To deliberately inconvenience my colleagues?

[MistletoeMoments]

I spent a big chunk of last year covering a colleagues sick leave. I was going to be the least inconvenienced by it, so agreed to do it. It was supposed to only be for a couple of weeks, but he ended up being off for 7 months!

I was exhausted by the end of it, as I was juggling my own work, and it also involved a change in hours (earlier start).

Anyway, he came back and things went back to normal.

He's now scheduled to be off for a long weekend tomorrow, and I'm 99% certain nobody has arranged cover for it. I suspect it's just assumed I'll be doing it.

WIBU to just go in at my normal time tomorrow ready for my working day? It means my nightshift colleague will need to stay behind for 1hr until I come in. He'll get paid for it, but I feel a bit bad because I used to work nights too and I know how tired he will be!

This is bonkers!
Ring colleague on the night shift?
Go off sick?
Why on earth are you making such a drama out of this

Go in, do your shift, go home

Why would you do it when nobody asked you to?

Most people people would assume they would have been asked if needed.

You seem overly stressed about a work issue that may not even occur and isn't your responsibility even if there is an issue.

Honestly, if you were on my team and you came in early to resolve an issue I hadn't raised and that you aren't responsible for, I think I would be asking you why and if there was any work related stress going on. It's not typical behaviour.

Just to reiterate, I'm not stressed, I'm not causing a drama. I don't intend to call in sick, or call anyone at this time of night.

I was purely wondering if I should inconvenience myself for the sake of a colleague, who I class as a friend, who I know will be tired and has a school run to do. Or do I draw a hard line for the sake of this not becoming expected of me forever more.

There's no dilemma here at all, why are you taking it upon yourself to sort something out that isn't your responsibility. Why would the night shift put any blame on someone who has nothing to do with them having to stay late?

You are employed to work your hours.
Do your hours.
You are not responsible for anything other than your employed hours and work.
This is not your problem.
You are making it your problem!

The work colleague who is going off on annual leave should be the one discussing with the boss who is going to cover

If you keep being the safety net, nothing will change.

It's one day's inconvenience for the night shift worker, if there's no cover - versus you picking up the slack forever more.

Thank you. That's a good way of looking at it.

Go in at your normal time, no one has asked you to do otherwise, and don’t feel guilty about it either

Personally I'd go in half an hour early. That means you do half an hour and nightshift do half an hour. If they've already arranged cover and you aren't needed, just chill for awhile.

The thread title is interesting, OP. “To deliberately inconvenience my colleagues?”

How would you be ‘deliberately inconveniencing’ them when the situation is nothing to do with you but is actually only between your absent colleague and their manager?

You should look at why you think you’re the person to blame if your colleague is kept late tomorrow.

Why is it more moral for you to be inconvenienced than your colleague? Is your colleague more deserving of convenience than you are?

That's a good question. Especially since my colleague gets paid for his inconvenience and I do not!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts on the matter.

My alarm is set for me to go in at my contracted time

Wow, has someone really ruffled your feathers?

What if the colleague you think you're inconveniencing has already agreed to cover? And you turn up early. Will you both be doing extra work? By doing something not pre-arranged you risk becoming more of a problem.

Why should she speak to her boss ? It’s not her issue, it’s up to management to sort this out.
op just go in at your normal time. If they do expect that you will cover I would at least expect the courtesy of the them asking you and not assuming anything.

If you haven't been asked to cover, then they have made other arrangements.

If nothing changes, nothing changes. I'm glad you have decided to go in at your scheduled time.

Your colleague on leave is inconveniencing the night shift, not you. So are management for not maintaining minimum staffing levels. There are no proper arrangements for cover during sick absence and annual leave.

I understand the night shift colleague is your friend. Even though you know this extra hour will inconvenience them, I still think you are doing the right thing for everyone on the long run. .

You all need to stop working extra hours then.

Why would they listen to you screaming when they can put their fingers in their ears and benefit from you all working for free instead?

There's a word for people who do this and it's also something you drink tea out of.

Ah FFS leave the guy's job alone. It's not for you to decide to cover, and have the audacity to complain about how tired you feel by doing so.
Another agenda on your part. You have not been asked to do it so stop it.

I’d consider it presumptuous for you to decide management must have failed to arrange adequate staff over and on that you need to step in and start work earlier.
This is not your problem and, who knows, an arrangement may have been made, anyway.

Correct answer.

I’d probably go in half an hour early. Split the inconvenience with the night shift person.