To be annoyed that my flexible working request has been turned down

[workisanightmare]

I requested to change my hours from 9-5 to 8:15-4:15. It just suits my day better and would make my evenings more productive.

it has been turned down because I need to cover until 5, because my colleague can’t due to health issues. AIBU to be a bit annoyed about this?

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me I'm afraid.

Well, it’s annoying because you wanted different hours but they haven’t done anything wrong and the business needs you there. So that’s that.

Is there the opportunity to appeal?

I can but I know it won’t really go anywhere. It’s just quite frustrating as I end up being the only one in the office past 3:30!

I'd have a very low opinion of someone who even asked for this that wasn't aware of or ignored the fact that there would be no staff from 4.15 onwards

How many people are in the office? Is it just you two normally or is there a reason why you’re the only one expected to cover until 5?

So that’s why they need you then; they can’t change your hours unless they hire additional staff which isn’t reasonable so they don’t need to approve your request. They’ve not done anything wrong.

Can you try looking around for another role, Or is it a job you’re sort of stuck in for now?

Why? Plenty of offices have core hours, ours are 10-4. And this isn’t new, I worked somewhere over 15 years ago that operated like this.

It was worth the request, but did you think they would be happy to change your hours leaving the office unstaffed?

What happens when you’re on holiday? Is there anyone in the team
more senior to you?

But this office clearly isn't

Op is the only one there 330 - 5 and wants to leave early with no one there!

And is then upset when is told no

She hasn’t actually said that it doesn’t have core hours. And why is leaving at 5 fine - why not 5.30? An office can make up anything.

(Not sure where you got 3.30 from - the OP says 4.15).

More senior people exist in the team but they either WFH or finish early afternoon.

I wanted to leave at 4:15. I’m on my own after 3:30.

I don't think you are unreasonable for being disappointed but I can see why your request was denied on business grounds if there is no-one else covering this time.

You asked, it didn't work out how you wanted ...You now need to decide if you can make finishing at 5pm work for you or look for another job

I think what’s frustrating to me is it seems to have been denied on the basis of everyone else getting there before me. It just doesn’t feel overly fair.

I assume they have a robust line working policy if you're the only one there after 3.30...?

The door to the office is locked and there should be nobody else here. That’s about it. I just find it annoying I’m on my own for such long periods of time, and because everyone else is established in their patterns they can’t do a rota system because it would be unfair.

That’s how flexible working is managed where I work as well. Once it’s agreed it’s contractual so we can’t change it just because someone else wants the same thing. There will be jobs that appreciate you wanting early hours so if this is a priority I’d start looking.

if the office needs to be open until 5 how did you suggest this is managed?

Well a request is exactly that , it was denied , no harm in asking but you have your answer now

I asked if it would be possible to rotate who stays here, because obviously it’s a lot on me to be the only one who does 24/7. They said no.

I read all the posts by op

But you must have known this was the hours when you took the job

They can ask people with established patterns of earlier finishes if they would be willing to rotate with you, but if they already have this agreed, they can't really enforce this

I do think this is a case of "last asked" and unfortunately, it doesn't suit the business needs

I knew the hours, and about the possibility of flexible working, but I wasn’t aware that everyone else in the office has already had the chance to do it. It doesn’t really feel like I even got a chance for my request to be considered because I was the last to ask.

What happens when you take annual leave?