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.

Yanbu but before quitting I’d be having a serious talk with my manager with words to the effect of “I was told x but clearly that’s a not been the case. Why Can I not do what was promised?”.

I took on a job five months ago with hybrid arrangements and it has worked out for me, turns out the employer meant what they said. If they didn’t I’d have left already.

Of course you can sue if you were induced to take a role. That's basic contract law. You probably need to have turned down something else though to be able to demonstrate loss. And you need to be able to prove what you were told, so it might not be an easy claim.

OP have you tried being upfront and just saying sorry that doesn't work for me? That's what I did and everyone is ignoring the issue currently! I need flexible working for childcare reasons and post covid it is very difficult for employers to argue that it won't work for the business IMO.

@OnceAgainWithFeeling there are issues of course. Most roles can incorporate some flexibility with creativity. No one is suggesting that people wfh as an alternative to childcare and most kids are back at school.
What issues are you facing and how have you tried to resolve them? None of the ‘significant issues’ you refer to are insurmountable. Believe me. I’m an HRD in a successful organisation. We had flexibility before covid and even more so now. Including in customer facing roles.
Seeing people talk about WFH being a pisstakers charter, the challenges being too much, is just depressing. The outcomes of getting flexible working right are happy and engaged employees, stakeholders, customers and bottom line.

There’s a difference between firm policy and your employment contract. I guess at the time you joined, firm policy was hybrid working. If you joined a year beforehand, it would have been wfh exclusively.

Policies are changing in response to the living with covid model, and that also means wfh policies are changing.

If that doesn’t work for you, then of course YANBU by leaving. Maybe have a conversation with your manager to see what they say.

Happened to me - at the interview, I was told there were no plans for staff to come into the office, and besides, there wasn't room for everyone. On that basis I accepted the job, but the reality was that two weeks into the job, I was being asked to come in every day.

I left, but in hindsight should have kept the job until I had a start date from another job.

@OnceAgainWithFeeling - never seen so many people in the office? You sound like you’re congratulating yourself for a job well done? Surely you want people to work where and how they’re the most productive.

None of the companies which I interviewed with at the time had flexible working arrangements written into policy. I trusted that the conversations I had at interview stage and the ultimate promise of flexibility as part of their company culture would be upheld.

I do understand employers' preference for office based work, but equally many companies have chosen to trust their employees and hold them accountable for what they do, not where they do it from.

I have two interviews lined up for next week, one is an equally senior role 10 minutes from my house with a software company, so regardless of whether that was on-site or Hybrid, it would be so convenient and I would have quite literally hours more time with my kids each day. So perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, who knows.

Some companies do that unfortunately, they promise something, then start pulling back and testing your limits. Since you haven't agreed, just tell them this is unacceptable, you don't have to comply with people's changing rules.

This is happening all over we will all be back up to 5 days in the office pretty much. I don’t understand why as the pandemic really took the world forwards in terms of work life balance in some ways. Now everyone is coming out worse than before! More and more days are expected in the office and then because of the pandemic any personal time is also encroached upon as we all make ourselves available 24/7 with all the new tech!

It’s exhausting.

However OP there are still places offering hybrid and if not in your field then find something closer to home. You can hand in your notice whenever you want!

I think now for most companies who want to offer hybrid working they’re caught between it doesn’t have to be in a contract yet and a few companies are testing the waters re how hybrid working works out for both employers and employees.

I’d speak to your manager before you leave to see what can be resolved unless you’re confident of finding a new job easily.

Companies where WFH policies were already in place prior to covid 19 and terms and conditions of this already in contracts, I find are easier to work for eg if you’re a mother with school/nursery aged children or caring responsibilities, it’s the ones trying to implement hybrid working now who often have no or little idea what they’re doing and want to keep good employees but on the other hand want them in the office more.

I’m a bit surprised that some employers presume WFH means the employer does less work or slacks off as in one role I worked harder than I’d have done in the office, was working past finish times and had to be encouraged to take breaks! I’ve noticed that a few ex colleagues especially if they’re in government have actually retired early, one told me she was fed up of working in an office with office politics and commuting and much preferred to WFH.

[quote Kaftankween]@OnceAgainWithFeeling - never seen so many people in the office? You sound like you’re congratulating yourself for a job well done? Surely you want people to work where and how they’re the most productive.[/quote]
I do. Having joined during Covid the offices have been empty. There seems to be a real buzz in the air when people are together now. Not sure how much of that is because of money because the formal policy is still being worked up.

(My own office is 2+ hours from where I live, so I get how inconvenient it is to be there for the sake of it. My team are spread from Newcastle to Cornwall so sadly getting them all together is a lot less easy no matter how helpful I think it would be.)

* I trusted that the conversations I had at interview stage and the ultimate promise of flexibility as part of their company culture would be upheld. *

I just can’t get my head around the naivety of someone, in HR no less, you has absolutely NO written evidence that this is what was promised and agreed.

For the next stage of your job finding process, I hope you go in to it with a little more professionalism and well, HR focus!

Why would you stay?

The only reason I wouldn't quit is if I was worried about getting another job and couldn't afford a gap. You should not feel guilty about leaving for any reason but especially not in the circumstances you've described.

Why do you need our permission to hand in your notice? You're supposedly in HR (though you don't seem to know how any HR matters work) so you know it isn't personal.

Weird thread.

@RedMake88

This is happening all over we will all be back up to 5 days in the office pretty much. I don’t understand why as the pandemic really took the world forwards in terms of work life balance in some ways. Now everyone is coming out worse than before! More and more days are expected in the office and then because of the pandemic any personal time is also encroached upon as we all make ourselves available 24/7 with all the new tech!

It’s exhausting.

However OP there are still places offering hybrid and if not in your field then find something closer to home. You can hand in your notice whenever you want!

@RedMake88 - I see a distinction between younger workers who seem to prefer not WFH as they like the social aspect of the office and presenteism (being present) culture.

Women and men of my age (40s, 50s etc) are fed up of commuting, office politics in the office, don’t feel the need to prove themselves as much and have done the after hours/office socialising so are far happier WFH.

I’m guessing most private companies and government are being leaned on heavily to encourage people back to the office rather than WFH as they don’t want office spaces sitting empty or being sold off and of course Pret A Manger et al are putting on pressure re their lack of profits.

I think with cost of living increases including commuting people will make up their minds whether WFH saves them money long term or being in the office does.

@ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave I don't work in an area of HR that deals with Employee Relations or policy. I work on the recruitment team. Im also not asking anyone for permission to do anything, I'm asking if it unreasonable to resign on the basis of what I have laid out in my post. But thank you for your comment , I guess?

[quote Kaftankween]@OnceAgainWithFeeling there are issues of course. Most roles can incorporate some flexibility with creativity. No one is suggesting that people wfh as an alternative to childcare and most kids are back at school.
What issues are you facing and how have you tried to resolve them? None of the ‘significant issues’ you refer to are insurmountable. Believe me. I’m an HRD in a successful organisation. We had flexibility before covid and even more so now. Including in customer facing roles.
Seeing people talk about WFH being a pisstakers charter, the challenges being too much, is just depressing. The outcomes of getting flexible working right are happy and engaged employees, stakeholders, customers and bottom line.[/quote]
In my previous role (public sector) printing can only be done when docked on a physical desk. Medical secretaries wanted to work from home exclusively…… not possible when patient files aren’t yet digitised.

My team were hybrid and in 2-3 days a week throughout Covid.

I’ve changed role and am surprised by the number of ER cases linked to capability, seemingly because tasks just haven’t been completed over the past 6 months. One major national project is on the brink of collapse because the project lead has been detached and distracted whilst WFH. It is costing a fortune to get it back online. The company is lucky to have survived the pandemic, but it’s hard work to reestablish the secure position it had before and needs everyone pulling in the same direction. We’ve lots of changes in the Exec team which is exciting, but there is very much a culture amongst some of being late for online meetings because they went for a run or were outside mowing the lawn and lost track of time. Or they were unwell but didn’t think they needed to let anyone know anymore. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sadly parameters and support weren’t put in place at the beginning by the outgoing HRD and so many managers are struggling to get the staff back into good habits, at home or at work. It’s frustrating because I genuinely hoped the pandemic would bring positive lasting change around flexible working.

[quote lameasahorse]@OnceAgainWithFeeling a buzz i.e. people chatting to each other about their life does not equate with people doing a good job. Not impressed by your thought processes at all.[/quote]
You’d need a 10,000 word essay to understand my thought processes!

There are other indications that “anchor days” are helping staff. Apologies for not giving you 2000+ accounts from staff.

@ConfusieSusie

None of the companies which I interviewed with at the time had flexible working arrangements written into policy. I trusted that the conversations I had at interview stage and the ultimate promise of flexibility as part of their company culture would be upheld.

I do understand employers' preference for office based work, but equally many companies have chosen to trust their employees and hold them accountable for what they do, not where they do it from.

I have two interviews lined up for next week, one is an equally senior role 10 minutes from my house with a software company, so regardless of whether that was on-site or Hybrid, it would be so convenient and I would have quite literally hours more time with my kids each day. So perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, who knows.

@ConfusieSusie - I’ve left my job recently and have been interviewing elsewhere.

My main conditions are a good hybrid working policy and well-being statement.

I have a good enough CV and enough experience so I can pick and choose what I’d like to do.

Definitely go with what suits you, not the employer. But be wary that if hybrid policies are changing then that may be it and you’re expected back in the office.

I made a list of companies where I’d like to work, with good hybrid/wfh policies and applied there before covid 19 kicked off! I then got a good WFH contract so it didn’t matter but I was researching and interviewing them as well as vice versa.

Happened to my dsis not in terms of working form home but promised things at interview that never happened

they all lie to get you in then state well its not in the contract