My manager doesn’t think I’m working my hours

[Polarbearflavour]

So I’ve posted about my job before. Every day I have my resignation form on my desk but I never get around to handing it in such is my loathing for this place.

So I’m a civil servant working on a military base. My line manager is military. I have my own office and very little work to do. When I say very little I mean I have basically nothing to do. There is a military colleague already in the post doing my job. He too does very little and goes home early / to the gym / works from home.

My issue is, my manager (hates confrontation but think he’s a great manager as he’s been on a “Managing Civilians” course) asked me how working my 37.5 hours a week for me was working out and what hours was I working? It came out of the blue and now I’m wondering if he or somebody else is keeping tabs on me.

Now, I leave early on a Friday as military personnel tend to depart at 12 on a Friday. I leave at 1pm on a Friday as I do volunteering in a school for which I am entitled to 6 days a year off as part of civil service employment. I cleared this with my boss before starting. Fine.

There is no clocking in and out. No timesheets. I rarely see my boss or anybody regulary as nobody comes in my office.

Then we have the fact that I was told not to start until 10:30am on a Monday (as that’s when they start) and if I’m still in the office on a Friday when they go at midday I’m told “not to hang around.” So of course, once they leave, I go home. As I am essentially sitting in an empty building.

So no, I’m not actually doing my full hours a week as I’m told to not do them effectively! On a few occasions when the IT / electricity has been down, my colleague has told me to go home and do some studying as we can’t do any work.

And when I’m sitting here like today, sure I’m physically in work but with nothing to do so I’m reading my Kindle. So it’s all a bit pointless really!

My manager obviously doesn’t like me. The rest of our small team are all military and I’m not included in the WhatsApp group or conversation.

Should I just leave, especially now that my manager is questioning what hours I’m working? I have the feeling he just wants to get rid of me as I don’t fit in and don’t really do anything! I hate this place to the point that I cry before, during and after work as I just feel so bored and useless.

But you are doing the hours they told you to do. They can't tell you to go home and then ask why you weren't at work.

Exactly 🤷🏻‍♀️

Today, I have already heard my boss leave and his door is locked. He rarely says goodbye - none of them do. So once they go, I will pack up and go as I’m not doing anything.

If I’ve previously been told “‘not to hang around” on a Friday afternoon on an empty base I presume that still stands!

If you want to keep the job, I would be making sure you are doing the hours.

However, in your situation, I would carry on but be spending all the time job hunting.

Depends on how much of a blow it would be if they got rid of you? Doesn't sound like either of you are a good fit for the other!

(carry on as you are, I meant)

Your boss not being there doesn't mean you have to go home though! You leave early because you want to volunteer at the school - but you only get 6 days a year for that? Or do you do it every week even though the allowance is only 6 days?

If you are the only civilian, then it's not unreasonable that they have 'military only' groups.

If you want to leave, then leave - look for another role. It doesn't come across to me that your manager doesn't like you, if that was the case he'd have you working your full hours!

Do you not ask for more work? Have you had an appraisal, do you not go through what you do or not do?

I don’t understand how any employer could be this laissez faire and negligent. How can you have nothing to do ? What are they paying you to do ? I think you should work your contacted hours. But you need to find another job.

Don’t you ask for more work to do? Offer to colleagues if there’s any bits you can do for them?

To be honest it sounds a bit shit - if you feel isolated and are left out of things like WhatsApp groups, you may have case for a grievance for workplace bullying.

It sounds like your job may be made redundant though if your boss is sounding you out - If you’re wanting to leave anyway just be honest with your boss about your task list; then await redundancy pay. If you want to keep it, then you need to find more work to do for yourself.

Well I’ve previously been told I don’t have to hang around on Fridays and that they don’t start until later on Mondays. By my boss. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s 6 full days a year volunteering so that can be divided up as it’s 45 hours a year and I do 2 hours a week apart from school holidays such as this week.

Like today, there is no point in me hanging around until 16:30. It’s Easter holidays so there is no volunteering. But there is nobody left in my entire building and I have literally nothing to do. I’m just playing on my phone and reading my Kindle. I’ve not spoken or seem anybody since I got here and I could sit here in silence until 16:30 with no emails, no phone calls and not seeing anybody.

I will be moving on with my husband at the end of the year anyway as he is military. There’s not really any point in me looking for a new job as by the time I get one and start it’ll be almost time to resign! So I could just quit this job and not work until we move which seems tempting right now! Or I could stay here, earning more but being miserable.

The heating is also broken so I’m always cold - my own portable heater has broken so I’ll have to buy a new one from my own money.

Are you able to describe what your job role actually is without it being too outing? I'm just genuinely intrigued what jobs there are where you have nothing to do all day and get to leave really early all the time

What is your job

But if they start later on Mondays aren’t you meant to finish later? Don’t you have to log your time in some way to explain what you’re doing? Or for charging purposes? To work out if your salary is “worth” it? Is it a public sector job?

I’ve asked for more work from my boss but he just says it’s not really up to him to give me work and my military colleague should be giving me work to do and he is my daily “go to” person.

The boss does sometimes send work our way but only bits of things. And my colleague does them! He says I should enjoy having such an easy job!

They know I’m leaving at the end of the year as my husband is being drafted so I guess they’ve decided to keep my military colleague in his post and not really bother with me.

I heard them all laughing in the corridor around 11am and then they locked their office doors and turned off the corridor light leaving it really dark. They knew I was still here as my office door is still propped open.

How long have you worked there and when did it start being so quiet that you have nothing to do?

I would rather not post exactly what my job is but it’s a glorified admin job.

And no, making up the time has never been mentioned, the military don’t make up time. The idea is that when they have desk based jobs, the fewer hours make up all the time they are away if they get posted.

Honestly I would say that most of the jobs I have held have been bullshit jobs with nothing to do most of the time. Public or private sector.

It’s been like this from day one a few months ago when I had no IT access for my first 8 weeks.

@Polarbearflavour if your hubby is posted then you can apply for new roles with favourable status (not on my computer at the moment so can't remember the exact name). I'll check and come back to you with it.
I tend to work the same hours as my military colleagues so long days Mon - Thurs and a 1pm finish on a Friday. I have worked on a base that micro managed civil servants and it was pretty rubbish. Now on a much more 'adult' unit where, as long as your work is done, they don't mind the hours you keep (providing you don't take the piss).

@madvixen, thank you. I’m aware of the priority mover status but I don’t think I want to carry on working for them. I’ve worked for them before in another location and that was pretty dire too.

I must have chosen the wrong career if there are more jobs out there where you have nothing to do most of the time! I get it must be a bit soul destroying and dull but sometimes after I've done my 13 hour shifts and worked my arse off to the point that my feet feel like they are going to fall off I do wish I'd chosen something different! Is it well paid? I would say definitely stick it out till the end of the year, you are being paid and are doing very little hold onto it whilst it lasts!

It’s around the UK average salary.

From my experience, the Civil Service is full of jobs like this. But I’ve also worked for a Union and in financial services and they are too filled with bullshit jobs!

I would rather have a busy but worthwhile job. My volunteering in a school is more rewarding than this. I’m also aware that if I get a PGCE and become a teacher I will be very busy / stressed. I know that if I become a teaching assistant I will be earning a lot less money and really busy at work.

But until I move location in a few months, it’s not really worth a career change.

It must be very boring. It would make me depressed. I would job hunt.

Today, I have already heard my boss leave and his door is locked. He rarely says goodbye - none of them do. So once they go, I will pack up and go as I’m not doing anything.

I completely understand that it feels pointless for you to be there at all, let alone when everyone is gone, but you can't leave without permission. On the Fridays (or other days) when your boss or someone senior tells you to go, absolutely go. But that is permission for that day, not overall. It does sound like your boss once gave you permission to leave early on most Fridays, but he's rescinded that when he questioned how many hours you are working.

I'd stay put until 4:30, it's only 3.5 hours and like you said, you can use your phone and read your Kindle, so although it's pointless, it's not as bad as those office jobs that shoot you for picking up your phone but have no work!

Can you afford to leave and not have another job until your husband moves?

Just remember that The grass is always greener on the other side, OP.

People are leaving the “busy but worthwhile” jobs in droves - teaching, nursing etc. Many people would actually love to be paid an “average” wage for doing fuck all for a bit. Fair enough, it’d be soul destroying long term, but you’re moving soon anyway.

I’d honestly make the most of it and stick it out till the end of the year - if you’ve got your own office and your management know you have asked for more work, i’d brazen it out - do an online course, bring in a book, do your online shopping; all that other life admin.

I would stick it out and plaster a smile on your face till the clock runs out.

And use the time to learn stuff, plan things, get all your household admin done etc.

You won't change direction of the oil tanker you are currently on, so it's either: leave and lose the easy money; or make it work for you within those confines.

My role can be really stressful but you soon work out a balance! If you want to be a teacher definitely go for it once this year is up. As much as I whinge about my poor feet I love my job and that makes the stress and bad days worthwhile!