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!

It's not your job to worry about it and they don't pay you for it either. Just repeat that to yourself every time something like this comes up. It'll take a while , but it will finally sink in.

If your bosses are saying it's not your responsibility, then just go in as normal.

@MistletoeMoments by sticking to your own responsibities how would you be inconveniencing anyone?
You weren't asked on this occasion.
Do you think you're saving your colleague's reputation for being sick? Or are you trying to be a hero?

I voted YABU because your presuming that you will be expected to cover for them you haven’t actually been asked to so just go in at your normal time and do your own work and if that means that someone from night staff has to stay extra hour that’s just tough shit it won’t kill them to work a paid for extra hour and I will make them realise that they need to get cover in for this colleague in the future.

Yeah I think you're overthinking it. Not your problem. Just go at your normal time.
Do you think a man would be sat here worrying about this on an evening ?

Normal annual leave or extra unpaid days? I’ve never heard of this.

@MistletoeMoments if you keep ‘saving’ them by appearing without being asked, you’re enabling them to carry on and not change their processes. Don’t do it.

OP doesn’t need to offer a reason, her private life outside of contracted working hours is her business. It’s sufficient for her to say (if asked) ‘I have a prior commitment’ end of.
However it sounds like OP is dedicated to her job and is genuinely concerned about staff complacency and there being no one to step up during her colleagues’ absence.

Exactly this.

There is no point complaining that you need more staff when you’re all plugging the gaps at your expense. The company has zero motivation to change the situation, it’s working for them.

If you are all responsible for your own cover how do you know the colleague who is having a long weekend (Friday? Friday and Monday?) off hasn't arranged alternate cover?

You haven't been asked so you go in as normal and do your job.

Is it possible the night shift person has already agreed to stay the extra hour?

You are not a bad person.

I was once aware that managers expected me to do something (play music/lead a choir) at an event, but I hadn’t been actually asked. It had just been assumed. It was so awkward as the day approached …

How have you been made aware that the colleague will be away? Any way to decrease those informal channels so that you can avoid this feeling you’re having right now. I assume the Night Shift colleagues would have access to that same information so I don’t see why it’s your, not her responsibility to double check with managers. Although no one should need to assume it check, you should be informed or contacted.

@MistletoeMoments It's more a moral dilemma. I'm 99% sure there's no cover in place so my colleagues are going to be inconvenienced by having to stay late.
Not my responsibility, but there's nothing really stopping me from coming in early just in case.

It's not a moral dilemma at all.

Listen to yourself. You said it yourself. It's not your responsibility.

Except you believe it is your reponsibility really........... and that everything will fall apart if you don't provide cover .........

Your managers know this and won't bother doing their job. Why should they when you're picking up the slack and doing their job for them?

You've already done cover for a protracted period of time without complaint 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

Management know who they can take advantage of and who won't put up with the shit.

I'm questioning if I should be more empathetic towards my nightshift colleagues who will doubtless be very tired.

Shouldn't you actually be questionng whether management shoud be more empathetic towards staff?

Don't get me started on the staffing levels. We have been screaming at management for years about being too short-staffed. I'm far from the only one who is drained and exhausted from working extra hours.

If you've been screaming at management for years about being short-staffed why exactly haven't they remedied the situation? - I presume it's because staff just work extra hours, while ending up drained and exhausted.
So, in fact management don't have to do anything at all ..........

My managers made all the right noises about how it's not my job to cover, but no suggestion as to an alternative arrangement.

Your managers have said it's not your job to cover. So believe them.

It's actually not your business whether they've made alternative arrangements or not.
And if you keep trying to cover up for their failures and short-comings, then nothing is ever going to change

Yes, we're all responsible for our own cover.
Where on earth do you work that you're responsible for your own cover??

You're majorly over - stepping your work responsibilities and ignoring management failings and by doing this you're making it difficult for yourself and your colleagues.

Your management is taking advantage of the fact that you all feel 'morally obliged'.
However difficult it feels, you have to hold them to account or nothing will ever change.

Stop feeling like you have to single-handedly 'save' everyone

I would go in early if it was to replace a woman who had to get home to young children but not otherwise. I think really you have to let this company fall on its face. Their management is very poor and you are rescuing them time and again. They are not learning anything at all that way.

No one else has made it your business so don't make it your business.

You would not be inconveniencing your colleagues. The manager who should have arranged cover will be responsible for any inconvenience caused if cover has not been arranged.

If anyone asks why you didn't come in early you simply say you weren't asked. If they press the issue you tell them you are not a mind reader.

If any of your colleagues grumble about their extra hour you can legitimately sympathise and agree whilst mentioning you had 7 months of it.

But why should she? Its not her job to arrange cover?

Or maybe the boss could do…I don’t know, boss things? And speak to the OP to make sure the work is covered.

Love it🤣

I gather this is retail…..
work your normal hours, no more, no less, stick to your contract … that way you can never get in bother

Please tell us you were paid extra for covering your absent colleague for 7 months.

Don't be tempted to go in early if you wake before your alarm.

Not quite sure why we needed a backstory about a colleague being off sick for 7 months. You should have bought it up with managers at the time, it was unfair you were covering this more than others. It's not relevant to this scenario.

A colleague has booked some time off, approved by management, you've never been asked to cover. It's not your responsibility, multiple managers have told you it's not your responsibility. Not sure why you're extrapolating so much about it.

Managers are literally paid extra for sorting this shit out. Go in at your normal
Time. They take you for granted and it's too much.

Stop being a martyr. If management want you to do more they should ask. It's their job to worry, not yours. If you want to do that, apply for management.