Colleague keeps putting in calls at 4pm with me

[MichelleTalks]

I’m on a 35 hour a week contract and our employer very much champions a flexible working and ‘as long as you do your hours we don’t mind when’ sort of approach.

I typically work between 7-4, which allows flexibility with school runs etc. Other colleagues do similar - some will take a longer lunch to go to the gym, some will get admin done in the evenings. No issue - we are all adults.

Recently, a colleague keeps trying to book meetings in with me at 4pm. She tends to work 9-5 every day. I point out various free slots in both our calendars earlier in the day (4-5 is always blocked out in mine) and she does eventually re-schedule for one of them. But it has happened 4/5 times in the past month now.

She is as entitled to flexible working as the rest of us, but it feels like she resents my approach. Would you say something or just ignore?

If she doesn't stop I'd be tempted to 'helpfully' forward her a guide to how to check availability in calendar before scheduling meetings seeing as she does not seem able to do it. Two can play passive-aggressive.

How long are these meetings? Block you calendar so she can’t add anything after 3pm.

Tell her once more that you don't work after 4pm, then just decline any further meetings.

I'd be worried that this was being done on purpose so that she can claim to your line manager that she keeps trying to organise meetings with you but you're never available. I think you need to be very firm with her over this and reply that you finish work at 4pm and will never be around for a meeting at that time - but of course you can do 7.30am. She sounds either stupid or dangerous - maybe both!

Speak to her, make it clear you do not welcome this behaviour. Any repeat, go to her manager. You can choose how to frame it- not following company policy, is it forgetfulness because of a health issue, or just harassment.

Don't stoop to things like declining at 350pm or putting in a 7am meeting.

Decline every single time, first time tell her your calender is up to date for availability though.

If you have pointed it out several times already then I would just decline in future, leave it to her to find another time. You can add a message to say something basic when you decline if you feel better about it, like apologies I'm not available/in the office at this time. Leave it to her to rearrange, if she does the same repeat. She'll soon get bored.

Keep declining and saying you work 7-4, and keep your calendar blocked out. If she keeps doing it she’s just being unreasonable

God don't propose a new time as then you'll have to check HER availability! Just decline each time as she's a repeat offender.

Block your calendar from 4pm - or put in a "meeting" - you are meeting your child from school - no?

And if she does it again, send one last email confirming your hours and copying in your manager, just in case she moans that she can't get you to meet with her.

If 16:00-17:00 is blocked out in your calendar, just treat it as you would if someone tried to book a meeting at another time you’re unavailable.

I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it as it’s likely she isn’t looking at your calendar (annoying as that is!) and just sending a request that works for her.

If you’ve reminded her of your working hours more than once, just reject the invitations. It’s up to her to ask or work out why.

Propose 7am every single time she does it. Take a stance here.

Or.... she is really forgetful - i can struggle to remember everyone's hours - decline the invite/propose new time.

Just click decline and propose a new time

I agree with this. Make sure your calendar is blocked and your working hours are in your email signature. Then just decline. She’ll join the dots soon enough (and, if she can’t, she’s got bigger problems to worry about!)

Or just suggest 7am instead

Is she senior to you and trying to pull rank by pressuring you?

Auto decline meetings after 4pm and add an email signature with “My working hours are 9am to 4pm. Outside these hours please contact……”

We work flexibly and it’s not often an issue buuutttt some dont start until 10 so no meetings before then. Lunch taken anytime between 12 & 2. Lots of people finish at 3. Lots of people don’t work mondyas, or fridays. So you’re left with between 10 and 12 and 2 and 3 three days of the week if you want to suit everyone.

Some people are rigid about their hours, others more flexible if it’s important and they don’t have responsibilities stopping them being available.

I can’t remember the intricacies of each individuals working pattern.

If you’re to function and benefit from flexibility you also have to be understanding yourself. Putting in a meeting at 4 is not in and of itself an outrageous thing to do. Block out your calendar, add your hours to your teams profile and email signature and remain bright and breezy when declining because you’re not available. It’s a pain in the arse trying to get a few people together with less than a months notice so don’t get the hump unnecessarily

I work part time and have one day a week off. I have encountered people who expect me to make myself available on my non working day (I work part time not compressed hours so have lost 20 per cent of my salary). If I sense cheeky fuckery I speak to the person trying to suggest I work on my non working day very firmly. I only have to do it once. Next time the meeting request comes in at 4 ring her and tell her firmly to stop requesting that time. She won’t do it again.

You block out your calander from 4pm onwards saying “busy/do not book any meetings”. And decline any meetings that people see for 4pm. Simple.

It wasn't an outrageous thing to do the first couple of times. But this is now happening once a week. That is a lot.

And it could be avoided by the colleague checking the calendar properly. I bet OP isn't sending her meeting invitations for 8.30am every few days, even though 8-4/5 is a very common working pattern and as such it would not be an outrageous thing to do.

That very much depends on which part of the CS and what type of role you are doing!

I have had that in the past. Easily solved:

« Hi Jane, I wonder if there is an Outlook issue as I’m receiving meeting requests from you for timeslots that are marked as unavailable in my calendar.
Is it possible that your account doesn’t have visibility on mine? For ex today I have x meeting and also marked unavailable from 4pm: can you try to book a meeting with me and screenshot what you see on my calendar? Then we can send the screenshot to IT »

I sent that and funnily enough the person never did it anymore.