0830-1145-1245-1700
Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I have 3 bosses. First, BH the general manager who's my direct supervisor and a local. Then S, Japanese and the planning director who oversees the department. Finally the MD, who came early this year and brought S over. Unlike the previous MD and director, who are quite keen to foreign culture, these new bosses of mine are quite typically Japanese and have that "I-am-the-boss-and-thus-superior-beings" attitude.Also, before this week, we actually were quite slack about punctuality, for a Japanese company. None of us really go overboard being late but I guess the occasional 10-15min is inevitable. For lunchtime, people quite commonly go out slightly late. My department, esp, always seem busier, so we are often the last ones to leave, compared to our lunch kakis in other departments. We are also often the last to leave work.
Anyway. BH was on a business trip, so it should have been a quiet week. But it was far from that. In fact, we declared 'war' with S!! haha...ok, that was an overstatement. But it has been the talk of the week in the office and I'm actually quite sick of the topic now.
Basically, I was a bit late, like 15min late on Tues morning. And S wasn't happy, esp since I was used to notifying BH and didn't notify him. So he asked me to his desk and asked me why I'm late and blah blah, in full view of my other colleagues, including other departments. Later, I heard that I was actually lucky. For my other colleague who was also late, he didn't even bother to ask her over to his desk. He just projected his voice across half the room. You can imagine, my colleague was embarrassed and furious. As for the other colleagues who witnessed this, they were just shocked. No respect at all, if you ask me.
Then, lunch time and we went off as usual, pissed about the morning and about 15min late. When we got back, the same colleague who was late and myself were once again summoned to his desk.
S: "What is the company's lunch time?"
Us: "1145 to 1245"
S: "What time is it now?"
Us: "1pm?"
S: "So why are you late?"
We tried to explain that we were only slightly off the time, and didn't take more than an hour, and this is the way it has always been, including the past 2 months since he joined us and said nothing. But the conclusion is we are to 'follow the company's rule' and 'we cannot decide lunch time by ourselves'. "Ok, noted." Now, I'm angry.
Fine, if he want us to stick to every minute stated by the company. Like you would if you work in a factory!! If he wanna be stricter about punctuality, fair enough. But he could have given us some notice. Not to mention some respect. Chiding us in front of other people, he is either ignorant of cultures out of Japan, or just trying to act boss. How about asking us to go for lunch at 1145, instead of questioning us after? Control freak. Everything must get his approval.
Anyway, if this is the way he wants it, he shall get it. Our new policy at work now is to stick to all the times, including leaving work at 5pm. Not being sarcastic here, but it is kinda a blessing in disguise. We can now feel absolutely rightful and guiltless to leave at 5. That's a few more hours every day. And getting to still see daylight after work. No more cancelling weekday evening dates.
I wish, anyway. With my manager back, it may be tough to maintain though. But what the watever. Heck care liao. If you ask me now, my colleagues are great, my job is not too bad, but my director and company welfare sucks.
0830-1145-1245-1700 all the way!!
posted by weiling @ 6:44 PM
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