'You leave too early': Employee starts coming in late to work after boss 'couldn't comprehend' staggered schedules

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 3, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

This new boss was ready to make some changes in the workplace, starting with this system administrator's daily schedule. 

Having a coworker who you're completely compatible with is such a blessing. There are so many types of personalities in the world that you're going to end up working with people of all backgrounds. So when you find a coworker who can make both of your lives easier, you know you've found a kindred spirit. This person had a great boss at first, as well as a coworker that he staggered shifts with. That way, the OP could come in on the early side to prepare reports, while their coworker started about four hours later, and subsequently left later. The new boss decided that he needed to throw his weight around a bit, and instead of asking the OP and their coworker about their work flow, this boss decided to just screw up their schedules. 

The boss was a nepo-hire, which may explain some of his actions. It seems like nepo-hires often want to prove that they're good enough for the job. They want to immediately show they can make a difference… but this was definitely not a step in the right direction. 

Check out this great malicious compliance story below. Up next, this pizza employee was told to take every phone call seriously — even prank calls for 180 extra large pizzas. 

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  • 01
    Joint - 'My old boss left and my new boss... knew nothing about IT and should have never been put in charge of people. (He was a nepotism hire)'
    via Marten Bjork on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - You leave too early M Like a lot of the stories here, my MC was due to scheduling. I was a system administrator for a big, 3 letter telecom company in the one small(er) department. There were two admins, me and J. J was awesome. Super intelligent, very friendly, and was great at his job. He and I decided that I would come in early and he would stay late, so there was more coverage during the day. It worked great for both of us for a few years.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 03
    Font - I would get to work around 6:30 am. I would review all the system generated reports overnight, check the health of the servers and database, and then generate the daily reports for various managers throughout the company (including my own manager and his boss). After 9 hours (plus 1 for lunch), I would go home around 4:30 every day.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 04
    Font - J would show up around 10:30 and would usually be the last person to leave around 7. My old boss left and my new boss, T, was a major idiot and a huge as He knew nothing about IT and should have never been put in charge of people. (he was a nepotism hire)
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 05
    Font - After about 6 months of T working there, he brought me into his office. He said that he was very concerned about how I would just up and leave each day at 4:30....so consistent that you could set your watch by it.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 06
    Font - I tried to explain that I'm there at 6:30 3 hours before he showed up and 4 hours before J showed up but T was having none of that. I was leaving way too early. I asked him what my hours should be.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 07
    Font - He said I should be more like J. He said "J is usually here long after everyone else leaves." Once again, I tried to point out that J gets there at 10:30 - 4 hours after me - and leaves by 7...an 8.5 hour day (with an hour lunch), where I get there at 6:30 and leave at 4:30 a 10 hour day (with an hour lunch).
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 08
    Font - T just couldn't comprehend that. So, I complied. I told him that I would be the last one to leave from now on. T was happy.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 09
    Font - So, I came to work about 10:15 the next morning (which was a Friday). I started my normal routine and about 10 minutes later, J came in. We worked the day and the last person (with the exception of J and me), left around 6:30. We both left at 6:45....and I made sure that J left the building before me.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 10
    Font - The following Monday, I once again showed up at 10:15. This time, there was about a dozen emails and a few voicemails from managers and executives all over the company wanting to know why they haven't received their daily reports. (These reports were used in various Monday Morning meetings all over the globe). I explained to them that my hours have changed, and they would be getting their daily reports by 1:00 PM.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 11
    Font - One of those executives was my bosses, bosses, boss. Before the end of the day, I was in her office with T and T's boss. I explained to her the same situation that I had explained to T before this all started.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 12
    Font - She immediately told T that the work I did between 6:30 and 10:30 was mission critical to the entire company and I was to immediately go back to my old schedule. I then sheepishly pointed out that 6:30 to 4:30 was 9-hour work days and J's 10:30 to 7 was 7.5-hour workdays. I said I would be happy to go back to a 6:30 start time, but was going to limit my hours to 8 hour days (since I didn't get OT).
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 13
    Font - So, starting the next day (Tuesday) and every day after, I showed up at 6:30, did my work, and smiled and waved at T when I went home at 3:30 later that afternoon...so consistant, you could set your watch by it.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 14
    Font - vjmurphy No one sees you when you come in, but everyone sees you leave. I've always had that problem: getting in at 6:45 or 7:00 and leaving at 4:00. My boss never saw me come in, but always glared at me when I left. Started sending emails immediately when I arrived to make sure he knew. Made no difference. Edit: I should say, it was my manager's manager: my direct manager knew and approved my schedule.
    via u/vjmurphy
  • 15
    Font - Tall_Mickey +2 T's logic is really stupid and really common: People who come in early also leave early, while everyone else is still working. No one notices them coming in early -- because no one else is there -- so the assumption is that they're slackers unless they prove otherwise. T was too unintelligent or rigid to see your arrangement.
    via u/Tall_Mickey
  • 16
    Font - Whereas people who come in late and stay late are almost always golden, because they're still slaving away while everyone else leaves, and that satisfies any nascent resentment. As you say: managers need to be better than this. Edit: "also leave early"
    via u/Tall_Mickey
  • 17
    Font - LocoInsaino Did T have a stupid look on his face in the last meeting? 3.9k Reply Share OP. T had a stupid look on his face for the last 3 years I worked there. I bet he still has a stupid look on his face.
    via u/LocoInsaino
  • 18
    Font - 251Cane I made sure that J left the building before me I wish there was surveillance footage of this. Because I picture you two walking side by side down the hallway but when you get to the door you give J an overly exaggerated "no, after you" gesture
    via u/251Cane

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coworkers employee boss employees emails late schedule voicemail work stories malicious compliance malicious-compliance-reddit
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