Packing up time

[PackingupTime]

AIBU? When do you pack up your stuff at the end of the working day/log off etc including those who work at home.

For example my finish time is 6pm so I'll start packing up and logging off at 5.50pm as I have to pack my laptop away, clear desk and get my coat on etc ready to leave at 6. Some colleagues start packing up at 6 and leave at 6.10/6.15pm.
No one has commented but it's just something I noticed.

YABU start packing up at 6pm
YANBU leave at 6pm already packed up

Although I may have been tidying my desk, packing my bag etc, my PC was left on until the very last moment.

The reason for this is that my company had a system of monitoring log-on/off times and anything just a couple of minutes before finish time was flagged and a discussion would follow.
What was unfair (in my eyes at least) was that I travelled by bus and was always at my desk/logged on 30-minutes before start time and leaving dead on finish time was the only chance I had of catching my bus.

WFH meant an end to this. 😁

Surely it only takes 1–2 minutes to pack away? You’re taking the piss.

YABU - surely you just pop your laptop in a bag, then grab your coat

Odd that you have your coat on ready for 6

But it was your choice to be there 30 minutes early - your travel issues were not your employers choice

If they expect you to be ready to work from a certain time i.e., at your desk and logged in for 9am, then they should expect you to leave bang on your finish time.

When I was in my professional career, there was no such thing as finishing work time. When I went into semi retirement and was more clock orientated, I would start to pack up at on time and would be ready to leave one minutes later. What on earth are you doing for ten minutes?

You’re definitely taking the piss.

Unreasonable to clockwatch to that extent... I log off when I've finished the task I'm working on that's close to the end of my working day, sometimes it's before sometimes it's after, sometimes I work through lunch, sometimes I take calls that go on after my official end time, sometimes i accept a meeting invite before 8.30 because it's the only slot... because I'm an adult who manages my time, if a company wants to clock watch then they are going to breed clock watchers.

Surely it depends on what you do, I work somewhere where ppl call in, the phone lines are open till 5, ppl will call up till 5 & expect an answer. I cannot take queries if I've packed away already. I'm camp log off at 5pm. But as above, I manage my time well, there is some give & take, and flexibility. But I think its a customer facing role you need to stay logged on till the phone lines / office officially closes

When I was working-
I will be at my workstation still fully working up until 1-2 mins before official close of shift. Then if something else does happen that takes longer I won't do it if it's going to make me leave more than 5-10 mins late. (Unless mega urgent).

I have the same minor flexibility in the morning in that I sometimes start 5-10 mins late but it works out the same overall.

I agree with pp about public, so frustrating when you just make it to call not long before lines close and it turns out they are not answering because they decided to finish earlier!

I log off at finishing time, not before. However, if there’s only 10 minutes to go, I wouldn’t start a new project. Likewise in the morning, I start the logging on process at start time, not before, even though it can take a while to get through the various security measures and passwords for the programs I need.

How the hell does it take 15 minutes to put a laptop in a bag?
I work in a professional role now so manage my own time, but even when I was much younger and worked in entry level admin etc I'd never stand there with my coat in waiting to go home. You must really hate your employer.

Back when I was office bound it would be pack bag as it got close but certainly not coat on etc. Computer would be on to the last minute, wouldn't start anything that would take me over unless urgent but would be either continuing an ongoing project or just be available on email.

Now I don't have a set end time. We finish when we finish and clock out then

You are taking the mick.

Reminds me of when the unions ran the country in the 70s, and the news footage would show the car workers all stood with their coats on, outside by the gate, to leave the site when the hooter blew for the end of the shift, but clearly they had all stopped working some time before.

Obviously a lot of people aren't 'on the clock', and have to 'get their work done' so this isn't an issue, but if you are expected to work until 6pm, and are paid for the time you put in rather than the work you put out, then you should be working until 6pm of course. I bet it wouldn't take you 10mins to put your laptop in your bag then.

I may start to finish things up but I finish on time or usually later. People will have noticed, I’m surprised no one’s mentioned it. 10 mins seems a long time to fanny about.