Boss Demands Strict Punctuality, Then Can’t Believe Employee Stops Doing Overtime

Employee engagement and satisfaction are largely based on autonomy and independence. “I care when I’m in charge and feel empowered to do what’s right.” Plus, freedom breeds innovation.

Good bosses recognize this and allow their teams to work in a way that’s best for them. However, back when Reddit user LiabilityLandon had a job at a car part shop, his manager had forgotten this important principle.

In a humorous post on r/MaliciousCompliance, he explained that the guy even started giving him a hard time for coming in a few minutes late, completely disregarding the fact that he would stay after hours.

So, the worker decided to show him what would happen if he were to follow the schedule to a T and stopped helping in the evening.

Being scolded by their boss is the last thing workers want

Man in a business suit advising a worker about punctuality and sticking to his schedule in a workshop environment.

Image credits: drazenphoto / envato (not the actual photo)

Especially when the criticism doesn’t feel just

Text excerpt showing a story about a guy being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule at work.

Text excerpt explaining someone’s experience with working late and managing their schedule after being told to stop being late.

Text excerpt showing a guy describing being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule at work.

Text excerpt describing a guy refusing to stay late and deciding to strictly stick to his schedule at work.

Text conversation showing a person sticking to their schedule by leaving work exactly at 5:30 when told to stop being late.

Text conversation showing someone telling their manager they will stick to their schedule and leave work exactly at 5:30 as instructed.

Man checking wristwatch while packing suitcase, focusing on sticking to his schedule and being on time.

Image credits: Rawpixel / envato (not the actual photo)

Guy follows schedule exactly, arriving on time and clocking in promptly to stick to his work hours as told.

Text showing a conversation about being late and sticking to a schedule with a manager suggesting compromise for morning lateness.

Text conversation showing someone discussing working their schedule after being told to stop being late and stick to it.

Text post explaining a story about a guy being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

Text excerpt explaining a guy's reflection on being late and his use of malicious compliance to stick to his schedule.

Image credits: LiabilityLandon

Managers demotivate employees in a multitude of different ways

Man sitting at desk with laptop and files, shrugging as he adjusts to stick to his schedule after being told to stop being late.

Image credits: stockking / freepik (not the actual photo)

In professions that have billable hours, such as the legal field, consulting, and many creative industries, there might be an expectation that workers record precisely how they spend their time, but this practice isn’t a norm in—let’s just call them—regular positions.

A survey by a company called BambooHR polled 1,000 employees and found that 44% of them had quit a job because of a bad boss. The top behaviors that contributed to their decision were:

• Your boss takes credit for your work (63%);
• Your boss doesn’t appear to trust or empower you (62%);
• Your boss doesn’t appear to care if you’re overworked (58%);
• Your boss doesn’t appear to advocate for you when it comes to monetary compensation (57 percent);
• Your boss hires and/or promotes the wrong people (56%);
• Your boss doesn’t back you up when there’s a dispute between you and the clients (55%);
• Your boss doesn’t provide proper direction on assignments/roles (54%);
• Your boss micromanages you and doesn’t allow you the “freedom to work” (53%);
• Your boss focuses more on your weaknesses than your strengths (53%);
• Your boss doesn’t set clear expectations (52%).

How to deal with a prying boss

Dr. Ben Dattner, who is an adjunct professor at New York University, where he teaches organizational development, and the founder of Dattner Consulting, a workplace consulting firm whose client list includes Pfizer, Novartis, MasterCard, and Goodyear, recommends these guidelines for dealing with a prying boss:

Establish a positive tone. Emphasize that you appreciate his or her concern. If you begin the conversation on a positive note, it’s more likely to stay positive. If you start with a negative, accusatory tone, you may inadvertently confirm your boss’s concerns or suspicions, as well as hurt his or her feelings.

Understand why the boss is prying. Is it really because the boss is nosy? Or is it because the boss has some concerns about the work one is doing? Asking your boss whether he or she is concerned about your productivity or the quantity, quality, or timeliness of your work may move the conversation away from your personal life and back into the workplace.

Try to establish boundaries. Let him or her know that if and when you have important personal issues to discuss, you will do so. Be firm about drawing the line about what you will and will not disclose.

Don’t send mixed messages. If you let your boss know that you have several consecutive doctors’ visits, that makes it likely that he or she will ask you why those visits are necessary. You may want to take the morning or afternoon when you have your doctors’ visits as personal time so that you don’t need to let your boss know the reason you will be out of the office.

Consider why the personal prying is so irksome. Some people are able to shrug off the inquisitiveness of their bosses. If your boss’s questioning seems more like interrogation, it may be because your boss reminds you of someone else in your personal life or from your childhood.

People were glad this particular manager got the message

Chat conversation showing a manager telling OP to work based on schedule and OP doing exactly that, surprising the manager.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing being late and sticking to a schedule with bulletproof logic.

Online comments discussing a guy told to stop being late and stick to his schedule, showing a common workplace issue.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing overtime pay related to a guy being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

Comment about tiny tyrants in the workplace discussing being told to stop being late and stick to schedule.

Reddit conversation discussing a guy told to stop being late and how he handled sticking to his schedule.

Commenters discussing the importance of punctuality and consequences of being late in a workplace schedule.

Reddit conversation discussing a guy told to stop being late and stick to his schedule, resolving conflicts and misunderstandings.

Comment praising a manager for admitting his mistake after telling a guy to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

Text comment saying a witty exchange about being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

Comment about a guy sticking to his schedule by picking up extra hours at a family deli after 5:30 PM.

Comment text on a social platform about work to rule when a guy is told to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

The author of the post also answered some of the most frequent questions that emerged in the comment section

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about a guy being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about sticking to a schedule and managing lateness in a dysfunctional work environment.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about sticking to a schedule and accurate representation of work expectations.

User comments discussing experience with auto chains and uniforms, relating to being told to stop being late and stick to schedule.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing confrontation about tardiness and managing schedules professionally.

Some people even shared their own similar experiences

Text post showing a user explaining how he strictly stuck to his schedule after being told to stop being late.

Text conversation discussing a guy addressing being late and sticking to his work schedule after warnings.

Text post explaining a guy’s experience being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule at work.

Reddit user shares experience working at auto parts store and dealing with difficult management and workplace challenges.

Man shares story about being told to stop being late and how he strictly sticks to his schedule afterwards.

Comment discussing a work schedule and being told to stop being late and stick to his schedule.

Comment explaining a manager enforcing punctuality and strict adherence to schedule despite employee overtime work.

Text post discussing a guy sticking to his schedule after being told to stop being late and manage hours properly.

Comment discussing employee lateness and work ethic, highlighting the challenge of sticking to a schedule and punctuality issues.

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