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?

Of course there are roles and occasions where flexibility isn't possible but in many, many cases a little bit of flexibility wouldn't be detrimental to the business.

Clients don't get to dictate everything on their terms.

I run a business that deals with clients - they can request I'm available at certain times but if I'm dealing with other clients at that time then they can have my time when I'm free.

If they're not happy with that they're free to go elsewhere of course, but IMO it's a two way street. Meetings and appointments have to be suitable for everyone attending them, not just the person paying for the work.

Pre pandemic I started at 9.10am to allow for school run - paying childcare for an hour for 3 children for the sake of 10 minutes was a bit mad. Now the situation has changed due to the pandemic and now I have parking at work so I start at 9am. Fairly normal in my office though.

@CallmeHendricks trouble with comprehension this morning? Or would you like to elaborate which part you have trouble wrapping your head around?

‘ 😂 Work zoom from a park bench. Brilliant’

It has been known!

I have been on absurdly ‘flexible’ calls where we had a full audio of a participant speaking as they rummaged through the freezer in the local supermarket.

Surely most would be back for 9.30 start so push it by 30mins

@Dguu6u

Bloody hell, glad I don’t work in your team. Either you start a bit later or you do your meetings without the team member. Let them drop their kids off at school, that’s more important than whatever work you’re involved in.

I’m sure the international employees in other time zones and more importantly the client (who by giving your firm the work, pays your wages) would be impressed with your attitude. You’re not someone I would want working with me.

I’m amazed at all this flexibility around school runs, how the hell did anyone cope when they were in the office every day?

Because we had later starts in our contracts. My office had a regular 9.00-9.30 meeting every week. In 15 years I never went because my contracted hours were from 10.00am. I just waited for the minutes to be circulated or if there was something urgent my line manager would brief me when I got in.

@icedcoffees

Clients don't get to dictate everything on their terms.

I run a business that deals with clients - they can request I'm available at certain times but if I'm dealing with other clients at that time then they can have my time when I'm free.

If they're not happy with that they're free to go elsewhere of course, but IMO it's a two way street. Meetings and appointments have to be suitable for everyone attending them, not just the person paying for the work.

Same. Well, I don't run the business, but I'm one of the people providing the service and we schedule our meetings based on mutual availability.

Are you their line manager?
You've only said you're all employed and paid above national average. If they don't report to you, it's none of your business.

How much notice did they have for the meeting?
If it was a couple of weeks, they may have been expected to make alternative childcare arrangements. If it's a day, that's unreasonable.

Astounding arrogance from someone in the privileged position of being able to call the shots with an employer they have already proved themselves to via a contract. The vast majority of employees cannot hold their employers over a barrel with this kind of ‘big talk’ - people need jobs and if they don’t work their hours they will find themselves out on their ears

If women in senior positions don't do this then when the hell will it happen for others? You call it arrogance, I call it knowing my worth. I am more than happy to do what is required to get the job done, sometimes that's cancelling leave, leaving my phone on over Christmas or working late into the night, but most of the time the job is flexible and can be done at a time that suits me and I will only work for employers that extend that level of trust and flexibility. The more it is done by those that can the more it'll seep into the more old fashioned, male dominated, environments.

I will also say I'm a senior manager and extend the same level of flexibility to my teams at all grades, so long as it fits within business requirements. Funnily enough I have a very loyal and skilled team that don't hesitate to go the extra mile when required.

This is a work place, not a school.

As a side note: I've had meetings with clients in Australia and China in the middle of our working day. I've also had meetings with the same people at 11pm.

I'm not in that job anymore, and now work a very comfortable pattern where meetings generally don't start before 9:30 or after 4:30, but there needs to be flexibility on both sides.

I’m sure the international employees in other time zones and more importantly the client (who by giving your firm the work, pays your wages) would be impressed with your attitude. You’re not someone I would want working with me.

I’m in a senior role client side. I would have absolutely no problem if a consultancy or agency or other supplier firm asked to move a regular meeting 15 minutes later to accommodate the work life balance of their staff.

Why must the call be at 9am?

So if the meeting time is changed to suit U.K. employees on the call, what about those in Tokyo, Dubai, New York and San Francisco etc?

@MiddleParking

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

Agreed.

I have no idea whether the individual in question is being unreasonable because it’s too difficult to say without knowing a likely outing degree of detail. But as always the thread is filled with people who are either astonished or annoyed to learn that different companies and industries have different working conditions

@Overthebow

I’m not asking people to be at the office for the meeting. I couldn’t care less where they dial in from, but do expect them to be available at 9am for it.

So tell them that. You’re achieving nothing posting here and if you’re a manager than manage!

Another pointless thread where OP does t really want opinions they just want it be told they’re right.

@userg5647

Astounding arrogance from someone in the privileged position of being able to call the shots with an employer they have already proved themselves to via a contract. The vast majority of employees cannot hold their employers over a barrel with this kind of ‘big talk’ - people need jobs and if they don’t work their hours they will find themselves out on their ears

If women in senior positions don't do this then when the hell will it happen for others? You call it arrogance, I call it knowing my worth. I am more than happy to do what is required to get the job done, sometimes that's cancelling leave, leaving my phone on over Christmas or working late into the night, but most of the time the job is flexible and can be done at a time that suits me and I will only work for employers that extend that level of trust and flexibility. The more it is done by those that can the more it'll seep into the more old fashioned, male dominated, environments.

I will also say I'm a senior manager and extend the same level of flexibility to my teams at all grades, so long as it fits within business requirements. Funnily enough I have a very loyal and skilled team that don't hesitate to go the extra mile when required.

This is a work place, not a school.

My point is, not everyone works in this kind of a job. I am also a professional (director level) with great flexibility which is extended company wide. I’m also aware, however, that not everyone (particularly women if you want to bring gender into it) has the kind of work history, qualifications and general bartering power to be able to ‘know their worth’. Some people are desperately searching for a minimum wage job - encouraging a kind of entitled attitude that sees work as something to squeeze in around the school run and the food shopping, really doesn’t help the 90% of people who aren’t in a position as privileged as you or I. I just think this thread is a shocking reveal of a lot of peoples’ attitudes to work. Respect and trust from an employer has to be earned initially and whipping people up so that job seekers bark demands at their new employers is not going to end well for the vast majority. It is a huge privilege to have the kind of bartering power that you do. I’m all for using it, but appropriately, and recognising that your attitude is far from appropriate for the vast majority of job seekers.

Yeah they'd all faint at our place where some meetings are at 7:30 am, some at 9,some at 6:30 pm.

Difficult to say without knowing if there is history with this person. It sounds like it has got your back up ...

I appreciate your difficulties but 9 am is a rubbish time for a meeting.

Even if that is your start time it doesn't give people time to log on, check their diaries, check the agenda etc without them working before their start time.

People who work best with a routine ie log on, deal with urgent emails, sent of that query that popped in my head in the middle of the night etc hate a day that starts with a meeting at the beginning of the day.

I think the issue is that the company hasn't got an official position on hours, understandable last year but if they are going to continue wfh they need to get their act in gear. When dealing with multiple time zones you need a flexible work force, most schools start by 8.45 anyway

Astounding arrogance from someone in the privileged position of being able to call the shots with an employer they have already proved themselves to via a contract. The vast majority of employees cannot hold their employers over a barrel with this kind of ‘big talk’ - people need jobs and if they don’t work their hours they will find themselves out on their ears. This thread is whipping people up into a stir thinking they and their domestic arrangements are far more important than their responsibility to their employer. I’m all for flexible working policies, I work in a very flexible and family friendly company. But there’s flexibility and there’s being an arrogant and entitled arsehole taking the piss

You aren't wrong that not everybody can do this. I can. Are you suggesting I shouldn't because others can't?

Op has said this person does not have core hours, so how is it relevant to the thread OR the person you were responding to?

My 'domestic duties' are just as important as my work duties. In some ways more. If ds isn't cared for SS get involved. If I am shit at my job, I get sacked. Would rather be sacked than have SS involved tbh.

Your posts read as 'some people have it shit, so you can't comment because you have it better'. Its irrelevant and incorrect.

@Brefugee

Yeah they'd all faint at our place where some meetings are at 7:30 am, some at 9,some at 6:30 pm.

How do employees with children manage that?