Notifying team members

[Tayla]

Part rant- Part Advisal:

 

For approximately six months now my managers have been on a rampage when it comes to my lunch times. I had to fight just to get a lunch break despite them not having coverage. Since for nine years they weren't paying me for the nine hour days ( Only got paid for 8). They agreed to grant me official lunch breaks. ( How kind eh?).

 

They insist that in order for me to take this break- I must notify a slew of team members that I am away for lunch. 90% of the team could care less if I am out for lunch. Yet management loves to create these exceptions to the rules. No other team member or manager has to send out notifications. Yet I do. I wouldn't mind simply sending notice to my two managers and they can be aware. But this constant...Ohh Add this person and that person is becoming a pain. (1) Is this discriminating when only one team member is being asked to provide notice when other team members simply notify their boss? (2) How can I stop this perpetual upping the ante for notifications.

 

Yes I am aware that I am at liberty to find a new job if I do not like the system.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Tayla

[Mr. Lucky]

If it isn't already, can you ask that you be allowed to send out the notification by email?

 

Pretty easy to set up a group, save a stock message in drafts and boom - 3 clicks and you're gone.

 

Text could work the same way...

 

Mr. Lucky

[Tayla]

Thanks Lucky. Currently it is setup that way. A Group message.

 

I do not think that resolves the issue that I am being asked to perform a staff task that no one else is accountable to submit to. We are adults and while we are accountable for our time away from the office, we do not need to notify anyone but our boss's. This is just their way to humiliate because I challenged them all those years that I wasn't paid over my lunch. My job is not that vital to the company that I have to tell the janitor that I am at lunch.

[Mr. Lucky]

Thanks Lucky. Currently it is setup that way. A Group message.

 

I do not think that resolves the issue that I am being asked to perform a staff task that no one else is accountable to submit to. We are adults and while we are accountable for our time away from the office, we do not need to notify anyone but our boss's. This is just their way to humiliate because I challenged them all those years that I wasn't paid over my lunch. My job is not that vital to the company that I have to tell the janitor that I am at lunch.

 

 

Understood but I think this falls into the "choose your battles wisely" category. All companies have quirks, since this one's easily satisfied I'd move on...

 

Mr. Lucky

[buffalo]

Do you have HR? If so, I would reach out to them to confirm company policy. It sounds like hostility. None of that would fly in my company. Policies must apply to all, or they can't apply.

[loveweary11]

Here's how you get back at them while following the orders to a T:

 

 

I'm assuming you are going on lunch break at a specific time?

 

Set up an automated task on your computer through either the email program or a cron or possibly even Excel.

 

Have this timed daily, automated task send out emails to everyone saying you are going on lunch, exactly as they requested. Possibly note you are sorry to send these emails out to everyone, but you were instructed to.

 

Sooner or later, everyone will hate these emails and whoever told you to send them will ask you not to anymore.

 

PS: I admire your division between work/self. I've never been able to take an actual lunch break. I just eat while working typically. They say it's more healthy and leads to higher overall productivity to do it as you do.

[anika99]

"For approximately six months now my managers have been on a rampage when it comes to my lunch times. I had to fight just to get a lunch break despite them not having coverage. Since for nine years they weren't paying me for the nine hour days ( Only got paid for 8). They agreed to grant me official lunch breaks. ( How kind eh?). "

 

Are your lunch breaks paid or unpaid? What are the labour laws where you live? Where I am it is completely illegal to not pay an employee for any hours worked. So if you are working 9 hour days and only being paid for 8 then your company actually owes you for those unpaid hours. Our provincial labour board isn't very good at resolving he said/she said kind of issues but when it comes to being paid for hours worked they are swift in making a company pay up. Some people don't want to make waves at the company while they are still working there so they just keep an accurate log of their hours and when they quit they go to the labour board and the labour board gets them their money. Just something to keep in mind in case you ever do quit but of course it also depends on where you live. However it is up to the company's discretion to give or not give paid lunch breaks.

 

As to the notifying everyone under the sun that you are going on break I guess it depends on the company you work for. If there is a spelled out protocol for these things and your managers are adhering to this and there is a procedure for you to log a grievance then you should do so. However if it's a smaller company with no real regulations regarding these matters it might be more difficult. Just keep sending out those notifications to everyone and perhaps others will complain of getting such a ridiculous email every single day.