My employer lied about flexible working - I want to leave.

[ConfusieSusie]

I joined a new organisation late last year, they offered me (along with the rest of the company) a Hybrid working arrangement whereby we would attend the office 3 days a week and WFH the other two days. We also had flexibility to WFH in instances where any of our children were sent home from school or nursery due to displaying any symptoms (this is an illness policy within school & childcare services across the board where I live).

What has actually transpired, is that we are required to be in the office every day, and MAY be able to WFH if it is absolutely necessary. However, if we take flexibility in a given week, we have to "make up for it" the next week by showing up every day. I am commuting 90 minutes each way and explained at the outset that flexibility was enormously important to me because of this, and would be one of the most influential factors in my decision to take any job offer. I feel completely duped, the majority of people doing my job in other companies are either on a Hybrid model or fully remote.

AIBU to hand in my notice? I have never left a job after only a few months but I feel very strongly about this.

"I was told that ......."
Were you told that in writing? Do you have evidence?

Or even verbally? Why aren't you pushing back? "When interviewed I was told by John Brown that I would be allowed .... and accepted upon that basis". Why are you not pushing back harder, before quitting?

Your child’s illness is not your employer’s problem. I’m not surprised they don’t want your colleague working and doing childcare at the same time. Few employers would be happy with that!

And if it’s not in your contract then it’s a policy which they can, and have, changed.

You can move jobs but the direction of travel on this one is, unsurprisingly, that employers don’t want children at home whilst their employees are being paid to work.

I don't blame you - you have been misled.

It'll be a pain the bum for them to advertise rehire and train and so you probably hold more cards than you realise. Kick up a fuss and if they don't move - then yes quit.

It's a shit way to treat people

Also there are some short sighted people here who have zero idea about the reality of healthy kids being at home because of school covid policies - ignore them

@SafelySoftly fully understand that, just felt bad for her that the immediate suggestion was that she leaves. No suggestion of taking parental leave or being signed off for a period of time. She is our most senior and knowledgeable team member and it was uncomfortable to see her treated that way.

In any case, nothing is written in policy, which is why I'm asking AIBU to leave.

which is why I'm asking AIBU to leave.

Well of course not, you can leave for any reason you like

Yes do leave! If you have it in writing you can do something about it.

I left a job once after only a few months. It wasnt the job I believed it to me and I didnt get the additional money I was offered.

If your role is being done flexibly elsewhere, then I'd apply elsewhere ASAP, get some interviews and hopefully an offer. Hand in your notice once you have agreed to an offer and you can be very vocal as to the reasons why you are leaving.

There are absolutely jobs where the employer would rather have the parent of a sick kid working and doing what they can instead of them simply not being available due to parental leave or unpaid leave. I've got one. Get out there and have a look OP. There's certainly nothing to feel bad about.

I wouldn’t think twice in your position.

I’m also in HR and recently left a job that I felt had been missold.

My new job is about a thousand times more suited to me in terms of flexibility and I’m actually doing what the job description said I would be!

When I left the old place I was furious I’d been put in that position, but left on good terms. My boss there let slip that she had been concerned I’d get fed up once it was obvious it was not the varied and interesting role I’d been promised, so she obviously knew they’d be pushing their luck.

Is it worth asking your manager to flag concerns to senior management. It sounds like you are one of many with similar issues. Could this be considered indirect discrimination against women who are often main carers in addition to job.

From my experience, HR are the worst for not following their own policies and procedures, making up their own rules that only apply to them and not being supportive to their own staff - whilst expecting every other manager to stick to the rules completely

So, I agree with the others - speak to your manager first (who I assume was on the interview panel) but if you don't get the answer you want, then it is absolutely fine to resign.

Get a new job then leave. Don’t resign until you have secured it.

[quote ConfusieSusie]@HairyMuttttt unfortunately, I work in the HR department! So on top of feeling completely duped myself, we are dealing with many others coming to us feeling the same or just simply quitting. This almost makes it more difficult as my boss is imposing these conditions under orders from Senior Mgt. Just dreadful all round![/quote]
If you work in HR you should know that probation is a total red herring in terms of employment rights.

OP, I am sorry they duped you. It was a shitty and unprofessional thing of them to do.

But there is no need for you to feel bad. You owe them nothing. You only owe it to yourself to protect your self-worth. Hand in your notice. You are not repsonsible for this mess and you can't do anything about it.

You don’t need random strangers permission to leave. It you can afford it quit. You can do so for any reason you wish

On a separate note last year when you were interviewing many companies didn’t know how it would pan out and they are entitled to put in place the police they feel meets the business needs. You are then entitled to work there or leave.

Regardless of your own position, is this the type of HR department you want to work in? People thinking a way of working has been promised but the reality is different? Can’t you do anything about it from your position in HR?
There’s tons of data on the positive impact of flexibility working. Do some work calculating the cost of people leaving because of their stance. If none of this works then look for something else. It sounds professionally as well as personally bad.

You've seen the way your senior HR colleague was treated: why would you want to remain with this company? In your shoes I'd apply for other jobs, insist that your flexible working agreement was put in writing and was in your contract and then hand in my notice. I might even be tempted not to work out my notice on the basis that they had renegued on their flexible working promises. But you're the HR person, so you'll understand the consequences of that better than me. There seems to be quite a demand for HR people so you should be able to find something better.

Oh OP, why didn’t you question that it wasn’t written into your contract at the time? I’m not criticising, I’m sure you just believed they would do the right thing, but it’s such a shame because they technically haven’t breached your contract, they’ve just reneged on an informal arrangement.

YANBU to hand in your notice and tell them exactly why. I hope others who were lied to do the same so they realise they can’t get away with it!

@returntoUK

Did you turn down or not pursue other roles because of this job? I’d be suing for compensation.

This is bad advice, don't bother doing this 🙄

If you have the opportunity for a different job them I would absolutely quit. Who do you 'feel bad' for? The management who have proven themselves to be untrustworthy? They have shown you that the culture is toxic. I think multiple short term job changes might affect your cv adversely so make sure you have a really decent gig lined up because you don't want to do it twice but there should be zero guilt. If you died tomorrow the first thing your employer would do is have your job up on indeed, loyalty is not valued and is only used to guilt people into agreeing to things they are not comfortable with.

@Laptopsandmouses -entitled to put in place the policy that meets the business need? It doesn’t meet the business need if you demotivate staff and find people leaving and not giving of their best.
People performance is at the very heart of business need. Work is an activity not a place.

Start applying for other jobs.
When asked why you left this one be open and honest, that the hybrid working offered was pulled when you started and this is why you like the new company etc

It seems employers are so desperate for good employees that they are willing to lie, and then once they think they have those employees in their grasp and dependent on them for money, proceed to take the piss.

It's difficult to advise, but if you think you can taken the hit, then leave. I think you've already made a mistake by pandering to their them - you should have said a flat NO from the very beginning when they were trying to change the terms, but I appreciate that you were still trying to figure out what you were going to do at that point and probably feared the consequences (which the assholes fully took advantage of).

Do not feel bad for leaving after a few months. You were lured into your job under false pretences, and now they are taking advantage of your vulnerability. Do not stand for this behaviour - if they are unpleasant enough to do this to you in the first place, it's not a good sign of how happy your employment will be there in future. Even if you hand in your notice and they suddenly say you can work your original pattern because they're panicing at you leaving, think carefully before staying. They've already shown you their true face and I think you'll need to watch out for yourself in that company more than you should have to.