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Original poster

Boss setting up team meetings for times that I'm not available

103 replies

HerdingSquirrels · 10/02/2015 14:41

What to do about it, that's the question. My boss arranges all team meetings for 4.30 or 5pm, or for days that I'm not working. Not intentional on my boss' part, I don't think (boss is in the US, the team are in the UK). I have to leave at 4.30 to pick up my child from the childminders, meaning I can't make the meetings. I've explained the situation and asked if they be rescheduled but my boss says it's not possible. Anyone else been in this situation? How did you resolve it?

OP posts:

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 12:48

Past, I think it is fair to note that DH is taking a share ie doing drop off - not "I can't do it because of my husband" but it shows OP isn't doing all the child care cover and DH none.

Anyway, not much point adding more until OP comes back re some of the suggestions!

QuintlessShadows · 11/02/2015 12:53

Probably not relevant, but why is the boss of team whose focus is not the US, based in the US and leading the team from there?

lavenderhoney · 11/02/2015 13:02

I have the same issue with EST, and my company picks up the extra cost of the cm to cover it, as they want me to call in and it's such tricky timing, being outside my hours. I don't have a DH in the mix though:)

You do have to talk about it - have they said why it can't be earlier? I could understand if it was west coast. Perhaps people from there are calling in too.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 13:04

Lavender, that would count as a taxable benefit, FYI.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 13:05

Sorry if you already knew that

wobblebobblehat · 11/02/2015 13:14

Yes, it's crap. My boss' boss (American woman) regularly arranged conf calls for Friday afternoon. The UK office officially closed at 12:30 but we were often still there. I used to bump them for him though as it used to piss him off.

I think I would join the call from home if possible. Bit of a pain but I would come in late/leave early to make up the time. You need to look as if you are making the effort. Difficult people don't get on in my experience...

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 11/02/2015 13:17

You could suggest that you really want to attend the meetings so will work from home or leave the office by 3pm on the days that they are scheduled. You've been invited - do you have the autonomy to just do it or do you do a job that needs someone in the office for active cover like IT?

Can you start arranging the meetings? Act as the meeting secretary [tedious but it could work in your favour] Do you have visibility of your boss's diary - it may be that she is expected to be in meetings with her line management in the mornings which is why she is being inflexible?

1pm in London is 8am in NY if memory serves from 9/11 but it can vary depending on when the clocks go forwards and back. So 2-4pm is your window which is a narrow one for your boss especially if they are client facing.

If it makes you feel any better I am currently having thrice weekly meetings with colleagues in NZ and Aus, 11 hrs and 13 hrs ahead respectively. So it's 6/6.30am or post 8pm so I can do school runs and participate in bedtimes. We alternate weeks.

lavenderhoney · 11/02/2015 13:19

I know- but it's ok, I raise it during appraisals

ZenNudist · 11/02/2015 13:35

I think leaving early to dial in is sensible.id have thought that journey home would be shorter at 3-3.30 ish.

So leave at 315
Home 430 dial in, do it in transit If still not back
If any time left after call work from home
Leave home at 545 and go get dc

Does that work without losing working hours?

Floggingmolly · 11/02/2015 13:48

Do you start at 8am unofficially just so you can leave at 4.30 in time to pick up your child? In other words, are you actually expected to be working a 9 to 5.30 shift (although as others have said; at a certain level you aren't really expected to be doing the 9 to5 thing at all)?
Your boss certainly seems to think so. If he expects to meet with you after 4.30, and never contacts you at all at 8am, it's fairly obvious, is it not?

Ragwort · 11/02/2015 14:06

Don't you have that clause in your contract that reads something like 'all reasonable hours to be worked to achieve the expectations of the role' - I have that on a job that pays barely more than minimum wage. . I have never worked 'contracted hours' - surely everyone accepts that for a salaried position you can't just do 9-5 (or whatever) hours?

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 14:23

OP does 8-430 - if others on her workplace do 9-530 then she isn't taking the piss, especially if this is a formally agreed variation to her hours.

Ragwort · 11/02/2015 15:15

Yes but surely everyone knows that 'formally agreed hours' can change - especially for management/salaried employees - and if the boss is now based in the US it's pretty obvious that the calls will be made at different times.

I appreciate it is very tough but making a fuss about this sort of thing is exactly why parents women can be seen as inflexible and not the 'ideal' employee.

My DH works for an overseas based company and frequently has to work weekends/Bank Holidays etc to suit the needs of the business, he is not paid mega bucks either. . If he pointed out his 'terms of contract' he would just be laughed out of the door.

I'm not saying that it is right or fair - but that is just the way for many, many employees these days.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 15:27

I do think OP should be flexible eg swapping one day per week with DH or working one afternoon a week from home.

I don't think it's physically possible or reasonable for her to do 1630 Thursday one week, 1630 Tuesday the next etc as her co parent also needs to make changes. DH and I take turns with childcare collection and we can accommodate meetings readily if planned and ideally if regular.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 15:28

It would be the same if it was her DH needing to do a meeting at 8.30am or whatever - could be accommodated but needs planning in.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 15:29

And of course people with regular caring responsibilities are not the ideal employee xonpared to those without - but there aren't enough commitment free types to only employ those!

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 11/02/2015 15:34

Exactly Ragwort. The best thing the OP could do is to make it work for her. Her line manager will either be fine with it, or will miraculously become more available.

JeanSeberg · 11/02/2015 19:03

Jean, your idea of 'flexibility' seems to be the OP saying to her boss 'ok, we both know my contractual hours are 8-4.30, five days/week, but of course it's ok to unilaterally vary my contract to 8-5.30 two of those days

Where did I suggest that?

One option would be to do 9-5:30 on those days. She's already said she alternates drop offs and pick ups with her husband so she takes on those days and he pick ups.

What I find really on this thread is how rigid some people are.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 20:01

She doesn't currently alternate, Jean. DH does all the drop offs at present.

It'll probably be 0930-1800 if she switches, given usual CM times and her commute.

JeanSeberg · 11/02/2015 20:17

They alternate as in she's not responsible for both ends of the day. She's given no reason why she can't drop off some days and husband pick up.

Are you being deliberately obtuse?

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 20:51

Nope.

AKnickerfulOfMenace · 11/02/2015 20:53

And she stated this in her second post:

". He can't do pick ups as he has a longer commute and often gets delayed so can't reliably get back in time"

SummerSazz · 11/02/2015 21:03

I have the same issue so leave work at 3.15pm for a 4pm weekly team meeting and dial in from home. Then if the call isn't finished by 4.50 I excuse myself to pick up kids from ASC.

Why can't you leave to go home early??

Original poster

HerdingSquirrels · 11/02/2015 21:48

Back again. I didn't realise this thread would get so heated. But some very interesting views from everyone on working hours/flexibility and commute times. Knickerful, however, is spot on.

Yes I can take the call from home, however it's a 30min trip to the childminder from home and it's not ideal taking calls on the bus; I can listen in but there are often presentations discussed on the call, and I don't want to be discussing company sensitive information on public transport.
Evening calls would be fine, but these are team calls and the rest of the team don't want to be working late. I'm happy to be flexible with working days and hours, but the 4.30-5.30 timeslot is difficult. I've suggested alternatives; it's my boss that is not offering an alternative.
As it happens, DH is working from home when I have my next team meeting, so can do the pickup next time.

OP posts:

Sunsandrainbows · 11/02/2015 22:15

I manage a team across locations and I have an employee who works flexibly. We do not have meetings involving the entire tam in the times she is not contracted to work because a) it's disrespectful to her and b) she has value to add so it's pointless to have a separate catch up with her for her stuff!! I'd say for whatever reason your boss is not respecting your input. Either make yourself indispensable like my employee does or find a role in your firm where you are!!

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