Most of the stickler bosses I've worked for, that would get me formally warned with a note about attitude.

Oh yeah.

Heh, at one firm my hours were 8-4. Nobody EVER seemed to remember that once 4:00 rolled around. More than occasionally, actually, I'd hear "It's only 5:00 now. Can't you stay a little late and finish this?"

My hours are anytime between 7 and 9 (I steer toward 8:15 or 8:30) and 4 or 6. We don't really get a lot of phone calls, and I can, and do check emails from anywhere.

As long as I get stuff done when it needs to be, and can answer questions about requests, I'm good.

Most of the stickler bosses I've worked for, that would get me formally warned with a note about attitude.

Have you met me? :)

My twin sister's old boss was all about control. She was a horrible morning person and would always come in about 15 minutes late. He kept on her about it insisting that it mattered to the rest of the company--the plant people who worked day shift would see her come in after 8 and he thought it "looked bad" for their department. She finally hashed it out with him. The rest of the employees weren't there to see her leave at 8 or 9 pm nearly every night so really, what did it matter if she came in 15 minutes late?

With him, it was definitely about the control.

Happy birthday, Drew!

I was up between 1:30 and 3 this morning, on a con call with our European partner. I manage the database and file share that we use to communicate, and so I had to be on the call. I keep this 24/7 availability and my boss has never questioned any time I've arrived or left the office.

But I am incredibly fortunate and I know it.

I used to have that "discussion" with my current boss a lot, too. Mainly she just wanted me to be apologetic and all subordinate when she got pissy about it, which was usually when her boss got on *her* case about some stupid shit. Bottom line, as long as the work gets done on time, no one really cares. Now, working from home, as long as I return her calls within about an hour, she doesn't even ask what I'm doing or when.

Telecommuting has saved my life, I swear, and I'll never quit this job unless I can find another job with good pay, good bennies, and full-time telecommuting. (Not likely, I think.) This company knows they have my soul now. It was an evil plot all along.

But I am incredibly fortunate and I know it.

Yes, this.

I used to have that "discussion" with my current boss a lot, too. Mainly she just wanted me to be apologetic and all subordinate when she got pissy about it, which was usually when her boss got on *her* case about some stupid shit.

This is such a frequent phenomenon, isn't it?

Zen, what is it that you do? How nice about the telecommuting! (It's what I am doing today, too)

I have a co-worker, rather than a boss, who gets pissy when I'm 5-10 minutes late. She's snitted several times that I should call even if I'm going to be 3 minutes late. Finally I asked my boss in front of snitty!co-worker if he wanted me to call if I was less than 15 minutes late, and he said, "God, no! Just get here."

I work 9-5 and snitty!co-worker works 7:30-3:30, so she has no idea if I work late, and also doesn't seem to give a crap if I work through lunch or on the weekend. But god help you if you're 5 minutes late and don't call.

Conclusion: people is weird.

I was just angsting about this yesterday. I've always worked in a place where people could see me so I tend to stress about being 5 minutes late - or not accomplishing enough when I work from home. I'm hoping I will relax as I get settled into this new job.