Was I unreasonable to go to Pilates in the middle of the day? Feel sick....

[SisterJude7]

I work from home and am allocated 30 minutes for lunch. I am chronically underpaid for my level of seniority (I manage a small team). In my view, it is inhumane to expect human beings to only take a mere 30 minutes to recuperate, although many of my colleagues relish missing their lunch breaks and wear their lack of lunch as a badge of honour. I admittedly sometimes go for a run, attend a gym class or run some errands before school pick up which is beneficial for my own wellbeing. No issues with my performance, I work my hours and I have finished late on numerous occasions anyway. The daytime classes tend to be cheaper and use less of my Class Pass points and besides, I have zero time in the evening.

Anyway, on Friday, I attended a 50 minute Pilates class. I don't usually pay much attention to the other attendees, but during the warm-up, I was absolutely blindsided to see a director on the carriage opposite (she has Fridays off). My stomach absolutely dropped-she definitely clocked me and looked stony-faced but briefly nodded. To make matters worse, the shock went straight to my bowels, so I needed to dash to the loo 😭😭. I had no choice but to complete the class which felt like the longest 50 minutes of my life with a churning stomach. She scuttled out at the end of the class.

Do you think I will be in trouble? I have spent all weekend ruminating. I don't want recent minor transgressions to be put under the microscope- I've been spoken to informally about my dogs barking in a client meeting and once I also forgot a teams meeting and popped to the supermarket. I don't want to be forced to go back to the London office as my dogs have separation anxiety and I need to be around to pick up my DCs. Should I say something and get in there first? My DH thinks I am overreacting, it will be fine and that I should just buy a mouse jiggler from Amazon which I don't agree with.

Sorry but if you only get a firm 30 minutes lunch and you’re taking 1h10m then obviously you’re in the wrong and they’re likely to pull you up on it. Did you at least work late that day and evidence it ? (I.e emails sent past normal working hours)

OP, no one can advise you here really, it depends on the culture of your workplace. Me and my team wfh full time. I couldn’t care less if someone goes for a class, does the school run, pops to the shops, goes for a run etc and I communicate that very clearly and lead by example. But I will also expect everyone to answer the phone if I call them at 8pm at night or over the weekend. That’s the give and take.

It sounds like your workplace is rather more rigid than mine due to the stipulated 30 mins for lunch.

I think you need to have your explanation ready for when you are spoken to about this and please don’t use being underpaid and 30 mins for lunch being inhumane as an excuse, that won’t go down well at all!

I only get a 30 minute lunch break and wouldn’t dream of taking the the piss on my two WFH days. I do have a micromanager though, so even more of a deterrent! It’s not something I’d get away with, which seems like what’s happened to you. It isn’t long enough, but that’s the way it is.

Do you get flexitime? If so, could you justify the piss take at all? Are those times you’ve worked ever recorded?

I’m sure you’ll definitely be monitored more closely now, as it should be.

You get 30 minutes but took almost three times that amount so yes, Yabu.

this is why wfh doesn’t work as too many people take the mickey

I agree with this

Taking 1hr 10 mins to walk to the gym, do the class and walk home, when you're permitted 30 mins for lunch is taking the mickey

If I were your line manager, I'd be pushing for you to work in the office

Yep OP is living the life of a lady of leisure while getting paid for the privilege by her employer! (I'd laugh if the same Director is also reading this thread, that's if it is actually genuine and not rage bait).

Out of interest, OP, what makes you think you are underpaid?

Underpaid and a crap lunch doesn’t really make up for not working though, definitely don’t go into any meetings armed with that as a defence! If they need you or it’s your first issue I’d say they’ll won’t do anything to you but your company might get a ‘friendly reminder’ what wfh means. I’d guess worst case scenario they revoke some wfh privileges/ make people go in more (sorry)

The boss may well be wondering how you can manage a 50 minute class, with, I assume time at each end to get to and from the class and possibly get changed. This would extend a lunch break well iver an hour, i would have thought. It doesn't look great tbh....sorry

Does the director own the company?
I'd there a chance that she also shouldn't have been there?

This is why firms are desperate to get workers back in the office.

Gosh, your workplace culture sounds worse than OP's. Allowing employees to work flexibly (within reason) is one thing but expecting to answer calls at 8pm and over the weekend is ludicrous, unless they are getting paid or get time back for it.

You are taking the piss @SisterJude7 ! You need to find another job more suited to you.
I WFH once or twice a week; I do the school run, dog walks, caring responsibilities and any housework I urgently need to. The difference is that this is all pre agreed with my manager. She knows my hours and work are completed in full and of good quality, whether that ends up being 6am -10pm or 8am-5pm.
People like you are why employers are so reluctant to let people work from home.

How does that help if she has a 30 minute lunch and was away for at least 1hr 10?

Your post reads like a parody of the WFH stereotype pushed by the militant back to the office brigade.
If your lunch is 30 minutes, between certain hours, of course you can't just go AWOL to suit yourself. You have to be upfront and negotiate the extra time you need for wellbeing, childcare etc. If you're valued and your employer is flexible, you may be allowed the time with a formal arrangement to make it up at other times.
I'd be very surprised if something isn't said, as all they know is you go to pilates when you should be working and this will have damaged their trust in you.
Your best bet is to explain you make the time up, point to your performance which is hopefully exemplary, and ask if you can have the more flexible pattern agreed. Much will depend on the professional currency you have banked with them how lightly they treat it.

Only if the role permits “making the time up at the end of the day”. If it doesn’t then working longer doesn’t help with the breach of the 30 minute lunch allocation.

I presume so. I'm just asking the op a question.

As you have already had some informal warnings about how you wfh- particularly where you missed a meeting, I would be surprised if this didn't result in a formal written warning at least.
You need to decide how badly you need this job. If you need it, start playing by the rules. If you continue to abuse the system, you could be looking at dismissal, not just working in the office full time.
You need a mind reset. The employer doesn't owe you a living. The employer is working within the law on the hours and breaks. The employer does not have to arrange things around your exercise classes, supermarket runs or school pick ups.

Yeah pretty shitty of you and entitled.

I would make sure I made the time up and was visibly seen to do so.

This is why wfh employees get a bad rep

What does it matter? How does it change whether or not the OP is unreasonable for her actions?

Literally says the director doesn’t work Fridays.

Hey op how would a mouse jiggler work if you have been caught red handed if you had used one and pretended to be at work that deceit is much worse. You will obviously have to wait until your spoken to and face the consequences. The trust issue will be the problem here now.

If you don't have a proper flexi time arrangement then they probably won't take kindly to it. I became self employed to have this kind of autonomy but worked really long hours overall. It doesn't sound like you are particularly happy with this employer - time to look for something else?