To swan off to the hairdressers during the working day?

[PersonaNonGarter]

Interested to know people’s thoughts on this.

I am employed on a 35hr 9am-5pm 5days a week contract. In reality, no-one in my industry works that - the hours are often long, go into weekends, start early and finish late. The wages generally reflect that.

I am having a very quiet period at work while key clients are on holiday. I booked a hairdressing appointment 9-11am (marked ‘personal appointment’ in my diary) checked with boss that a personal appointment was ok (it was). Appointment went to 11.30am.

Just received a bit of a pass-ag message from my boss suggesting I should book this as a half day’s holiday because ‘11.30 is closer to lunch’. I am not sure that the extra 30mins is really relevant. I don’t want to use holiday.

AIBU?

This would be fine in my industry - also working late hours when required. No need to be treated like a child when at work and I would be annoyed too.

I used to do this all the time. It's swings and roundabouts. Sometimes you work in your non-paid personal time, and sometimes you do personal stuff in work time. As long as you deliver the goods no reasonable manager should have a problem with this.

For those saying 'take holiday' and 'I wish I had a job like that' , plse note that in my industry (tech) this is a commonplace working model. Delivery is all, presentieeism isn't valued.

‘Next time just take your laptop so you're showing as available on teams/slack’

Agreed - I was available on Teams. My work phone open in front of me.

And as for the poster suggesting cutting my hair with nail scissors just so I can sit at my desk with nothing to do….I really don’t know what to say to that. I just note that the UK has notoriously low productivity and this approach may be part of it.

We have to book leave or use TOIL. It’s never worried me.

And don’t forget to carry some papers around with you on fake walkabouts 👍

Oh, I didn’t say that at all! I agree with others, there should be give and take - you work late sometimes, you can have time for an appointment sometimes. I just wanted clarity on whether your hair was as important for work as you think it is. I mean, it’s work. What you look like is irrelevant.

I have a similar working pattern and yes, I have done personal things like haircuts in work time. I have also booked half a day holiday when I know I will have work stuff I can’t shift out the way.

I think the fact your boss has commented means that maybe you need to be more aware of your presence - I personally don’t put ‘personal appointments’ in diary unless it’s for a dentist or doctors appointment and just make sure I’m available on my phone.

And as for the poster suggesting cutting my hair with nail scissors just so I can sit at my desk with nothing to do….I really don’t know what to say to that. I just note that the UK has notoriously low productivity and this approach may be part of it.

That is not what the poster said though, is it? Ridiculous deliberate misinterpretation.

I’ve done that when I’ve had no work to do. Didn’t feel guilty and didn’t even tell my boss. Would do it again

I agree it works both ways. In my role, my productivity is high and I often help out on other projects. Therefore I get maximum flexibility. For my manager she's happy that she can ask me to do x/y/z and know it will be done and won't need to be chased. I'm happy knowing I'm not chained to set hours. To me, this is how an adult working relationship should be. I never miss meetings or appointments. But outside of that I can do things as I like.

I get my hair done during work hours, too. I take my laptop and work whilst I'm having my highlights put in. Not a problem, and if I goes on longer than expected then I'll just work through lunch or after hours. No big deal.

@Tlollj

Exactly what I was thinking.

If there is no work then why not take annual leave at the same time as your clients?

“ I don’t want to use my leave” Is a pretty crap excuse and no wonder the economy is in such a dire state if many workplaces are like this.

Sorry @stuntbubbles I was being unfair - I do take your point. Disappointingly my appearance is relevant. I am in my 40s and still trying to move up the ladder competing against people younger than me. I wish it weren’t so!

I do this all the time, so it clearly depends on your industry and employer. If work expect you to be flexible in evenings and weekends then they should be equally flexible at other times, and if they pay is good to reflect the expectations then they should trust highly paid people to manage their time and get the job done.

Understandably there are lots of job where it would not be possible.

I would not book leave since your boss had already said it was ok, I would just stay through lunch to be seen since he seems to have a bee in his bonnet.
I probably would have sent a couple of emails while I was at the hairdresser to show I was actually tuned into work.

I also work in an industry where we often work 18 hour days, weekends etc. at peak periods. Fortunately, our bosses recognise the commitment of their teams, and would have no issue with this at all.

There has to be 'give' as well as 'take'.

Would be fine in my industry during busy times of year we can be working 60 hour weeks but during the summer there is a lull. I went for a swim this morning and had a 2 hour coffee earlier in the week. Whole team went to the pub on wednesday for the afternoon. Could easily book a hair dresser appointment if I wanted and no one would know or care where I was.

Usually flexibility should go both ways. Do you get overtime or time off in lieu? If you get one of these then I don't think my previous statement about flexibility counts.

Not unreasonable at all, I work a job like this. Currently am "at work" "getting paid" but typing this from a coffee shop where I've spent the last three hours staring into the distance idly thinking about the meaning of life.

If there's no client work, there's no client work! And in return I have and will work late into the evening - until midnight sometimes, cancelling dinner plans with friends if meetings conflict, etc.

Maybe clarify with your boss if he thinks you should step up your non-client work - he might want you to be proactively finding some client development or firm-building tasks to work on and he's telling you in a strange roundabout way. But if not then YANBU at all.

Flexibility goes both ways and boss should definitely allow this if it is a quiet time.

I do this all the time op. I think your boss is being very short sighted, especially if you often work outside of your core hours.

I get no overtime, TOIL or anything similar. It’s about flexibility.

Thanks to everyone who replied. Some of these have reminded me that my boss is actually quite reasonable!

I don't see an issue with it, you're either at the hairdresser not working, or at home not working... If the work isn't there, it isn't there.

So many people on this thread working 18 hour days, till midnight etc. It's not good!

I have nominal hours that I work (part time) but as long as I am present for particular hours for certain events / meetings then I can work my other hours to my convenience . In your position I would have either marked my calendar or emailed my manager 'appointment 9 - 11', 'working 11 - 6' (no lunch).

If I literally had no work to do at all I would sit on the sofa with my laptop next to me watching TV and very slowly tidying up my folders / emails. It never happens to me though

I would be able to do that without taking holiday in a quiet period. In a busy period I work weekends and evenings. That’s the trade off!

Actually OP, I've just read your OP - and I think it should be absolutely fine for you to do this - as you work extra unpaid time and at key hours (evenings, weekends etc). I personally don't understand people who work overtime (one of my best friends does this and works 11 or 18 hour days most days plus a lot of weekends too, I think she's mad!) without being paid for it. Or getting TOIL in return.