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Original poster

Employee and unsympathetic manager

22 replies

NoMichaelNo · 26/07/2022 12:22

We have been working from home since March 2020 with no impact on our productivity and earlier this year my employer classed most of us as anywhere workers meaning it is up to us where we work within reason.

I have recently had a new employee join our team and I've been arranging for employees that I line manage to come into the office and spend a day with him once a week.

Another employee I line manage has asked if he can only come in on a Monday as he can get a lift in via a family member, that's absolutely fine with me as he's explained that himself and his wife are being hit extremely hard with the cost of living, they have a child going to childcare a few days a week and staying with family members as well whilst they both work and he can use his bus pass to get home in the evening.

However my manager has asked that he comes in twice a week to sit with his new colleague, whereas everyone else comes in once a week. I have gently explained that he can't use his disabled bus pass until 9am and that they're being hit by the cost of living but she's having none of it and suggested that he can quit if need be.

I don't know what to do as I fear that asking the colleague to spend money that they quite clearly haven't got will push them to the brink.

Any ideas how I can approach this?

OP posts:
Jalisco · 26/07/2022 12:34

I would hope he's in a union.

I wouldn't get in-between them - not formally, anyway. I would feed back to him exactly what she has said about this matter. I would not argue with her and I would not say that I agree / disagree with her. But I almost certainly would be suggesting that he should consider whether the law on discrimination and/or reasonable adjustments applies here and leave it up to him. If he decided to submit a grievance arguing that this was discrimination (and, to be fair, I don't know whether it is because there may be a very good reason behind the argument, and I only have part of the story to go on) then that would be nothing to do with you.

I would never, whatever I did, argue that personal circumstances are relevant unless we are considering everyone's personal circumstances at the same time. I may be sympathetic with the circumstances, but this is employment - childcare, money issues and travel arrangements aren't a consideration for the employer. I know that sounds harsh - personally, as a manager, I would also try to be flexible and support people, but I also understand that as a manager my only priority for the employer is getting the job done. So I would be looking for a business case to argue the toss, not personal circumstances. Of course, not getting taken to a tribunal for discrimination is a rather motivating business case!

Whitehorsegirl · 26/07/2022 13:12

Does he have a disability (I assume so if he has a disabled bus pass)?

Then your manager is being extremely unwise to treat that person differently and not make reasonable adjustments as he could have argue he is being discriminated against and take the company to an employment tribunal...

I would refer this to HR if you have an HR team as they will quickly see that there is a risk to the organisation here.

WhenDovesFly · 26/07/2022 13:29

Seems like discrimination if she's asking everyone else to come in once a week and him twice - what's her reason for him alone having to do 2 days? Could the employees take turns on spending 2 days so that they only have to do it every few weeks or so? It's unfair to put it all on one employee, unless there's a reason eg this employee has a unique skill set that needs to be shared.

Original poster
NoMichaelNo · 26/07/2022 14:18

The employee in question does have a particular skill set that is a massive contribution to the team which is why he's going to be sharing it with the new employee, so he's covered when he's on annual leave etc.

I'm going to speak to him later, he's not that far from me so I am thinking of volunteering to work the same days as him in the office so I can pick him up in the morning.

Yes he's disabled, he's a key team member and I think that my manager is being a bit shortsighted but we shall see.

OP posts:
Maybeebebe · 26/07/2022 18:59

a week to sit with his new colleague, whereas everyone else comes in once a week. I have gently explained that he can't use his disabled bus pass until 9am
Could he come in later on one of the days? As a reasonable adjustment

KatherineJaneway · 26/07/2022 19:58

How often did your colleague work in the office prior to the pandemic?

titchy · 26/07/2022 20:14

If the new employee and the disabled employee are in a similar role then I can understand the need for them to get together more. However is there a specific reason this 'getting together' can't be one day a week face to face and one day a week on Teams/Zoom?

Also if other employees are meeting new employee face to face on the other four days a week, realistically how much time can new employee spend with disabled employee?

Personally if you think indicting new employee can be done just as well with disabled employee only coming in one day a week, I'd be telling your line manager in no uncertain terms that you won't be asking them to come in more than once a week. They're your team, it's up to you to determine how best to induct and manage them.

Original poster
NoMichaelNo · 26/07/2022 22:04

KatherineJaneway · 26/07/2022 19:58

How often did your colleague work in the office prior to the pandemic?

Three days a week I believe however the cost of living increase has hit him hard, his wife gave birth at the beginning of the pandemic and with everything increasing including childcare costs he's explained that they are really having to be careful.

He copied in a colleague in his initial email to me as they work alongside each other and she's approached me and said that she's seen him selling bits and pieces on Facebook and she believes he is struggling more than he's letting on

I'm going to say I'll pick him up in the morning rather than him having to get a very early lift in.

OP posts:
titchy · 26/07/2022 22:13

Why not just tell your boss they're your team and you've sorted out the inducting of the new staff member. Standing up for your team is what you're supposed to do, and will earn their loyalty as a result. Confused

KatherineJaneway · 27/07/2022 08:05

If he worked pre pandemic three days a week, then he can be legally asked to attend the office. The cold hard fact is that he is contracted and paid to attend an office and his money situation is for him to deal with.

I would suggest that you come up with an alternative plan that pacifies your manager and supports your team member. If the skill can be taught online, then arrange a schedule of Teams or Zoom meetings covering the required topics. If it has to be in person, then you have said you'll offer a lift which is great or arrange for his work day to start later so he can use his pass on his journey to work.

Waterfallgirl · 27/07/2022 08:14

If your contracts are now ‘work anywhere’ then I’m not sure your boss can insist? But if it is for shadowing purposes I can see that getting them together as often as possible is needed.
As others have said starting later on day 2 could be an option as a reasonable adjustment? You offering a lift is also kind and maybe start with those two options.

(I'm not sure if it’s the case here but our staff have been working from home for so long that since the start of this year there has been a reluctance to come into the office - just got so used to being at home …I have a new member of staff who needs to shadow a role in the office but staff are reluctant to come in. In my case some of them work for another manager who won’t insist they come in either so it’s tricky!)

Jalisco · 27/07/2022 08:17

titchy · 26/07/2022 22:13

Why not just tell your boss they're your team and you've sorted out the inducting of the new staff member. Standing up for your team is what you're supposed to do, and will earn their loyalty as a result. Confused

Considering the language used by the OP, then this probably isn't an option. Not everyone's line manager appreciates such candour. And it can make it considerably worse for the employee or others if she did - the line manager presumably has the authority to demand everyone start coming into the office more / all the time. Hybrid working is not a right, and whilst I don't necessarily agree with her position (nor disagree either - it is entirely possible that she is correct and it is a business need); and whilst I am sympathetic about anyone struggling for money, especially right now, that isn't the employers problem. If everyone says they aren't coming in because they are struggling with the cost of living, should nobody come to work? There are very definitely things that are done better face to face than over Teams - virtual time does not replace normal human interaction, so there is a case to be made that supports the managers business decision.

But no matter what, I would not be advising anyone to tell their line manager that they refuse to follow a direct instruction unless they are looking forward to the disciplinary consequences of that action. Standing up for one's team might be the "right thing" to do, but it is not always the wisest thing to do, nor the thing that is in their best interests. And believe me, I know that first hand.

titchy · 27/07/2022 08:23

Hybrid working is not a right,

It is when your contract has been amended to that.

And yes, I appreciate that it's difficult when some managers are arseholes. But there are constructive ways to deal with them. And yes I have been in exactly this position - many times (academics don't make great managers of professional services!). Perhaps OP could make a new post asking for advice of how to deal with such a manager?

I stand by what I said though. A loyal team who knows their manager has their back is a hugely valuable resource.

Original poster
NoMichaelNo · 27/07/2022 08:43

KatherineJaneway · 27/07/2022 08:05

If he worked pre pandemic three days a week, then he can be legally asked to attend the office. The cold hard fact is that he is contracted and paid to attend an office and his money situation is for him to deal with.

I would suggest that you come up with an alternative plan that pacifies your manager and supports your team member. If the skill can be taught online, then arrange a schedule of Teams or Zoom meetings covering the required topics. If it has to be in person, then you have said you'll offer a lift which is great or arrange for his work day to start later so he can use his pass on his journey to work.

I can't respond to everyone but I just wanted to say that our contracts have been amended to 'anywhere workers'.

There's never been a problem with disabled employees attendance or anything like that, he has attended in person team meetings every three months, never missed a Teams meeting whilst WFH. At the end of year meeting he was praised by my line manager for his resilience and ability to adapt when he became a father and was WFH at the same time.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoMichaelNo · 08/08/2022 17:21

Just a quick update, disabled employee handed in his notice last week as he's been offered a fully remote role with a big wage increase.

My manager has gone absolutely ballistic, the feeling within the team is that disabled employee has played an absolute blinder and he's fully deserving of his new role.

OP posts:
Oblomov22 · 08/08/2022 17:28

Oh dear. Serves Boss right.

CornishTiger · 08/08/2022 17:32

Good! Sounds like the manager didn’t really value him anyway!

SolasAnla · 10/08/2022 20:07

Good for him.

I hope your new employee took good training notes🤷🏼‍♀️

Plantpotpetal · 10/08/2022 20:11

Well that’s what you get when you treat people like shit, isn’t it?

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 10/08/2022 20:13

Brilliant update! Really happy for him!

happinesslovescompany · 11/08/2022 18:24

That's a great update OP. Had you already given him the feedback about being in office e twice weekly?

Ineedaduvetday · 11/08/2022 22:09

We have been working from home since March 2020 with no impact on our productivity

Out of interest, how have you measured that?

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