Using a throwaway because some coworkers know my Reddit.
I work at an office in the Sales department. Despite being antiwork I still put in a reasonable amount of work, I just only do it in my work time. As soon as the clock strikes five, I’m out of there, no overtime.
Because of the amount and quality of work I do I’ve been climbing the ladder pretty quick, even faster than other coworkers who have been working there for way longer than I have. I definitely haven’t been trying, but it just happened.
So we have this rule about being late. We use a system that takes a while to boot up, about 7 to 10 minutes. Management uses the rule that you need to be in 7 to 10 minutes before your shift so you can start working as soon as your shift starts. I personally don’t agree with that, if you want me to be there 10 minutes early than you need to pay me for 10 minutes or buy a system that boots up faster.
If you’re ‘late’ to start working (e.g. show up at 12:29 even though your shift starts at 12:30) you could be considered late and the rule for being late is that you either work an hour extra for free or you get paid an hour less. If this happens multiple times you get send home with a warning.
Like I said, I personally don’t agree with this rule. I usually come walking in about 4 minutes before my shift. I boot up, grab some coffee and am at my desk at the precise time my shift starts. I get some looks from management but they know where I stand and they’ve come to accept it. I’m never actually late, I am always at my desk at the precise time my shift starts.
Fast forward a couple of weeks, the 3 managers in my department had a day off. They are good friends and decided to have a fun day together. They asked me to be in charge, open up the office, make sure everyone did their job and close up at five. I would get paid extra. Half an hour before the start of my shift and half an hour after my shift ends, even though my shift would stay exactly the same. I was happy to do it, extra money and a day without management were two pluses in my book.
I’m good friends with my coworkers, they also know where I stand on the whole being ‘late’ rule and they agree with me. So a lot of coworkers did what I do as well on the day that I was in charge, they showed up a couple minutes before their shifts and were at their desks at the shift start. Perfect right?
Then it happened, 8 minutes after we’ve already been working another coworker wanders in. He also had to start at the normal time as the rest of us, I was in a call with technical support at the time so I kind of just glanced apologetic at my watch while making eye contact. He put his hands up and quickly ran towards his desk, which is a couple behind mine. After the call about 10 minutes later I look at him over my shoulder and see he is on his phone and just now booting up, so it’s gonna take at least another seven minutes before he could start. I get a bit annoyed, but hey, maybe he has a good reason for being late and booting up later.
I finally hear the sound of his system indicating it has booted up. I thought that at least now he could start working but then I see him walking past my desk, towards the coffeemaker. He could’ve easily got a cup of coffee while booting up since you just have to wait and not do anything! He took a long time getting coffee and was constantly on his phone so he walked past my desk well past 30 minutes after his shift should’ve started, to actually start working. As he was walking past my desk I called his name three times but he completely ignored me. He just walked right by me.
So I went over to his desk and confronted him. I asked him why he was late, why not just get a cup of coffee while booting up etc. He got really angry, stating that I was always late so I had no right to confront him about this. I told him how I never walk in late and I am always at my desk at shift start. Things got a bit heated and I told him I will report it to the managers, meaning he had to work an extra hour for free or get paid an hour less this week.
Now comes my question Reddit, was I out of line? I’m quite antiwork, but at the same time I also expect me and my coworkers to be there on time. Our management has always treated us well, I get paid mental health days and I work a 32 hour work week because I don’t want to be there for 40 hours a week and they respect that! What would you have done in this situation? Would you also tell management or would you have solved this another way?
Tl;dr: When I was in charge of the office for a day, my coworker showed up late for his shift and I reported him to management for it.