Why is new boss being such a knob?

[Buggeroffboss]

Our old boss took ill suddenly in December last year and died shortly after. They been the boss for 20+ years, so appreciate we were all very used to them.

Following their illness I became interim boss. In April I was offered the role permanently but declined as it would mean returning to full time work. I'm bitterly regretting not taking it due to new boss!

We're a remote team, have been since many years before COVID. New boss clearly hates remote working. We do have an office, but it seats 10 people and us open to the whole business (approx 300 people) not just our department (40 people). New boss wants everyone in the office 2 days a week. HR have told him to go whistle - we are all on remote contracts and live across the whole of the UK, including channel Islands and 2 in France!

New boss is now insisting we schedule any "coffee breaks" (you know, where you brew up between meetings) and that under no circumstances are we to appear on screen with tea/ coffee if it isn't adjacent to our scheduled break. In addition he's put an embargo on lunch time errands, such as laundry, popping to the post office or collecting the car from the garage. All time is to be accounted for.

As you can imagine, morale has gone down the pan. We're a high performing department, there is 0 issues with productivity. Our work is largely invisible most of the time, lots of thinking time and idea generation which makes monitoring our day to day workloads difficult, but we always exceed our targets at quarter and year ends - so people are clearly working. In the 6 weeks he's been in there's been a noticeable change in how people are working, fewer people on early or late, most just working to their hours.

AIBU to think he's being a bit of a dick and just needs to chill the fuck out?

I reckon the previous boss was very very relaxed and the new boss has been given a memo that he needs to bring some more structure and formality to this team

and that under no circumstances are we to appear on screen with tea/ coffee if it isn't adjacent to our scheduled break. I

really? Really? Did he say this in writing or verbally?

He’s being a knob because that’s his nature - a controlling micromanager.

I wfh for many years, no one ever tried this sort of ridiculous stuff. What mattered was that the work was done, not exactly when - I reckon some of my best problem solving occurred while deadheading in the garden rather than staring at a screen.

I doubt anyone will disagree with you but this is what you're stuck with. Doesn't sound like going back to the office is a possibility anyway which is good.

How can he put an 'embargo' on what you do at lunchtime?

Unlikely given they were previously a high performing productive team. If it ain’t broken you don’t fix it!

I think the best thing you can do is take him at his word. Do your standard hours, work to contract, do not go above and beyond. And with the tea/coffee thing, I’d ask HR about that. Just keep batting things to HR if needed.

He said in writing that we were to schedule tea breaks in our diary and not to brew up outside of that and then has taken 2 people aside after they were on a meeting with drinks and he had checked their diary and they didn't have a tea break scheduled. He's since advised that if people do have drinks in meetings he will be checking their schedules.

How will he know what you are doing in your lunch breaks? If they are unpaid he can fuck off anyway.

Ignore and just carry on regardless.

Is your lunch break paid or unpaid? If it’s unpaid then your manager has no say in what you do during that time

but it seats 10 people and us open to the whole business (approx 300 people) not just our department (40 people). New boss wants everyone in the office 2 days a week.

he knows that the office seats 10 people
it is a company of 300
And he was his 40 odd team in 2 days a week?

maths isn’t his strong suit

Oh, and put your tea and coffee in a receptacle where he can’t see the colour

He can’t put an embargo on your lunch time, it’s personal time. How would he even
monitor it anyway?

He cannot control what you do on your lunch break. What? He wants you to report on exactly how you spent that unpaid hour, and you’re not allowed to go outside on an errand and be back in time? No. I’d be speaking to HR about having my lunch hour paid, since he his dictating how it can be used. That’ll get things moving.

Even if paid - you can do what the hell you want on it lunch break

He can't dictate your lunch break, that time is your own despite what he says. If he wants to control your lunch break then he can pay for that hour.

He sounds awful OP and making things as unpleasant as possible for remote working. Ugh.

Is he the same about water or soft drinks?

I did wonder that but before I turned down the role I seriously considered it, including have in depth conversations about performance and changes to the running of the team and there were no concerns at all - I was told "keep doing what you are doing" and "you've clearly learnt from old boss, who did a fantastic job".

I am senior within the team (hence stepping up) so I did tell him he couldn't enforce office working and that I'd be confirming that with HR - more to help him than stick the finger up at him though!

I would do the opposite... Get one of those huge sports direct mugs and drink from it in every meeting even if it was just water

No. I guess because it's harder to evidence when they got them - my water bottle lasts me all day.

Surely you can just query this policy with HR or the next line manager up?

You don't have to complain, just ask if it's company policy.

What if my DH brings me a coffee? Is that allowed?

Did he really say… I don’t want to see any of you ever with tea or coffee when on screen?

and no reason?

It's a lunch break, whether paid or unpaid people can do as they like.

HR seem to be supportive of staff: I’d take this to HR and advise all your direct reports that you’re doing so, and that you’re supportive of them. Do you have a Board?

In the meantime, just how is he going to find out whether you ate lunch or ran errands on your lunch break? What if you say “my partner made me this cup of tea?”

Well he can't, but he's trying.

I'm just gathering evidence at the moment before I raise it with HR.

So far, he keeps calling me immediately as my lunch finishes, like he's watching me. He's doing it to others as well.