Expectation at work around working hours?

[Hop27]

We are back in the office FT and have been for a while. Contracted hours are 8:30-5, however EVERYONE works more as and when required to meet deadlines, get through workload.
My boss has started complaining about everyone's timekeeping, apparently coming in late (8:15) and leaving early (5:15/30), I walked in at 8:05 and it was noted that I was 'late' lots of jibes about working part time if you leave at 5.
He wants to sit everyone down and explain the expectation is that everyone works 8-5:30/6pm - everyday and that it's respectful to ask permission to leave early or arrive late. He keeps going on about how flexible he is and will support everyone to work flexibly.
If he isn't in the office he'll call after hours to see how your day was. I was on the train at 5:45, he called I answered and you could hear the disdain in his voice 'so you can't really talk because you've already left for the day and your on public transport' ....
AIBU (I doubt very much I am), I love my job but seriously how is this the way to treat people it's archaic. We are trying to hold an intervention about how ridiculous he is being!
(FWIW he is unhappy at home, it's common knowledge and uses work as an excuse not to go home)

I don't see why people have to work extra hours that they aren't contracted for or paid for though. If the nature of the job requires flexibility and working outside of normal office hours then that should be made clear at interview.

Have an HR rep present at the meeting…

Have a member of HR present at the meeting ;-)

And the job should be paid accordingly.

It's a bit sad how some poeople will do the absolute minimum that they can at work

I generally find that people put a lot more effort in at work when their boss isn't a total cunt.

He's a thief. A time thief. If he wants people to work more hours, he should be paying them for it.

I finished nearly 30 mins late yesterday, because I'm off next week and wanted to get something finished. I emailed my boss to let her know it was done and she texted me later to thank me and tell me to make sure I take it as TOIL.

Depends how much you're paid! Around about 80k pa I think you might not complain about working a few extra hours at all a couple of days per week. Past 120k, you might not complain at all about regularly working extra hours. But I'm guessing this is a role that is not near those levels? In which case, your manager is acting obsessively due to his own issues. I can guarantee that if his home life resolves or if he gets a new girlfriend or whatever, he will suddenly lose interest in all this extra, unpaid work. It sounds like an awful culture as you aren't really sure of what your working hours are and it must cause constant stress.

When we are really busy I will work past my hours if needed (this isnt expected by management, rather a personal choice) but we can take toil or overtime for every minute worked over our hours.

I wouldn't work for free (professional career).

I am now much more disciplined about working my hours. If something hits the fan or I need to work late I will. I’ve done all nighters if the business requires it but I will no longer drift into doing extra just for the sake of it .

So act all surprised when you get the sneer…. And say my contracted hours are 8.30 start, as you well know. I do usually like to get in a little earlier, but please don’t sneer at me like that when for whatever reason I start at the time I’m required to. And if he continues, ask him to put his grievance in an email so you can consider it.

Good attitude here

OP hasn't said what she is paid or what she does but I know that I'm expected to work late sometimes and that's reflected in my pay generally and is usual in the industry.

But not every single day!

Our sector insists on candidates being interviewed for promotion by a panel of managers outside of your line management chain. You don’t even get to know who is on the panel in advance. I could be working 80 hours a week and they,d never know unless I told them but then I,d look a) a dick and b) like I couldn’t do my job in normal working hours therefore a bit crap.

It's a bit sad how some poeople will do the absolute minimum that they can at work

Why? that is exactly how it should be.

Has anyone pointed out you're not leaving early? I did lots and lots of extra hours at my last job. Then I worked out my hourly rate was shocking because of the extra hours. Left and now insist that either I'm paid or given time off in lieu at my new workplace unless it's a genuine need to meet a short deadline or fix a crisis. I still finish 15 or 30 minutes late quite regularly but it's through choice when I'm on a roll with something. For out of hours work events (the type I organise and need to host/run) I always insist on TOIL. They have weeks to organise cover if it's a problem.