Not paid for logging in time
Comments
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How we deal with this scenario is:
If you're contracted for 9-5 then you're expected to be at your desk prepared and ready to work at 9.
That means you don't come in at 9 and then make tea, or change your shoes or catch up on last night's Corrie. You're free to come in 5 or 10 mins before if you want to do that.
However logging into a work system would count as work that starts at 9.
Most staff will come in a few mins early, turn their PC on if it's off and then make a drink, put their lunch in the fridge, get water etc. then be back at their desk in time to start.
Some, generally the younger ones, come in with 30 seconds to spare and flap around getting ready. No idea why they don't de-stress themselves a bit and leave home just a few minutes earlier. When we discuss with them, it's normally "I couldn't get out of bed".0 -
Why are the union earning their dues and taking this forward?0
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This is quite interesting to me. It's not been raised as an issue - yet!
But I have recently changed my hours to 7am to 3pm. However, the building doesn't open until 6.55am, so I physically cannot be at my desk and ready for work by 7am, as I have to get to my desk, unlock my drawer (a feat in itself as the lock is dodgy) get my laptop out, connect it up, switch it on, let it get ready.
Then log into the various applications via two stage security. So in reality it's probably 7.10am before I can start work.
In actual fact, it suits my department for me to be in first thing, so I don't think my line manager(s) would make something of this. But I wonder if HR would, if they got wind of it.
I don't know if I could argue that I never take either of the 2x10 minute breaks that I am entitled to - because that's my choice not to, and I don't know if that could therefore be offset against the late start.
Before changing hours, we were always expected to be "at your desks ready to start work" at office opening hours. Which I guess did mean we were giving some time for free, to be set up ready. No one ever grumbled about it - maybe they never thought of it!0 -
I've always arrived at least 10 mins before my start time, purely because it gives me time to go to the loo, make a drink and get everything up and running on the systems ready to start the day whilst doing so and all in a very relaxed fashion.
I hate having to do a rush start, I much prefer taking my own sweet time getting myself settled instead of being stressed.We made it! All three boys have graduated, it's been hard work but it shows there is a possibility of a chance of normal (ish) life after a diagnosis (or two) of ASD. It's not been the easiest route but I am so glad I ignored everything and everyone and did my own therapies with them.
Eldests' EDS diagnosis 4.5.10, mine 13.1.11 eekk - now having fun and games as a wheelchair user.0 -
You should be "ready for work" at contracted time
"Ready for work" means at your desk, system problems are the employers issue not the employees. At what arbitrary length of time would you draw the line? 10mins, 30mins, 1 hour?
I always treat login time as work time, if my employer wants me to work an extra 1hr each week waiting for my pc to login I expect to be paid for it at my hourly rate.0 -
I worked many years in a call-centre, both as frontline and management. Staff were expected to be able to take their first call at their start time, which meant they had to have all systems logged in and ready. This meant being at your desk 5-10 before your start time to get logged in. They were also expected to be available right up until their finish time, so if a call came in at 5.59pm and they finished at 6pm, they had to either stay to take the call or answer it and say they were just going to transfer them to an available operator. Telephone login and logout times were very strictly monitored and all calls recorded and listened to later
It was a very strict environment but this was always explained in interviews and inductions and made very clear that non-compliance would end in discipline and dismissal. In all my time there, there was only a very small number of cases where any action had to be taken as 99% of the staff had no issues with it. The office was mainly made up of people with very long term service.
Where I work now, some staff are very lax in turning up to the office at their start time then spending 20 odd minutes making a drink, visiting the loo etc. Then they wonder why they constantly getting taken aside to be spoken to about their punctuality! It's very relaxed office but some just take the mick.0 -
If people are completing all their work within their contracted hours and have time to take it easy then what's the problem?
Rather than moaning at people for time keeping, tea/pee breaks give them more work to do.
minute pinching is loosing sight of the real objective to get the job done0 -
I don't see the problem.
Where I work (manufacturing environment) you are expected to be at your station, with all the correct PPE on, ready to go on the bell. There is even a "2 minute warning" bell which sounds before shift start and towards the end of every beak.
If you are not there ready you can be disciplined.
All sanctioned by the Union.0 -
getmore4less wrote: »If people are completing all their work within their contracted hours and have time to take it easy then what's the problem?
Rather than moaning at people for time keeping, tea/pee breaks give them more work to do.
minute pinching is loosing sight of the real objective to get the job done
That's the approach my company goes for. If someone wants to come in 20 minutes late, have a 2 hour lunch break or work from home/cafe/the pub they can, as long as they get done what I expect of them.
Then days when we're really busy they're more than willing to stay a few hours late to get something done. I wouldn't want to work in an environment where every minute is logged and someone counting how many times I go for a dump, so I don't expect it of my staff.0 -
That's the approach my company goes for. If someone wants to come in 20 minutes late, have a 2 hour lunch break or work from home/cafe/the pub they can, as long as they get done what I expect of them.
Then days when we're really busy they're more than willing to stay a few hours late to get something done. I wouldn't want to work in an environment where every minute is logged and someone counting how many times I go for a dump, so I don't expect it of my staff.
Depends on the type of environment to be fair. If OP is talking about an office then there is no harm logging in at, say, 08:55 (9am start) and then pottering around for a few minutes. Or doing the sort of stuff that you discuss.
If it is an inbound call centre then sadly minute pinching is often required. Why? Because the company forecast the number of calls they'll receive and schedule agents based on that. They use stats like average call handling times to help with this. So if an average agent can handle a call in 5 mins (on average) then they can handle 12 in the first hour. If the company expect 120 calls in the first hour then they'll schedule 10 agents (usually more as a buffer for absence) to handle them.
For every minute lost, you lose 1/5 of a call. So if 5 agents are 1min late then you theoretically handle 1 less call.
It doesn't sound like a lot to be fair, but it actually has a snowball effect as calls start to queue more and service level drops off completely. Given service level is one of the main KPIs, it can cost a company quite a bit of money.0
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