Intimidation at work

[bingo1]

I must first stress that I am new to this forum and hope I am not raising an issue already discussed. I have no one else to discuss my work related matter as my work colleagues are all 'in the same boat together' and I am not on board.
The issue relates to both one of a contractual nature and a behavioural one with management. I have raised the issue of my working hours with HR but as of yet had no reply.

In response to my actions of exercising my 'contract hours', my line manager came into my place of work and was intimidating and bullying in his manner and passed comment which put suggestion that I "Was of no use" if I was not going to submit and carry out a direct order of a delegated task which he had assigned.

As this is an issue directly related to behaviour with my manager, I do not wish to confront him with this, I intend to call the company's whistleblowing helpline but other than that, is there further advice anyone can offer

Why did you not do as you were asked?
Surely that’s your job?
To follow directions

Do you mean you are working your contractual hours and no more which means not everything is getting done because the culture is one where people usually work unpaid overtime? What did you do to prompt the manager's reaction? Refuse to stay late to complete something?

The issue was relating to my working hours (shift pattern) which I have been fulfilling for many years and now this shift pattern no longer suits me. I am studying full-time also and those working hours (shift pattern) as outlined in my contract 08:00 - 16:30 is one which is more conducive to my work life balance.

Having received no response from HR, I took it upon myself to exercise those hours as outlined in my contract. Obviously this unsettled operations, manager came into the office, pissed off and used his position of authority a little more than I felt he had any right to do, making me feel very intimidated by his presence and his suggestion of if I am not willing to do the job he had 'ordered' me to do then "I am of use to the company."

What hours have you been working and for how long?

You unilaterally changed your hours without talking to your manager? Surely you know you approach your manager first on something like this?

The way you are relating what has happened and expressing yourself comes across as bloody minded tbh. You didn't hear from HR after how long and did you chase them?

Is the whistleblowing hotline for all grievances and concerns? What you're describing would not fall under whistleblowing in a legal sense.

How long have you worked there?

Your second post suggests your hours had changed through custom and practice. If so, you can't just switch back to your original hours without the agreement of the employer.

So you decided to change your working hours unilaterally?

Your posts are very difficult to understand. Did you ask hr if you could change your hours and do it despite not getting a reply? The fact that the hours are no longer suitable for you is of no relevance to your employer- it’s your problem.

I don’t think the whistle blowing line is likely to be the right course of action.

You need to go back to Hr and your manager about your work hours and pattern, and not unilaterally change what’s sounding like custom and practice

Then you need separately to raise a grievance over your managers tone. Follow policy.

My manager had been made aware of my change of hours however was enforcing my current shift pattern with no consideration for those hours within my contract.
As for whistleblowing line it does cover grievances within work.
Been with the company for 12 years now.
HR have not provided a response, having been patient with them I took the decision on my own account having first informed management who dismissed those hours outlined in my contract and enforced the only shift pattern available to me were those that I had been working

Op surely your contract states they can change the hours as required by rhe company?

Are you saying they changed your shift but you just continued to work the old shift?

When I had informed management that it was no longer suitable to work the current shift pattern, I had stated that according to my contract working hours they were different to that as the shift I had been doing. The shift I am working is no longer suitable so I informed them that I would be revering to that shift outlined in my contract.
I have been working the shift pattern for as long as I can remember but because of a change in circumstance I decided to read what was written in my contract and see what I am legally obliged to conform with in respect of working hours (shift pattern)

So you've been working agree hours and then decided they didn't suit so checked you contract and are going to work what's stated there?

Your contract is not just what you originally signed. Don't you understand that you can't unilaterally change your hours?

Unfortunately if you having been working a shift pattern for a notable length of time then that actually becomes your contract regardless of what was written in the original contract.

So you have shift times in your contract but have been working different hours for a while at the request of your employer.

Those different hours no longer work for you, so you asked your manager if you could change back, they said no, you emailed Hr who haven't replied yet, in the meantime you decided despite your manager saying no that you would just do what you like anyway. Is that accurate?

You sue the term 'intimidating and bullying' when describing your managers behaviour when they approached you to discuss the fact that you had unilaterally decided to change your shifts. What specifically did they do that was intimidating or bullying?

Had been working agreed hours and when I had informed management this pattern was no longer suitable, they told me I had only the current shift pattern available to me and failed to recognise what is outlined in my contract. They failed to recognise the shift pattern as outlined in my contract and so therefore did not offer this shift to me, stating I had no option but the one I was currently working. I explained to them that the hours in my contract differ to what they have just expressed I can but only work

But you had accepted and worked a different shift pattern for a significant period of time, by doing that it had become your shift regardless of what was written in your contract when you first joined the company, so you need to agree a new shift.

You still haven't detailed what was actually intimidating or bullying about your managers behaviour. It at this point, without you expanding on your choice of words, sounds like you are using terms that you believe will allow you to raise a grievance.

To answer HalfShrunkMoreToGo. Yes that is accurate.
However my contract has no 'shift pattern' hours, just 08:00 - 16:00 written.
In regards to managers' behaviour. After being notified of my request to change my working hours, due to them not recognising my contract states differently, they came to the office and were enforcing that I had no rights to those hours within my contract. They demanded then I carry out tasks and commented if I did perform these tasks then "I am of no use to the company."

Unfortunately they are correct you no longer are entitled to the hours in your contract because you have worked different hours to those ones for a notable length of time.

You are ignoring everyone telling you that if you have worked a shift pattern for long enough that actually by law becomes your contracted hours. What is written in your contract us irrelevant now.

But what they said is true.

When you were employed you had contracted hours, you then agreed to a change of those hours. You now want to change back but the company doesn't need you to work the original hours anymore, that doesn't work for the business needs.

You have the option to formally raise a flexible working request to change your hours, during which you will need to justify why that change is needed and your company will have the option to accept or decline based on business needs.

You can't just unilaterally decide to change back when you've been told that's not acceptable, and if you do then your job is at risk as your employer would have a valid cause to start disciplinary proceedings on the basis of conduct.

Telling you that is not intimidating or bullying by itself. It would only be intimidating or bullying if it's was done in an intimidating or bullying manner ie name calling, shouting, unprofessional threats....

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo

But what they said is true.

When you were employed you had contracted hours, you then agreed to a change of those hours. You now want to change back but the company doesn't need you to work the original hours anymore, that doesn't work for the business needs.

You have the option to formally raise a flexible working request to change your hours, during which you will need to justify why that change is needed and your company will have the option to accept or decline based on business needs.

You can't just unilaterally decide to change back when you've been told that's not acceptable, and if you do then your job is at risk as your employer would have a valid cause to start disciplinary proceedings on the basis of conduct.

Telling you that is not intimidating or bullying by itself. It would only be intimidating or bullying if it's was done in an intimidating or bullying manner ie name calling, shouting, unprofessional threats....

This from @HalfShrunkMoreToGo

To answer HalfShrunkMoreToGo
I shall investigate raising a flexible working request, this I was unaware that it was an option available to me