to be annoyed when people do this?

[StealthPolarBear]

There's a guy I work with. Every time I'm in work early he acts amazed and does the "oooh aren't you in early" routine. Every time - i.e. I do it quite a lot, so surely the shock must have worn off by now! Lots of people seem to do it and it winds me up!

It really annoys me but I think I have issues around this!

Can't you beat him into work once or twice and do the 'oooh aren't you in late' routine?

He's a wanker.

However, is it worth thinking about how you're perceived in the office? Doesn't change his wanker-like behaviour but perhaps although you know you're doing as much as everyone else in the appropriate way etc etc, maybe there's a sense that you're not?

Astonishingly irritating for you if you have to prove that you're a reliable employee but might be worth considering.

Alternatively, whenever he leaves before you/takes lunch etc - feel free to make comments to him!

my mil does this alot in fact we tick off each comment she makes that we're expecting

Say it to him when you arrive before you have the chance to.

It does sound annoying, but then I am imagining it in a very annoying voice.

BD we work flexi so by early I mean before 8am. I'm usually in about 8.15 and stay until well after 5 - he usually swans off at 3.30!
And I make a point of not doing this sort of thing to other people as it winds me up so much!

I repeat.

He is a wanker.

Sounds like my ex-colleague. He was always in very early, I'd arrive and say hello, he'd ignore me and then turn around in shock 10 minutes later to see me sitting there. Highly irritating. Does he generally get on your nerves?

BR...yes...but I am his boss so I need to separate my feelings out and be careful about that.
He isn't the only one though, comments like this in general just annoy me
(I realise I now sound paranoid - I'd like to point out this doesn't happen daily, not even weekly!)

I think it is a common occurence when you work somewhere with flexitime. I used to work somewhere where you could start any time from 7.00 til 9.00. I used to generally come in just before 9 (I had to deal with exclusively US companies so made no sense to be at work when America was asleep) but work until 6 or 7.

The amount of twats who commented on it. Obviously they didn't think that when they buggered off at 3.30 on the dot i would still be there another 3 hours.

Unfortunately it is the case that you will be percieved as being a significantly less worthy employee if you start late. I work at another company now with the same flexi start and finish times and it is exactly the same here. At this company I do start earlier (because it suits me to) and I am percieved as more dedicated than my collagues who come in at 9. It's a bugger but there's not much you can do about it.

yes at the fact I'm usually here till gone 5 (which I realise is an early finsih compared to lots of people) and often pop in on a weekend to finish stuff off!

'OOOh you're off early' sounds to be an appropriate response - every day as he's packing up....

It's that old cookie of trying to make himself look better by subtley putting you down.

If anyone is listening in, it makes it sound like you routinely come in on the dot or even later, whereas it makes him sound like ever the early bird to notice when others are in early also!

I'd turn it back on him ie "What a clock-watcher you are! What's the problem, not busy enough then?"

This will strike fear that anyone listening will think him the slacker. A few responses like this and he will stop, I can practically guarantee.

Stealth - if you're his boss you can exact your revenge in a myriad of wonderful ways, get him to do some mindlessly boring tasks - "Oh you're in hours before the phones start ringing, please can you tidy up this database/archive these files/polish my desk" or whatever!

Does he also say "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH that's very healthy!" every time someone has a salad for lunch and get his head in so close to inspect the food it looks like he is going to start nuzzling it?

Twat. Just say really coolly, looking vaguely amused and a TINY bit contemptuous, "not really - I am often in at this time. Do YOU think it's early?" and give him an odd look. Later, put the top 6 papers on his desk in a pile on top of a surface like a filing cabinet where he goes every day and when he looks everywhere for them, "find" them for him and return them to him in front of everyone, laughing, "are these the things that "went missing" - or someone just left them in a pile on the filing cabinet - ha ha ha"

God, flexitime... I dream of that.

When I get my next job, it's on the list of requirements!

OOH just read you are his boss.

It's even more rude to comment on your arrival time - I wouldn't DREAM of commenting on my boss's start/finish times, because, erm, she is my boss with the power to sack or at least pass me over for promotion/pay rise!!

Will be even more funny when you suggest he's a clockwatcher twiddling his thumbs. Watch him squirm...

lol at polish my desk - it's such a mess I don't think it can be done!
BD - I love flexitime! I didn't realise before having DS but it is definitely worth a lot to me now.