in various areas of business had declared themselves unavailable due to the school run, they would have found themselves superfluous to requirements .

@Lightswitch123

Wow.

This thread.is eye opening.

9am seems like a pretty decent start time.

Lots of companies start much earlier than this.

The business should run around the client preference not the school run.

Lots of companies start earlier than 9am, yes, but this one evidently doesn't. Hence the problem. If they had core hours and everyone was expected to start at eg 8.30, it wouldn't be an issue.

YANBU I have a great deal of flexibility from my employer but it’s all on the proviso that the client comes first. I’m on an international project and that means early meetings to take account of time zones. On the plus side I generally have very few afternoon meetings and am always available for picking up from school/ after school.

I thought everyone was much more productive working from home, so why oh I need half hour to log on, I need 15 minutes to get my head in the game. I bet when in the office people attended 9am meetings without issue.

@MiddleParking

Everyone thinks you’re a dickhead for putting in a weekly 9am call, just so you know.

I wouldn’t think that. I get irritated by 09:15 or 09:30 meetings. I am timesheeted in my work with time billed to clients and it’s really hard to do anything productive in those few minutes while you’re waiting for an ‘almost first thing’ meeting to start. 9am meetings kick off the day efficiently and productively. Anyone who thinks a 9am meeting is dickish makes me assume they’re a bit of a lazy slacker!

@tinierclanger

This thread has really brought out the forelock-tuggers being “shocked” that 9am is an issue. Some people just can’t seem to bear the idea that it’s perfectly possibly for industries to run in a way that works for both the staff and the business. I suspect because they haven’t had that environment themselves they don’t like the idea that it could potentially be better.

The OP has explained that the client has set the time. Y’know, the client who can take their business elsewhere if they choose because you are pissing about taking your child to school.

Pre pandemic our school breakfast club started at 8:10. It’s never re-started. Until recently the earliest we could drop the children was 9. Now it’s 8:50. Thankfully my boss isn’t awkward about it.

I have found this thread to be very enlightening! I have 30 people turn up for an in-person meeting every day at 9am...

Also if starting up the laptop is such a time burden then boot it up before the school run and it’ll be ready to go when you’re back at your desk! It’s not rocket science.

How did this all work pre-Covid? Was everyone taking children to school then going to the office? I’m bemused by so many people thinking work revolves around school hours, especially when they are so short for the young pupils.

@TestingTestingWonTooFree

Pre pandemic our school breakfast club started at 8:10. It’s never re-started. Until recently the earliest we could drop the children was 9. Now it’s 8:50. Thankfully my boss isn’t awkward about it.

So make other arrangements ?

@Fetarabbit

I thought everyone was much more productive working from home, so why oh I need half hour to log on, I need 15 minutes to get my head in the game. I bet when in the office people attended 9am meetings without issue.

Why would you assume that when you've absolutely no idea? It's clear that 9am meetings are fine in some workplaces, not in others and in this particular office there's been no mention of staff ever having been required to even start by that time.

Be assertive with the client and move the damn meeting by 15 minutes.
Or structure the meeting so your colleague can join in late.
No point being petty.

If they needed to be in an office for 9am, they’d arrange childcare. I think this is where wfh has allowed some people to start taking the piss

I work with clients, across the globe. While this often means meetings at 7am and 7pm (which are attended by those for whom it works).

Funnily enough it only ever seems to be the U.K. based ones of a certain type who choose 9am meetings.

‘The OP has explained that the client has set the time. Y’know, the client who can take their business elsewhere if they choose because you are pissing about taking your child to school.’

This. In my industry, if the team lead was saying they couldn’t hold a 9am meeting UK time when the client had worked to find an acceptable hour across timezones, the client would be completely justified in taking their business elsewhere.

So I’d be either a) explaining to team member that their presence is needed and can they please join on that day, with a reminder that client’s business matters b) looking at options to replace team member on project if they are unable to consistently attend key meetings c) consulting with senior management to see if they have any better ideas.

Depends. I've told my bosses before I won't be making a 9am meeting and they've just moved it to 9:30 and the client had to deal with it.
I wouldn't want to work for a company that insists on me being at a meeting at 9am though because of having dc and getting them to school etc. Even different time zones can usually cope with 15/30min change.

Do you value the employee? Are you a workplace which tries to encourage flexible working and a good work life balance? If so move the meeting, even an extra 10 min would no doubt help. Unless you’re paying megabucks so the person can afford a full time nanny I think YABU- what are people with kids reasonably meant to do when schools start around 9.

But the time was chosen by the client and some will be staying late to make it happen.