Boss demands employee stop leaving a minute early at the end of the workday, despite knowing employee also arrives early, employee responds: ‘Why nitpick?’

• Some employees enjoy coming to work a little early, just so that they'll have a few minutes to set up and get everything in order before work actually starts. That is what this employee did, as they explained in the post they shared on the Reddit community r/antiwork.

  Recently, she learned that this extra time before work doesn't grant her the option to leave early, even if just by one minute.

   

• 
  via Getty Images

  ^{Two models representing a businessman and a businesswoman, walking down the stairs while talking.}

• "Boss told me to stop leaving early one minute before EoD"

  She came up to me on my way to leave for the day and says “You need to stop cutting out early. You need to stay productive until the end of your shift. This kind of thing is being tracked.” I was so stunned by the suddenness and casual manner in which she said it, I thought she was joking at first, but then it set in on the drive home.

  I am always early to work. One of my biggest pet peeves is not being punctual, and I like getting to work a bit early to prepare myself for the workday and finish eating my breakfast. Sometimes I’ll be checking emails several minutes before I’m officially on just because I’m ready to start my day. At the end of the day I spend the last 10-15 minutes entering time and cleaning up my cubicle. If I happen to be a few minute ahead, I’ll pack up my stuff and head out. By the time I’m out of the building my shift is over.

• However she insisted today that I was still on the clock for one minute and needed to be productive for that one minute. On the way home I just thought about all the times I came in early and wondered if that counted for nothing. The part she mentioned about “tracking” just grossed me out because that either means someone is looking at what times I badge in and out of the building, or are physically watching me in office or on camera which is so creepy to me. Like why nitpick to that degree? Is it pressure coming down from the top or is it just her own way of needing to feel in control of someone? I’m not going to change my behavior because it’s not wrong, but I am going to start documenting interactions like these from now on.

   

  - humungus_jerry

• 
  via Getty Images

  ^{A woman is being shown into an office space by another woman, represented by models.}

• If you ask us, it's time for this employee to do the only thing that works with this type of company: comply. No more arriving early, no more answering emails outside of work hours. They should work from the minute they clock in until the minute they clock out, and not a single minute more.

  No matter what happens.

• Comments:

  I had a boss that used to do this. Complained I left at 4 when everyon else left at 5. Told him I was starting at 7.30am instead of 9am to set the team up for the day. He told me that as he doesnt get in until 10 that he doesnt see that so it doesnt count. So I stopped doing it. And found another job. Now my new boss just wants my work done and doesnt care what time I start or finish /  
  oldandopinionated

   

  I have a similar boss. They pay attention to the clock and not the quality. The number of times I walk into her office and people are just socializing away not getting anything done. But if you’re a couple minutes late after 8 o’clock, you’re not doing your job. And it’s not something like a call center where calls need to be covered it’s a business office where you work on projects. It’s the worst quality a boss can have in my opinion, because it is senseless. There has no point to that. / OGZeroCool1995

   

  It’s time for malicious compliance. Clock in exactly on time and clock out exactly on time. No responding to emails after hours. Zero communication with work outside of normal business hours. Make them aware of these boundaries. / I_SNORT_KITTENS

• 
  via DNY59

  ^{This image represents people walking through a revolving door in an office building.}

• Edit: Thanks for all the responses. I think it’s clear that I need to be strict about when I start work now as well as when I leave. No more free work. Also I’m part of a sub-local so I will be documenting any further complaints and bring it up with a rep if I think it’s worth doing.

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