Colleague "doesn't do paid childcare" how to deal with situation?

[Middlechild3]

New role, shift work, told it would be a 'fairly' stable pattern mostly a combination of 2/2/2 pattern per cycle, except when someone is on leave (and then less or no day shifts). Colleague has boasted about not having to pay for childcare ever despite both her and husband both working full time with shift work (different employers).This has been facilitated because she request shifts around her husbands roster unofficially and the person who does the roster gives them to her at the expense of her colleagues. This is going to mainly be me as we are opposing shifts. This means she will request say all late shifts meaning I would get stuck with all early shifts. This wasn't what I signed up to when I took the job but the emotional blackmail has started and I know she wants the arrangement she had with my predessor to continue. I really have no interest in her childcare woes and think she needs to get paid help in. She's been very lucky for so long but with new staff things will change and she must see this. How to deal with this diplomatically but firmly? to be clear this isn't an HR arrangement she has, she has just buttered up the man who does the roster over the years.

I do because he told me, he trained me. He said she was a nice enough lady but a terrible colleague, all take and no give, e. g. expects others to be there early for shift takeover so she can get away on the dot but turns up on the dot to take over a shift making her colleagues leave late EVERY time. He also said she should be better at the job considering how long she has been there. Oh and that she expects all summer holiday and Christmas leave periods because she's unbelievably entitled and thinks no one else could possibly have commitments outside if work like her.

It’s probably the reason your predecessor left

Her lack of belief in paid childcare is not your problem- and why would emotional blackmail work? She is not part of your family- she has to take her share of early shifts- go to HR and get it sorted.

Just speak to your manager to say you need to work the 2/2/2 that you were told would be your shift pattern as that was the basis you accepted the job on

what does it say in your contract about your working hours and shifts?

Just tell your manager you are not going to put up with it.

I think there is an excellent chance that he will be relieved too that he has an excuse to be no longer manipulated by this person.

It is likely to be far easier than you think.

By all means push back, but I do have to ask, why is getting consistent shifts of one type bad?

To someone who does not have this type of schedule, this seems ideal. No more shifting sleep. No more chaotic schedule. Just a nice predictable work schedule.

But what does your contract actually say? If your contract doesn't spell out the pattern then there's not a lot you can do, they can continue to allocate shifts however.

I agree though, you're colleagues childcare issue shouldn't be impacting on your pattern. You need to speak to your manager about it. But if colleague is a good, reliable worker and has been working this way for a while and you're fresh in the door, it may not have any impact. They might be quite okay with her working in this way.

I'd write an email to the roster manager (cc'ing HR if you think necessary) expressing that you accepted the job on a 2/2/2 basis and yet now you're being pressured to accept work around a colleague's preferences which you did not agree and is not what you applied for.

Please could the roster terms you accepted the job for be implemented henceforth.

Why so angry? I seemed to have touched a nerve with you unless ITS YOU?!! lol

Ignore her demands - if she wishes to work in a particular way then she needs to submit a flexible work request and push for a formal adjustment to her hours. It is not up to you to facilitate that. You need to discuss this with your manager and remind her/him that you were appointed to the role on a specific work shift pattern and that is the shift pattern you expect to work.

But surely her Husband's roster will change so hers will also need to change to fit around it? Sounds like she's just trying to get by and save money like every other parent. Lots of people I know do this in other ways eg wfh/compressed hours to try to save on expensive childcare. Not sure if I'm missing something here but couldn't you get this to work to your advantage if you make friends with her? Do you have kids or hobbies where a flexible rota might work for you? Do you prefer early/ late shifts? Maybe see if you can make a mutually beneficial compromise before going to HR?

I would hate to work a 2/2/2 pattern but if this is preferable for you and this is what they told you you’d be doing, then stick to your guns.

Join a union too.

If it's a small business you may have problems, hopefully it's larger and you can contact HR.

Obviously start with the guy who does the rota - if he doesn't give you the shift pattern you signed up for, then you complain about that to management.

You're lucky that your predecessor gave you the heads up, so you can tackle this right away.

If there's push back from the rota guy or management and you're told that 'poor other staff member' has huge problems organising child care, so everyone needs to be nice to her, then I suggest you tell them about your caring responsibilities, whether kids or elderly relatives, as there are protections against discrimination on the basis of family status, and these kick in right away.

Its in my contract, management has said now staff are at full compliment the roster will settle down and become predictable. Unofficially the pressure is on to keep the status quo. Unfortunately I think I will have to discuss with management else things will just continue as always.

Have you asked whoever makes the roster for your agreed shift pattern? If so what did they say? If they pushed back a lot I’d go to HR to discuss - but tell the roster manager why first.

go away and stick your head in a fridge and cool down. You are clearly gunning for an argument but I'm eating a nice pudding and can't be bothered.

@Middlechild3 Ignore @Noyoung
They're being unnecessarily adversarial.

If it's in your contract then that makes things easier. She needs to submit a FWR and then management can look at whether the business can support her request - you are not required to deviate from your contract just because she doesn't want to organise childcare.

He sounds very unprofessional

but you took the job on 222

assuming 2 late. 2 early. 2 all day

or similar

so you need to make sure this happens

No as stated before several times 2/2/2 works best for me.

Now you know why the last person left!

Ignore @Noyoung - they're just being an arse