To ask if you sneak off to the gym during work hours?

[inneedofaglowup]

I know there's a lot of "that's cheeky and taking the piss" bit how many of you actually do it when working from home and is it really that bad if you do do it??

This.

Threads like these really show how stupid people can be tbh, some just cannot fathom how jobs are all different.

So my job is fully flexible, always has been, one of the reasons I chose it however for some reason I shouldn’t take advantage of this because someone else is working as a nurse in intensive care, or in a shop or a school and have to keep to time?

I have to work during the school holidays, I don’t say that it’s unfair that teachers don’t have to because that is the perk of their job, I could be a teacher and have that perk but I don’t want to be so I don’t complain about it.

These jobs are available so if you want one, go get one, stop demanding that everyone else has to have your shit terms and conditions.

I think like all these types of threads, the anti wfh and those that have bosses who aren't flexible, will bash those that do.

Comments like "I have to work for my wage" and "I have actual work to do" come across as bitter and jealous.

I have actual work to do but I also have a flexible employer and a manager that understands that little things like an hour in the gym is good for productivity and mental wellbeing. I come back from the gym or bike ride/walk and will settle back down with a much clearer head. He's even told me that as long as the work gets done he doesn't mind when or where it's done.

And I get good reviews so it isn't affecting my productivity.

I had a complete mental block the other day, nothing was going in and I couldn't concentrate so I went for a 30 minute bike ride to clear my head, came back and settled down for another 3 hours work with a much clearer mind.

Does my employer object to me working til 2am on a big proposal?
Do they object to me working on an important report at 5am?
Do they object to networking events with clients in the evening or needing to travel on a Sunday to be with clients on Monday morning?
Or needing me on calls during my holidays?

Given all this it’s entirely reasonable to take time out in the day or organise my work as I need to (be that family commitments, gym, whatever).

Flexibility works both ways. If I have to be super flexible, then the employer should reciprocate. If the work gets done properly, it really doesn’t matter.

Yes I do, except I don’t “sneak”, I just go. I get a lunch break and if I’m not too busy I take it to go to the gym, go for a walk, run errands etc. same as I would if I was in the office. Other than meetings, I manage my own calendar and don’t work in a job that requires constant contact with others. Other people do but that’s their choice, all jobs are different shock horror.

I’ve worked in plenty of offices where people take multiple fag/tea breaks all day.

I wouldn't go out out, but sometimes if I'm working through a big problem or it's been a really full on day, if I've got a gap I might take the dog for a walk to organise my thoughts or clear my head.

My role involves a lot of thinking though, and by that I mean trying to come up with solutions. I don't always need to be in front of my screen to do it and sometimes it's better not to be.

I'm actually considering getting a motorhome to travel and work from all over the UK / Europe when the kids aren't at school and DH is off work (he has lots of time off due to his shift pattern). All I need is Internet and a PC and I can work from anywhere. I don't see my colleagues until the Xmas do.

Thank you @EarringsandLipstick. If I had gym membership and wanted to use it during the day I'm sure I could, but it would be agreed beforehand. I wouldn't just "sneak off" because it would be noticed.

The nature of my work means that I am fully occupied during my working hours so sneaking off for the odd hour or two doesn't work for me, although I could do it if it was agreed beforehand. I would just need to put in extra hours to make up the time.

I go before work. I might have a walk on my lunch break and I know some people do classes on their breaks.

I think the point that some are making is that not all jobs can have flexible terms. If you turned up for a gym class during your flexible work day & it was cancelled because the instructor wanted to nip off & do something else, or a doctor, hairdresser, chef etc disappeared during their work hours you wouldn't be impressed.

I don’t “sneak off” but I do go to the gym during work ours. I don’t say I’m off to the gym, although my boss tends to know which sessions I attend now. If someone calls me, unless urgent then I can usually tell them I’ll be back in an hour. My company is happy to be flexible with me as long as it’s a 2 way street. I’ll pick up work in the evenings, weekends and holidays.

I don't sneak anywhere. I've always had jobs where I've been able to have a break and do as I wish - eat, pop to shops, do some sport.
This is been the case across 4 jobs both office and home based.
I don't do it every day and my work is not at all negatively impacted - the opposite in fact.
I am a scientist.

No.

I know a few more people who take a long lunch to go to the gym when working in the office than I do that do it when WFH - helped by the fact my office is right next to said gym.

But they all make the time up - they're not "sneaking" anywhere. Does it really matter if they're working 8-12 then 2-6, or straight through 9-5:30 with half an hour to grab a sandwich?

I have a muppet of a manager that blocks off two hours (and lunchtime) to go the gym as she thinks it's acceptable because she has evening calls with our Australian office.

Given that the other 80% of the team are in the UK and Europe I have no hesitation in booking meetings that suit everyone. Cheeky moo.

Yes, but I don't sneak. My work is flexible and health and mental health matters to all of us as we're better and happier when we are healthy.

I start late a couple of days, and work later, and vice verse a couple of days.

If the hours don't quite work out I pick up extra hours on a Saturday morning.

It's all very human.

I don't understand this, so she works extra hours in the evening, and takes extra hours during the day, what is the problem?

I mean I get, that the priority should be the team, but surely they can't always be meetings in those two hours?

But the point is it's NOT during my work hours. My work hours are pretty flexible, I'm not client facing. If I wanted to work 11-8 I could. It's up to me. I don't count that time I'm in the gym as time I'm at work, obviously.

And tbh if the hairdresser wanted to take appointments 8-12 then 2-6 a couple of days a week and plan to go to the gym at lunchtime, they could.

It's not a race to the bottom. Let's not make everyone work set hours at a physical workplace just because some people have to.

No, I would go to the gym at some point during the 16 hours out of 24 that I’m not at work. I wouldn’t go out shopping or take a couple of hours to do some gardening in the middle of the day, so I don’t see why going to the gym would be any different.

My employer is great about flexible working, but within reason. Plenty of people where I work from 7-3 or 8-4 or (as I do) 10-6. Sometimes I work very late and if I do I can finish early some other time. So it would be easy enough for people to adjust their hours to fit in the gym before or after work. But we can’t just fuck off and be unavailable for a couple of hours during our normal working day. We need to be around for impromptu calls and queries etc and it’s obvious from our Teams status if we’re not there.

So does it mean that none should because some can’t?

@Lizzypet I think this is the thing though, nothing is cancelled, it's flexible working, if you were to just disappear when you were meant to be on a zoom call, and obviously that would be a problem…

This isn't unreasonable. If she has to work evenings to accommodate a different team, why shouldn't she get those hours back? When else will she have chance to do things for her own actual life?

Why does working flexibly make her a Muppet? Do you expect her to just work constantly? Or are you expecting Australian colleagues to get up in the middle of the night to accommodate your working hours?

We need to be around for impromptu calls and queries etc and it’s obvious from our Teams status if we’re not there

Same here.

There are some pretty defensive replies on here.

I think a lot of posters seem to have missed the point that the OP said "sneak off", rather than using flexible working to their advantage.

Sneaking off is piss taking and dishonest. Working flexibly is not.

I have, but cleared with manager first. My company is 37.5 hours, but I work 8-5 (45 hours), so me going 3-4 times a week for an hour and a half easily fits.