Page 2 | To be annoyed that my flexible working request has been turned down

Whaleandsnail6 · 14/10/2025 18:02

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 17:59

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.

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But if it was that important to you, you should have clarified before accepting the job

I don't know what you want them to do?

They obviously think its not acceptable to change existing work hours of people already doing said hours, and they need cover until 5pm, which you knew was the hours on accepting the job

Either try and make it work for yourself or find another job

tulippa · 14/10/2025 18:02

It's worth an appeal. What are your duties until 5pm? Do you have to answer phone calls or do anything client facing? If the answer is no and they refuse your appeal, start to look for another job.

Flyaggie · 14/10/2025 18:05

I think if you apply again you need to recognise the business need and propose yourself how your change would be managed so as not to affect the business. It does sound frustrating for you, but not wrong.

Also as a previous poster said, hopefully there is a good lone working policy/risk assessment. What would happen if you had an injury or fainted or something whilst alone for example.

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:05

Ladysamantha · 14/10/2025 18:00

What happens when you take annual leave?

It’s only happened once so far as I’ve only been in the role 6 months but it was a case of them having to ask for cover from staff members or a manager would stay on. They’ve asked in the future that I give at least 3 months notice so they can organise cover.

OP posts:

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:06

tulippa · 14/10/2025 18:02

It's worth an appeal. What are your duties until 5pm? Do you have to answer phone calls or do anything client facing? If the answer is no and they refuse your appeal, start to look for another job.

Edited

Answering calls, doing my admin, making calls etc.

OP posts:

Ddakji · 14/10/2025 18:06

PurpleThistle7 · 14/10/2025 17:47

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?

By a manager?

SpidersAreShitheads · 14/10/2025 18:06

What are the "health issues" that mean another member of staff can't do it? Would it mean them working longer hours?

We used to operate flexi-time in our office but someone had to stay until 5pm. I completely understood why people with kids needed to get away and couldn't swap but other people were right arseholes about it and would use the flimsiest of excuses to refuse.

It didn't actually affect me as I preferred to go in later and work later but watching it all play out, you could see how inflexible some people were.

I'm not sure what you can do about it though OP - when you took the job were you told that flexible working hours would be possible? If so, you might have cause for complaint.

Realistically though, I'd just look for something else and let them get on with it. Even if you were able to force a change somehow, the other team members would just resent you.

Jc2001 · 14/10/2025 18:06

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 17:28

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?

You can be annoyed but it's not unreasonable of them to reject your request for the reason stated.

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:06

Flyaggie · 14/10/2025 18:05

I think if you apply again you need to recognise the business need and propose yourself how your change would be managed so as not to affect the business. It does sound frustrating for you, but not wrong.

Also as a previous poster said, hopefully there is a good lone working policy/risk assessment. What would happen if you had an injury or fainted or something whilst alone for example.

I do recognise that there’s a business need, but also it can’t fall squarely on me- that feels like I’m being targeted purely because I’ve not been here as long as everyone else.

OP posts:

Ddakji · 14/10/2025 18:07

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:05

It’s only happened once so far as I’ve only been in the role 6 months but it was a case of them having to ask for cover from staff members or a manager would stay on. They’ve asked in the future that I give at least 3 months notice so they can organise cover.

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3 months notice for a holiday request?!!!!!

They’re taking the piss. Can they do that - have you checked your contract / company handbook?

I’d start looking for a new job.

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:07

SpidersAreShitheads · 14/10/2025 18:06

What are the "health issues" that mean another member of staff can't do it? Would it mean them working longer hours?

We used to operate flexi-time in our office but someone had to stay until 5pm. I completely understood why people with kids needed to get away and couldn't swap but other people were right arseholes about it and would use the flimsiest of excuses to refuse.

It didn't actually affect me as I preferred to go in later and work later but watching it all play out, you could see how inflexible some people were.

I'm not sure what you can do about it though OP - when you took the job were you told that flexible working hours would be possible? If so, you might have cause for complaint.

Realistically though, I'd just look for something else and let them get on with it. Even if you were able to force a change somehow, the other team members would just resent you.

Yes, the flexibility was used as a big selling point and they were very proud of the fact I’d be able to be flexible.

OP posts:

SpidersAreShitheads · 14/10/2025 18:07

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:05

It’s only happened once so far as I’ve only been in the role 6 months but it was a case of them having to ask for cover from staff members or a manager would stay on. They’ve asked in the future that I give at least 3 months notice so they can organise cover.

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Three months notice to take annual leave?!!! For someone in an admin role?!

Can you find something else OP? This doesn't sound as if it's worth the hassle.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/10/2025 18:09

Sounds fair to me sorry!

At my work, no one new can have Fridays as a NWD as a lot of people have already got it. Lots of people have Monday or Wednesday now.

I don’t know if your work is similar but at mine I find 4-5 is quite a key hour to have people working. If you’re the level I am, it’s the only time you can talk to the next level up, as they tend to be in meetings until 4.

I find the push to bring working hours forward to 8-4 (or worse 7-3) a bit irritating tbh - people seem to want to be working before alot of other people’s day starts and then say they’re not available after 4 because it’s not part of their working hours.

But then they get pissy if you wanted to work 10-6 and don’t want to do meetings at 9.

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:09

SpidersAreShitheads · 14/10/2025 18:06

What are the "health issues" that mean another member of staff can't do it? Would it mean them working longer hours?

We used to operate flexi-time in our office but someone had to stay until 5pm. I completely understood why people with kids needed to get away and couldn't swap but other people were right arseholes about it and would use the flimsiest of excuses to refuse.

It didn't actually affect me as I preferred to go in later and work later but watching it all play out, you could see how inflexible some people were.

I'm not sure what you can do about it though OP - when you took the job were you told that flexible working hours would be possible? If so, you might have cause for complaint.

Realistically though, I'd just look for something else and let them get on with it. Even if you were able to force a change somehow, the other team members would just resent you.

I’ve just been told it’s a chronic health condition. They could start later, like I do now, but it just feels like im a bit excluded. By the time I start they’ve all been here for an hour and a half, so they’re well into their day. Their breaks come earlier etc.

OP posts:

ARichtGoodDram · 14/10/2025 18:10

They’ve asked in the future that I give at least 3 months notice so they can organise cover.

I'd be looking for a new job purely for that - that's nonsense.

If they expect you to have such a ridiculous notice period then you should be the first allowed to put leave in otherwise that could get absolutely impossible for you to get any leave

pilates · 14/10/2025 18:10

As you have only been there six months I don’t think you are in a position to argue the point.

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:10

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/10/2025 18:09

Sounds fair to me sorry!

At my work, no one new can have Fridays as a NWD as a lot of people have already got it. Lots of people have Monday or Wednesday now.

I don’t know if your work is similar but at mine I find 4-5 is quite a key hour to have people working. If you’re the level I am, it’s the only time you can talk to the next level up, as they tend to be in meetings until 4.

I find the push to bring working hours forward to 8-4 (or worse 7-3) a bit irritating tbh - people seem to want to be working before alot of other people’s day starts and then say they’re not available after 4 because it’s not part of their working hours.

But then they get pissy if you wanted to work 10-6 and don’t want to do meetings at 9.

I do understand that people have already asked, but in that case I don’t think they should have used the flexibility as a selling point for me and they shouldn’t really have put the last hour and a half on me alone?

OP posts:

Takeachance18 · 14/10/2025 18:11

Does everyone else have to give 3 months? If not that is unfair, you shouldn't have to book annual leave differently to others just because of your hours compared to others.

Could you work from home in the afternoon and still finish at 5? If no-one else there.

Northerngirl821 · 14/10/2025 18:12

You are not “being targeted” by having your request denied. If you have been there less time than everyone else then it’s very usual that you will have been recruited to do the hours that other people don’t want to do. As time goes on and other people leave, there will potentially be the opportunity for you to change your hours to something better and the next new person will get the later finishes.

Whaleandsnail6 · 14/10/2025 18:12

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:06

I do recognise that there’s a business need, but also it can’t fall squarely on me- that feels like I’m being targeted purely because I’ve not been here as long as everyone else.

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I think if there is a business need for you to be there until 5pm and you accepted the job knowing this was your hours, then I get the company's point of view.

They have a need...you knew that your hours were 9-5.

Hoping to change this to earlier on the basis of flexible working should have been agreed before taking the job. Its not unfair it falls solely to you if you agreed this as your working hours

Climbingrosexx · 14/10/2025 18:12

I might be missing some of the facts but I would have thought it discrimination if they are allowing flexible working for the others just not for you? Of course the office has to be manned until 5 but surely it could be rotated. Might be a bit different if everyones hours were already in place and you are the newest member of staff and you had agreed to your current hours

dontmalbeconme · 14/10/2025 18:13

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 17:50

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.

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This is pretty unreasonable though. You've put in a request to change other people's contracted hours, surely you can see that's not reasonable.

Original poster

workisanightmare · 14/10/2025 18:13

Whaleandsnail6 · 14/10/2025 18:12

I think if there is a business need for you to be there until 5pm and you accepted the job knowing this was your hours, then I get the company's point of view.

They have a need...you knew that your hours were 9-5.

Hoping to change this to earlier on the basis of flexible working should have been agreed before taking the job. Its not unfair it falls solely to you if you agreed this as your working hours

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They sold the job on the basis of flexibility though. We chatted at length at my interview about my interests outside of work and I mentioned that the flexibility would be amazing for me for those interests. They knew I was interested in that.

OP posts:

Missgemini · 14/10/2025 18:13

This is nuts. They solely rely on you to cover 3.30 to 5 pretty much every working day?? And they advertised the job as flexible….
Yeah, they’re taking the piss.

What happens if you have the flu and can’t get in?

Ddakji · 14/10/2025 18:13

Northerngirl821 · 14/10/2025 18:12

You are not “being targeted” by having your request denied. If you have been there less time than everyone else then it’s very usual that you will have been recruited to do the hours that other people don’t want to do. As time goes on and other people leave, there will potentially be the opportunity for you to change your hours to something better and the next new person will get the later finishes.

Read all the OP’s posts including the one where she says they’ve now asked her to give 3 months’ notice for holiday requests in order for them to sort out cover.

She is absolutely being targeted because those above her want her there so that they don’t have to cover that time.

Shit management.