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?

I think it’s fair to say you’re disappointed but the denial of flexible leaving seems fair in the circumstance. You have the right to request but the company doesn’t have to honour it if they have a reason why.

You can be flexible without agreeing every single request that anyone makes. As I say, perhaps they could have agreed 9:30-5:30, 10-6, 11-7, extended or condensed hours etc.

Being flexible does not mean agreeing every single person’s request, these are all businesses first and foremost and everyone knows that business need is considered when deciding on any flex.

I do get that. But I was the only new starter. They knew that was the case when I joined so they shouldn’t have sold the job to me based on how flexible they were. It just feels really shit for all of the reasons I’ve mentioned, I’m excluded from joint breaks, lunches, dinner or drinks after work, anything like that.

You can be flexible without agreeing every single request that anyone makes. As I say, perhaps they could have agreed 9:30-5:30, 10-6, 11-7, extended or condensed hours etc.

Being flexible does not mean agreeing every single person’s request, these are all businesses first and foremost and everyone knows that business need is considered when deciding on any flex.

You're defending a company that banged on about flexibility and now want the OP to give 3 months notice for any annual leave...

They are not flexible in any way shape or form when it comes to her.

I’d be annoyed by this, not because you’re entitled to finish earlier but because you’re being treated differently to everyone else. They could implement a rota so that it’s not always you that stays until the office closes. Also, having to give three months’ notice to take any annual leave is ridiculous.

So there you have it. They are making up new rules that go against their company handbook in order to keep their own hours protected.

Go back to them, state the basis on which you took the job, state they’re breaking their one rule are holiday requests, and put your flexible working request in again.

And look for another job. They’re shit employers.

What happens when you are on leave?

Yes, but there are many ways of offering flexibility that don't involve leaving the office unmanned. They might be perfectly fine with you doing 10-18, or compressing one morning a week into 5 evenings. Just not leaving at 4:15.

@Ddakji i agree this sounds like an awful employer

Then they shouldn’t have sold it on the basis of me liking my evenings free - I explained to them why that would be great for me and the interviewer said “we can accommodate that”

We work 9-5 with a 30 minute lunch. One lady in the team works 8.30-4.30 because that aligns with the other team she works with but she’s been told she must stay until 5… so a voluntary 30 minutes a day 😂 she’s apparently told others she wants us all in 9-5.30 (so 30 minutes voluntary for all of us). She’s not said to me yet… probably because she knows I’ll laugh and call her out.

If you haven't been there long, I would look for another job and leave, giving the lack of flexibility as the reason (factually, not as a moan).

I really would cut your losses and look for something else.

The fact they're being so ridiculous about annual leave and not giving a shit that you're being excluded from all after work get togethers shows they are shit to work for.

Get on the hunt for something else and then give them the minimum notice and chalk them up to a shitty experience.

Why does there need to be someone there at 5pm? What time does the business close?

Agree with this.

In that case, they are obviously at fault and you should start looking elsewhere. The holiday booking is bonkers anyway.

Well.thats obviously why you can't finish early

They say 5 but all the customers know that from 3:30 I’m just taking messages to pass on, so in effect it closes at 3:30.

I was going to say that YABU but having read through your posts you have much bigger problems. It sounds like a really dodgy set up and I would definitely start looking for another job. I worked somewhere like this where I ended up regularly being the only member of staff for various reasons including that the management didn’t seem to want to actually come to work. When I queried it and asked to see the lone working policy they got very shifty as obviously I shouldn’t have been alone at all. A colleague actually did have an accident when lone working when they shouldn’t have been and it was pure luck they were found. Things changed after that funnily enough but I left not long after.

You could push it but I would just try and get something else and leave. Three months notice for leave is ridiculous, especially if you are the only one with that requirement. Stinks like a fish! What happens if you had an emergency and needed time off or if you’re off sick? Run OP, run.

Legally they’re probably within their rights, but it sounds miserable for you. I’d start job hunting.

So what happens if you’re sick ? They can’t implement a policy for holidays that only applies to you

do you have HR ? Otherwise I’d be giving Acas a call to see what they think

I understand your disappointment. I’d be a bit gutted too to learn that I was the only one with bog standard 9-5 hours and most/all other people exited upto 90mins earlier. The social side seems a real shame too - actively missing out on work dinner/drinks would feel like a kick in the belly alongside the lone working and inflexible leave.

I think you have to take all emotion out of it and decide whether you can get past this or not. New budgets arrive in April along with new jobs so perhaps commit to seeing it through for the next 6 months and exit in April. It’s ok to decide that the culture of a company isn’t the right fit for you.

3 months notice to be able to take annual leave?? This is insane.

OP has clarified:

'No, afaik nobody else has this requirement. My colleague was just saying today that she’s booked a last minute holiday for two weeks time and was happy she got the leave approved so fast so she could pay the balance.'

That right there would have me looking for a new job. And giving minimal notice.

They can make other staff rotate and cover your absence while they look for someone to fill your job.