Issues with new (interim) manager, how to approach

[CharlieSierra]

My boss, who happens to be the HR director, is on mat leave and not due back until the end of Q1 2015. Her cover is a colleague from within the dept who was my peer (to be clear, no issue with this, I don't actually do HR as such). The management style is very different, which is fair enough, however I have always had the option to work from home whenever it suited me to do so, and she doesn't like it. She can't really explain why, I think it is a deep rooted trust issue with her or something, she just says she doesn't believe in it and she likes to know where all her staff are. I don't even work on the same site as her, or any of my 'customers' for that matter and both my previous managers have been cool with it - it's a challenging role and they have both been of the opinion that it doesn't matter where I am and if it helps to cut out the commute and have the peace and quiet, it's all good. I now feel as if I have to give a reason every time I want to wfh, she's never said no but it kind of feels like that feeling you get when you have to call in sick, so I hardly do it now - so I guess she's got her own way by making me feel uncomfortable about it. What has brought matters to a bit of head for me is that she is now asking me 'on what basis' I have company supplied broadband, which I've had since starting the job 7 years ago. Not sure what to do, should I challenge her, ask her what the problem is? I do tend to avoid confrontation where possible

Set up a meeting to run through the issues and come to an understanding. Make sure it is minuted.

Nomore thanks - I'm not quite sure how to come to an understanding - at the moment I understand that she doesn't like it so I only do it occasionally, I want to go back to doing it whenever I like without giving a reason, because it's never been an issue before and I prefer it. We have had conversations about it, she just said 'Oh I don't agree with it, I like all my staff in the office'. I guess I'm looking for advice on what to say to her, how to handle the fact that we don't agree, and can she come along for a year or whatever and change this because of her preference?

that would drive me potty. Sounds like she is acting up above her comfort zone, or perhaps not getting enough support.
Many employers support home working - does your company have a policy? I personally wouldn't discuss your home working set up with her (eg broadband). Is she checking up on you to see if you're in the office daily?
If it's not possible to just do your own thing and stay under the radar then I would consider requesting a meeting to get clarification on the home working policy. Arm yourself with any company docs and/or any examples of your own and other people's home working. I would let her do the talking and ask for explanation, eg if she says 'I just don't like it' ask exactly what is it about it she doesn't like, and keep probing for specifics! If she can give concrete answers then maybe that's a starting point for compromise (but don't offer anything you're uncomfortable with), or at least through discussion she may either tie herself in knots or talk herself out of it.
You vocal also explain that you're very confident in managing your own workload, that your last performance review didn't raise any issues (if true!), and that sometimes working from home is more productive. It you need to you could say that you feel micromanaged by her approach?

I wouldn't complain or make a fuss, I'd just show her delicately that working at home when I need it gets all my stuff done. NB I've worked in jobs where working from home is a 'thing' for around 15 years.

Make sure you do some emails/ask questions/send over stuff to her in the morning, with one email going as soon as you fire up the computer. A few phone calls for clarification or a chat with the office around midday. Then send out the completed work in the late afternoon. If you can, have a 'WFH TO DO list' on the go; and make sure she knows you keep it. Keep it and then if she mentions it again, show her what you have been up to on your last 3 WFH days. Fill up your diary WFH day with slots for different pieces of work. ie 9-10 emails. 10-12:30 Amend and add photos to x report. 12:30-1 lunch 1-3 draft up x. 3-3:30 emails. 3:30-4:30 research x thing. 4:30-5:30 whatever else you do.

If you have broadband, paid for by the company, to enable you to work at home, then make sure you show clear signs that you are using it. Make sure you stack up on your desk all your 'I'm doing this at home on Xday' and mention it regularly in meetings 'I'll do that on Xday, at home where it is quieter. If you have a home office, mention it regularly.

If she mentions it in passing that she doesn't like it then ask 'in what context?' as for you, it means you get more hours in, you catch up with paperwork, you can do long reports with no interruptions, you can get all your emails out of the way first and crack on with X, Y and Z, you always do more hours at home not less ha ha ha every time, yada yada yada, in fact the company get more work out of you on a working from home day and surely that's a good thing?

I used to manage 17 staff who worked from home, and knew that some didn't do much as I had been their peer and so put measures in place for them to do record their at home, and if they hadn't done it, there were issues. Evidence of working at home are emails and phone calls to the office on regular occasions, plus work actually being finished! If stuff was not being done, monitoring was put in place and actions taken.

working we have Lync so she can see if I'm online, but she will chat me sometimes and ask where I am, I also feel as if she's asked the HR manager who works in the same office as me to keep an eye out - this is an interim person, also covering mat leave and technically junior to me. It is starting to really piss me off, especially as the interim HR manager also doesn't approve of home working - both quite dogged and set in their ways.

Funky a lot of my work doesn't involve my boss, my previous bosses have limited themselves to supporting me as I needed - the line manager thing is really just because the MD can't do that, otherwise I'd report to him. She's trying to make a name for herself and overstepping the line as far as I'm concerned.

If it were me it would be business as usual. I would continue working from as and when I choose. You've done it for seven years and she is only interim.

Unless she specifically asks you to be in the office I would let it was over me. Don't try to justify yourself.

She sounds like she is getting a bit above her station. As an interim she is holding the fort not reinventing the wheel!

Once upon a time I did a maternity contract and had to work with a vile woman. One day I was trying to help and she shrieked, "I won't be told what to do by a temp!". A few months later I was made permanent. A few months after that she was given the push. I don't know how I didn't dance on the desk!