Excessive requests before starting a new job

[EL8888]

I’m starting a new job next month, l have completed all of the HR documents, referencing, bank forms etc etc. Today l wake up to 9 long documents relating to me my new job (NOT related to my start or HR, related to the role). I’m poised to send them an email saying l will attend them when l start. I’m a little annoyed they are trying to get me to do stuff in advance. They know lm still at my old job so why all of the requests. They aren’t paying me yet!

What do they want you to do with them?

Are they forms to fill in to get access to stuff, or just documents you're supposed to read? If the latter then I'd just say you'll read them when you start as you're still working in your previous role.

@rougemouse read and confirm l have done so

@namechange30455 supposed to read. Access stuff was done weeks ago

It’s 9 documents and about 35 pages in total overall. It put me off them and the role to be honest, l never do this to new starters in my current role

Sorry pressed post too soon!

I think it depends on if this is a career role and if you'd gain something personally from dealing with this ahead of time. I've worked in HR for years and have in the past sent out information that could help the candidate hit the ground running so to speak. Some have asked for this, I suppose to show willing. Although it's more been for graduate roles where the person isn't already working somewhere else.

I'd be pretty annoyed if a new hire didn't read the stuff we send out because they are still working. Just read the documents!

All the policy docs and guidance we send out is sent before as it it covered in induction.

Sorry, crossed posts!

In this case I'd just read it rather than be the person who wasn't willing to do it. However, I disagree with them asking you to confirm you've done it. It should be up to you if you want to get a head start or not. Their on boarding process should allow for time to do this kind of thing on their time.

Bit of a red flag but if I were you I'd just get on with it

@idontlikealdi do companies seriously do this?! I wouldn’t have the brass neck to do it. It’s not my first job so l have worked at a fair few companies and l have never encountered this

Hopefully l won’t be working for you as lm not reading it. One minute lm reading 35 pages in my own time, next minute lm working until 10pm with no extra pay or TOIL. I’m a fan of laying my stall out early doors

Just read the flipping docs! Read them in bed, or at other times when you'd be watching TV/playing on your iPad/commenting on Mumsnet/reading a newspaper.

@MrsFin why though? I can do that during my induction. That’s what inductions are for after all

The unpleasant truth is there are a shortage of people who do what l do. I have the upper hand and they don’t, if this is the start of red flags then l will just get another job. I will do the job to the best of my abilities, once l start but l haven’t started yet. I’m a fairly quick reader but it’s time lm not getting back

Because they asked you to?

Is that what you're going to say to them when they ask you why you didn't read the info you were sent before your first day? If that's your general attitude towards work, I can't see you lasting very long in this role. Nobody is irreplaceable.

Are you a slow reader OP? 35 pages isn't a lot unless it's dense academic type stuff. Just read the documents. If there isn't a deadline to respond then you could leave it until a few days before you start. If I had hired someone who perceived themselves to have the upper hand in terms of scarcity of staff and they were already being tricky about it, that might be a red flag for me.

I agree with you OP. Of course you could choose to read the docs in your spare time if you WANTED to but the issue is the principle of the matter and the fact that they're almost expecting you to despite you not actually being on payroll yet.

Sure people can comment saying it shows your attitude towards work bla bla bla. But you work to live, not live to work & I find that nowadays companies seem to be encroaching on personal time more and more. Why is their time more important than yours?

Do them a favour and don't take the job, I think they're better off without you even though you're obviously extremely specialised. If you're that great what's 30 minutes out your time so you can get in and get started?

You aren’t so special that you don’t need to read the Docs.
Just do it rather than start off with a crappy attitude

35 doublespaced pages to read would take what - half an hour tops? Depends on what the documents are. If it's actual "work" as opposed to HR onboarding stuff (which they might send out in advance i suppose as some companies are still mixing working from home).
Personally I'd read it as it might give me a better insight before you start.

Is the pay good?
If it’s minimum wage yanbu but I assume it’s not. For a decent salary I would expect you to go a bit above and beyond. 35 pages doesn’t sound like a lot to me.

Depends what they are I think. If something like safeguarding policy or some other procedure that you need to be familiar with in order to get through the door and have a functional first day, that seems fair enough. If it's nothing that you can't pick up during your first week, more unreasonable on their part. But it will get you off to a better working relationship if you just stuck it up.

read and confirm l have done so

Do this on you

I wouldn't be able to stop myself reading the documents but would certainly not provide the confirmation that I had done so til I officially started. Hitting the ground running snd demonstrating competence id a big driver for my own satisfaction.

Nothing can compel you to do anything.

I would be very surprised if they expected confirmation that you had read ahead of your starting.

I'd also take it as a kindness to let you choose when to engage with them. The first few days of a new job, I tend to find my short term memory overflows so that I am not at my best around really important things. I'd be glad to get a jump start.

Agh butter fingers!

Do this on the first day of your new job. I’m sure lots of PP have suggested this!

When you've not even started yet and saying there red flags with a new employer, it's not great. Just resign then.

I think unfortunately it's fairly standard with many 'professional type' jobs. I've experienced this before too.

Personally I would just read it to make a good impression. However, I do admire you for being willing to take a stand on it (I wouldn't as I'm a whimp!). Employers encroach on our personal time enough in my view

One minute lm reading 35 pages in my own time, next minute lm working until 10pm with no extra pay or TOIL

Oh god, you're one of those people

I'd rather read all this now so that my induction can be shorter.

I often ask for pre-work reading to get a feel for how a new company works.