Hybrid Working Policy help needed

[jamcorrosion]

Hi - my job has a policy as above, states to be in the office for 3 days a week, with an option to submit a form for unforeseen circumstances. The policy states that the focus is on days not hours spent in the office per day but the expectation is that majority of the day is spent in office when there. There’s no definition of ‘majority’ so I’ve assumed it means more than 50%. This policy has been in place a year. Recently received an email from a senior member of staff to the whole team stating that when in the office we are expected to be there for a full day.

Since this policy was introduced - I arranged my childcare around it. My son is in nursery 7.30-5.30 daily (I’m a single parent) I chose these hours so I could get to the office early. Usually around 8.15/30, I stay until lunchtime which is four hours and then head home. I do this as I thought it was better to travel home on my unpaid hour than later in the afternoon on works time.

Since receiving the email I have reached out and explained my usual routine and asked for clarification if this is no longer ok. I have been told it is no longer ok and I cannot leave at lunchtime consistently only occasionally for appointments etc. Apparently this was clarified with HR before I was given a response. Where do I stand here as the policy doesn’t state full days? I have offered to stay till later in the afternoon and explained why I chose lunchtime. Also explained that I can’t stay till later than 4pm really due to traffic and nursery pick up.

I’m just not sure where I stand or how to handle? As the policy is not specific at all. Can the goalposts be changed like this?

IABU - Suck it up
IANBU - This isnt ok to just change it

You just sound ungrateful.

We all have aspects of our jobs we don't like.
Starting a thread and banging on about it, even after you've reached a compromise shows you're not appreciative.

I’m not lucky to have the job - I have it because I earned it and I’m good at it, I didn’t win it in a raffle.

Being lucky doesn't mean any of those things, any you know it.
You sound exhausting, surprised they want you in the office.

The thread was started before a compromise was reached. This is a forum the whole point is discussion.

I’ll keep being exhausting then - maybe I can stay wfh!

You found something else to complain about after the compromise was reached.
Then you were on about watching a colleague who comes in later, instead of doing your job and being grateful for the compromise.

As well as doing my job 😊😊

Unhappily doing your job. 😊😊

I was the one who was on about the 11am colleague. OP responded to me in a joking manner.

Fair enough.
Having reached a compromise with finishing times, OP then found something else to complain about. Just comes across as ungrateful to me.

Said colleague was meant to be in the office today but has changed to wfh 👀👀 taking him down to only two days this week naughty naughty

I’m not ungrateful - I’m glad we reached a compromise. Doesn’t help that my current project is absolutely mind numbing!

Totally get that, but it came off that way, not meaning you meant it to.

Try not to focus on the colleague or no one else being in.

If the compromise was, you come in more, colleague comes in less but you get to finish at 3pm, wouldn't that still be a win?

The goal was to be able to pick your DD up, you've achieved that. What others do or what arrangements they have, as long as it doesn't affect when you leave shouldn't matter.

You have absolutely no idea what is going on with that colleague and what agreement they may have reached with management.

Sounds like you might need a bit of a shake up to re-focus you on current project, or a new challenge.

It’s only frustrating as he was the one who sent the email - and he’s well known for just doing as he pleases!

Nothing is going on with him, he lives alone no children he’s known for it. He is management and the person who sent the original email.

I do need a new challenge! But unfortunately I’ve got to wait until May for that. Doing my best to get that decision changed though

Because nothing ever happened to anyone who lives alone with no children?

That’s not what I meant - he’s not off he’s working.

It’s a bit rich sending out and enforcing policy clarification when you don’t adhere to it yourself! And yes the policy applies to everyone.

I know I’m being pedantic too haha

Just wanna say I think you sound bloody awesome. A single parent female, doing her best to bring in money to the home and raise her child, while trying to find the best way of doing that, and pushing boundaries where there is flexibility!!

I applaud you! You’re a role model and your child will be proud of you x

Aaww wow thankyou - I think that’s the nicest thing anybody has ever said to me on here I don’t quite know what to say.

I’m used to having to defend myself haha thanks so much!

You can’t possibly think you can travel home in work time without making the time back?
Why do you get to take x time out of work to travel home and no one else is credited with the time it takes them to get home? I think you need to check this would be allowed before you go ahead and do it on the assumption that this is what the policy means. After all, your incorrect interpretation of the policy is why you’re in the position.

I don’t know what is so difficult to understand about this - I’ve explained so many times what this company is like. We don’t have standard work hours and we don’t have core hours. We have the flexibility to work how and when we need to work as long as it meets our clients needs.

I am not the only person that works flexibly - people come and go at different times and days depending on their personal circumstances.

We aren’t tracked by the minute and we aren’t micromanaged. We are trusted to get the job done whenever and however we see fit.

I interpreted the policy based on how it was written, I wasn’t wrong and neither were they. But it’s their policy and after receiving the email I reached out for clarification- now it has been clarified we have come to a new arrangement that suits both parties and I will leave the office at 3pm instead of lunch on my office days.

I’m not taking the mick or trying to pull a fast one, I still do all my work and work full time hours. Just not always in the ‘typical’ 9-5 day. I mean if I was trying to do that I’d have to be pretty daft to reach out and draw attention to myself instead of keeping my head down and hoping nobody notices!

Well this does make it clear that the time you spend travelling home still needs to be worked but at a different time. You weren’t making that clear at all by saying you’d be travelling home “in works time”. So basically your travel time is an unpaid break.
It just sounds like you have a flexi time scheme then 🤷🏻‍♀️

When I went in yesterday I just didn’t take a lunch break till I left so didn’t need to make anything up.

It’s not a flexitime scheme really I’ve had one of those where we had to fill in hours worked etc it’s not monitored like that it’s left to us.

Nobody would be checking up on me or questioning how I’ve structured my day it doesn’t really work like that and it’s actually really nice and works well

What time do you stop working to travel to pick your child up? Is your home nearer to nursery than work is? Is that why you can finish at 4 at home but if you were at work it wouldn’t be early enough to pick him up?

Stop being pedantic. Anyone with half a brain cell knows it means don’t come in for half a day and stay for pretty much all your working day.

I can finish 5 mins before I go for him at home nursery is round the corner but from the office the traffic is awful!

Maybe I have less than that then 🤷‍♀️

I can't believe people are still arguing with you about this! 🤣