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?

Also if they are presumably a 9 - 5 business why does everyone else seem to work 7.30 - 3.30? They don’t have to grant your request no, but it does sound a shite place to work.

Just find a new job. Plenty of them out there.

This. Sounds so old fashioned..someone needs to be there till 5 but for no reason other than they perceive the office 'should' be open till 5. What do you do in this time that is so vital ? I would get a new job.

Joke of a comment, you clearly haven’t read all her comments! Which shows quite clearly she’s being bullied essentially. Go back and read it all!!!

Joke of a comment, you CLEARLY haven’t read all her comments! They hooked her in on interview saying they offer flexibility and she could definitely’ do that. Then said no it’s impossible. Lone working for 90 mins every day at the end, on a business park in a dodgy area. Expected to lock up alone (about to be dark) and is a young female walking across the car park in not a nice area. Then said she was fully responsible if they got broken into and she’d have to pay for anything stolen!!! 3 months notice for a ‘junior’ to take any holiday (which could then get refused) I could go on but there you go. You’re welcome by the way as you couldn’t be bothered to read it all

Someone else's flexible working is none of OPs business 😂

Based on your update re 3 months notice for holiday, and different standards for seniors / longer serving staff I would look for another job.

The vibe I get is as soon as you are ill or have an emergency requiring shorter notice, they will put massive pressure on you while they all swan about.

They can in theory do anything but in reality they’d need to consult and make that change legally. If they just changed everyone’s hours one day, how would people manage with childcare etc?

Changing everyone’s hours because you think the system is unfair isn’t in their best interest either. Currently they have 1 unhappy staff member - you. If they tear up everyone’s approved flexible working request, they’ll have a whole team of unhappy people and probably quite high turnover.

I work compressed hours and I’d be looking for another job if that was changed to accommodate someone new to the team (unless they had a v urgent need like caring responsibilities). I did 2 years before I applied for flexi, picked a day that worked for the business and have made a significant contribution over my time there.

They should have been upfront but making life worse for everyone else isn’t the solution.

A company which has flexible working has to have a policy on which flexible working is allocated- if your request is refused you have an inherent right to question why it was refused- otherwise you are in an unfair workplace with unreasonable policies.

i sympathise the job sounds miserable, I would have run at interview if they were “selling a job”. Do you think though you are perhaps abrupt in your manner and only hear what you want. People have offered good suggestions or asked sensible questions yet you ignore them.
You told someone to read the fucking thread. You need to read it yourself a number of your comments are contradictory to your previous ones for example saying you live around there thrn saying you have an hour and a half commute.
You are a new starter, this job sounds horrible if you are as bloody good as you say you are another company will snap you up. I think you will find difficulty getting a job ad flexible as you need, in winter you will be going to and coming from work in the dark. Why not consider doing a summer seasonal job, work long hours for 8months then take 4months doing your activities?

It seems unfair that everyone else can leave by 3.30 but you have to stay until 5.
If they want the office to be covered until 5 then a rota system would be fairer and a more robust way of providing cover/resilience.
For example if you are off sick or on holiday.
What happens in an emergency? Are managers contactable after 3.30?
I think the issue is not treating all employees fairly.
However if it is just you and one other colleague whose job it is to answer phones be first port of call for customers and they have genuine health reasons for finishing early then you are between a rock and a hard place and probably better to look for something else you could do 8-4.

Yeah, they're not obligated to give you a detailed description of why someone else has requested flexible working, like you would "demand" 🙄

No matter what in terms of what was said at interview, this lone working arrangement (especially in the environment OP describes) should have a risk assessment and lone working procedure.

As the first principle of health and safety is “can you avoid” whatever the hazard is, answer would surely be that as company has a sufficient number employees to allow for at least 2 people present. Or, use remote communication methods for OP to answer the phone or divert calls or whatever. It’s the assessment itself that would surely give that mitigation measure.

If the company decides nah we won’t do that and don’t have a reasonable reason, not quite sure how they would defend themselves should something happen to the lone worker. As, with reasonable and do-able management, the lone working could be avoided, this following good health and safety principles.

She’s a nightmare for signing a contract for a 9-5 job and then crying that 5pm is far too late.

That is utterly unreasonable, as is the 3 months' notice for a holiday request.

I hope you find a better employer soon!

It sounds as though there are several complaints in your post:

1. Location of the office being on an industrial estate. This argument won’t stand as you knew the location when you applied.
2. Being left out of team bonding and break time/lunch etc due to your staggered working hours. Argument valid; possible solution below.
3. Not having early finish agreed to as others have already had flexible working requests granted. Entirely reasonable to be disappointed but argument won’t stand as this is a request granted based on business need and not a right this is just how things works. It’s not ‘fair’ exactly but neither are you being penalised or singled out. When you’ve earned more seniority at the company you will be able to have more sway with these sort of requests. By the way, you may not agree but a 5pm finish would be considered very early by many people - and still theoretically leaves plenty of time for an evening.

Possible solutions (one or a combo):

• make most of later start and go to the gym or for a run before you start working. Arguably a better and safer time to do it anyway.
• ask to start at 815 with the others so you can coincide your break time and lunch times better and take a longer lunch break so you can head to the gym or run then instead. Still finishing at 5pm but now the evening is completely free as you’ve already done your workout.
• do the bulk of locking up etc while you’re still at work and get changed into gym gear etc at 430, so by 5pm you’ve only got one door left to lock and you’re out!
• ask to redirect calls to your mobile for the last half hour of the office hours so you can leave at 430 and take any later calls on your route home.

Above all, go in with a positive attitude and please don’t assume that the right course of action is just to quit. The next job will not necessarily be any better and there could be a downturn coming: 9-5 is better than unemployed!

People can express differing views - presumably that’s why OP posted on a public forum - surely without a snippy “joke of a comment” riposte? Isn’t that a bit puerile?

Not really no. A joker cos they’ve spouted a load of BS without reading all her comments!!

Who the fuck are you talking to?

@workisanightmare oh my goodness what z shitty company. Yiu have the right to request flexible working hours, yiu were promised it at your interview, so you have every right to be annoyed and dis appointed. It is ridiculous to expect 3 months notice. They should not be able ti cancelled your holiday, what if you have booked a holiday. Also have they done a risk assessment on the fact you are a lone worker, they should have given yiu a copy of the lone working document and they are expecting you to lock up. Time to look for new job. Good luck.

OP, I think it would be useful to email HR and whomever interviewed you with what was agreed during the interview and how disappointed now that you are employed there to be told
No flexibility.
No holidays at Christmas.
3 months notice for a day off.
You have to be in the building alone till 5pm, even during dark winter evenings.
That you have sole responsibility for the building and will be held personally responsible if anything goes wrong.

I think it would be wise to ask why all of the above was not told to you at time of interview.
That you feel very stressed by the conditions of employment that have you have only now been informed of.

Mention there are 25 people with flexible hours and you are solely responsible for covering for everyone between 3.30pm and 5pm during the winter.
That you have concerns for your safety.

Get it all on paper. Create a paper trail.
See what they come back with.

It will definitely be something you can give ACAS to look at.

I don't think it's unreasonable for the most junior person to have the least flexibility.

However, I do think it's unreasonable there aren't either two of you there at all times or the company has provided a lone working alarm system for you to wear while at the office and travelling home.

You've forgotten the three other issues:

1. That OP is on her own in the office from 3.30 pm until she leaves at 5.00 pm every single day. Her company doesn't seem to have a lone working policy, even though their premises are on a badly lit industrial estate.
2. That OP has to lock up and turn off all lights. She says that it has been made clear that if there is a break in etc. then they will be looking to her to replace anything that has been stolen.
3. Because all her colleagues have flexible working arrangements, OP has been told that she needs to request any annual leave three months in advance to give them time to find cover for her absence.

I think that OP needs to seek advice from ACAS about the rules that only seem to apply to her. I think that they would be particularly interested in issue no. 2 as that doesn't even sound legal.