to stop extra flexibility after my manager imposed office hours?

[LouuLou]

I work in a small office team of five people. I’m the only full-time member of staff, everyone else is part time. We had a new manager start last year and honestly, up until now, things have been really good. We get on well, I like his management style and he has always said he cared more about people getting the work done than clock-watching.

I work very hard. I consistently hit targets, usually go beyond what is expected, and I won an achievement award last month. I also work very flexibly. I regularly start work at 7am, answer emails early, and will often still be available after 6pm. I usually work through lunch too. That flexibility has suited both the organisation and me because it means things get done quickly and I can also fit other parts of life around work. It is one of the things I am regularly complimented on - how quick I get tasks done.

Out of nowhere, he has now announced that I have to be physically in the office 9–5 three days a week. No actual problem has been identified, no concerns raised about my performance, no suggestion that work isn’t getting done. The explanation was basically that he “wants to try something different”.

Fine. He is the manager and he is entitled to set office hours if he wants to. I’m not arguing with that part.

But my feeling is that if he now wants strict contracted hours and presenteeism, then that is exactly what he will get. I no longer see the point in starting at 7am, replying to messages before work, being available into the evening or working through lunch. I’m planning to work my contracted hours, take a proper hour lunch break and log off at the end of the day.

I know this will reduce the amount I actually get done overall. But another part of me thinks flexibility works both ways. If management removes trust and autonomy, they can’t really expect staff to continue giving unpaid goodwill on top.

YANBU, it doesn’t sound like he’s asked you to do extra unpaid work anyway.

Ok then if that's what you've decided. Seems reasonable to me.

Good for you. I once did exactly the same 👏👏👏👏👏

Ok then if that's what you've decided. Seems reasonable to me.

I’d be a step more manipulative shrew as I’m peri and over twats…. Go into the office 3 days do only 9-5 excluding break but then do more work hours on your two home days - if you want too- so the data points show more work at home than in the office.

Absolutely, and I say this as someone who delivers training in management skills, and manages a team of their own. Every time someone asks me about mandating office hours I ask them if they can genuinely say, hand on heart, that they and the company don't benefit from flexibility from their staff. It has to go both ways. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

It might be that it's not about strict hours specifically and your manager is hoping for something else out of this (better communication, seeing if a particular dynamic works better in person rather than online for example) so I wouldn't go too over the top with how vocal you are about it until you see how it's playing out and if it's actually having some benefits of some kind, but if it is primarily about making sure people are working their hours, then you work your hours.

I'd ask for a chat with your manager to find out where he is coming from and to explain that physically working in the office three days per week will mean you are no longer available early in the morning and later in the evening and see what he says. You might find that this policy is designed to tackle issues with someone else in the team and he's prepared to continue to give you more flexibility. You may also find that you taking blocks of time out during the working day is making it more difficult to schedule meetings or get a response when he needs one and he'd actually prefer you to be available 9-5 rather than 7am-6pm but with hours away from your desk in the middle of the day when everyone else is working.

Like @Gliblet came here to say 'Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.'

If he wants attendance by the book, he will get work by the book.

And when he asks what's happened, you can tell him hand on heart, you are working flat out during your time in the office (make sure you're taking your lunch break). If he asks what's changed, you can tell him, that now the time you spend commuting has reduced the hours you're available for work.

Are you putting more than 7 hours a day in over your flexible period when you factor in the early start and your time taken for other parts of life?
If so then there should be no problem completing your work in the office during working hours.
If you're actually putting in more hours then it will soon show that you aren't performing better in the office and will prove your case.

This is a smart idea.

I like this!

From my OP:

That flexibility has suited both the organisation and me because it means things get done quickly and I can also fit other parts of life around work. It is one of the things I am regularly complimented on - how quick I get tasks done.

I wouldn't do a moment extra of anything. Let him FAFO.

Have you tried having a conversation with him about his rationale and trying to negotiate based on his answer?

It happened to my organisation, too. Only allowed to work from home one day a week now. The other four days have to be in the office. This is a blanket approach for everyone, they don’t care that some are more productive at home without distractions, they just want you physically where they can see you.

I don’t work late/start early on my office days (unless there’s a very important reason for working late). I’m out the office as soon as the clock hits 4pm. On my WFH day, I will start earlier/work later as I don’t have the three hour commute.

YANBU. You’ll be commuting now anyway, obviously that’s what you’ll be doing pre-9am, so can’t be working.

At an old job of mine, there was a role done by one guy, and I was the only person who could cover it (it was a fairly small company). He was off for 2 weeks so I was doing 2 full time jobs, and his role was pretty intense. I was in the office until ~10pm, by myself, for the first week. We had clock in/out cards, and on the Monday of the second week the other guy was off, my manager called me in and he had my clock in/out times up on the screen. He could see I’d been in until 10pm all week, and had mainly arrived around 7:30/8am, but on the Friday I’d clocked in at 09:04. He wanted to talk to me to tell me that that lateness was unacceptable.
Ok. Fine. My bad. I’m supposed to be in at 9 so I will be. I’ll also be out the door at 17:30 and you can deal with the clients who want to know where the work is.

Don’t ever do more than you are required to do by an employer. It isn’t appreciated and just becomes expected. You’re absolutely right to do only your contracted hours.

Have you pointed out that if they insist on proper contractual hours you won't be available outside those hours as you have been while working flexibly? The two things may not have connected in his mind.

Yes if he wants work to rule then that's what he'll get.

My firm are trying to increase office days. The motivator for this is that a lot of people aren't meeting time targets and are "shirking from home" to some extent but more productive in the office. By making it a blanket policy though they are going to drive down the productivity of the "over and above" people because the extra commuting will chip away at it. I think I might just have to let them see it for themselves.

I don't understand the issue here.

It sounds like you are saying that you currently work way more than your contracted hours, which means you get lots more done than expected, although no one has actually asked you to.
And now you're going to just stick to working contracted hours.
Perfectly reasonable.

The unreasonable thing was you working over your hours in the first place.

This is what I’d do too

I think you’re right but tbh it sounds like you’ve been giving far too much to your work, and need to enforce that boundary anyway.

Yep. He wants it by the book, he'll get it by the book.

Companies always expect loyalty from employees, but it only ever goes one way. If you treat people like naughty children, they're hardly going to go above and beyond for you, are they?

I genuinely don't understand managers like this. No appreciation for the extra work, just nitpicky on stupid little details, despite you working way over your hours.

Of course you're not unreasonable to work your contracted hours, any more than he's unreasonable to want you to do them in the office, but don't go thinking it's some sort of "gotcha". Honestly, no one will care.