Ask HN: How do I deal with this confrontation with my CTO | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do I deal with this confrontation with my CTO

3 pointsdev-ns83 comments

Long story short, I’m a software engineer for a company with 3 engineers, A CTO and 2 more of us. We maintain a large internal tool used by our traders and risk managers exclusively. Our work load is minimal with a feature or bug fix needed once a week sometimes even once every 2 weeks. Therefore a majority of my time at work is spent on personal projects and studying for a couple certs they want me to get. I’m struggle to get up in the morning so a lot of times I roll in around 8:05 - 8:15 which seems fine to me as I never have meetings and I have never physically been needed for anything right at 8. More so, in the 3 months I’ve worked here I’ve never actually been needed before 2pm. However on this particular day, I rolled in at 8:20 and received this slack message from the CTO:

Manager: and please, the basic starting time is 8am and an 8 hour working time

Me: I'm just really not a morning person, so it can be tough for me to hit 8 right on the dot. It doesn't seem like an issue that if I come in late, to stay a little later to make up for it. Especially seeing as I don't have meetings at 8 or anything.

Manager: I would like you to be here for 8. It isn't really a morning person thing

So obviously the main concern here is he never addressed my concern about why I, an engineer who mainly works by himself, on his own projects, which can be done at my house, needs to be in the office exactly at 8. And more so, I’m a little up in arms that him being a my boss, would totally disregard any concern of mine and glance over it like I never brought it up.

He is very much the “my way or the highway” type and therefore I didn’t question his motives any more as I still don’t know how far I can push him before him getting completely fed up and firing me.

So I’m wondering, what are your guys thoughts on this situation and behavior ? And secondly, I can I handle this in a smooth way as to not cause serious issues or implications?

I've worked for people like this in similar situations where the job role didn't require precise ass-in-chair time. My suggestion is to handle it one of two ways.

First way, just do it, morning person or not it's within your capabilities, but also when you're done working 8 hours you're done for the day. They need to understand that if there's no flexibility on start time then you're punching a clock. Treat it like a clock punching job.

Second way, find another job. The job market is pretty strong and most employers are very accommodating to good employees that produce good results. It sounds like right now you might actually have a fairly cushy job right now from what you described where most of your time is filled with personal projects. My employers have always provided me flexibility in times but I rarely have been able to do personal work during their time.

The impression I get is that the culture of your work place is changing. This may just be something where the CTO got chewed and is therefore enforcing a policy he has no control over or it should be signs of things to come.

So your manager said please and reminded you of your working hour commitment. I don't see any harm there.

I get your point that 5-15 minutes late is really kind of nitpicking, but you mention the company has traders and risk managers, which makes me think you are in financial industry or maybe commodities. For those guys they will pay you to be sitting there watching youtube as long as you are there to respond when they need you immediately. And for them if trading starts at 9 and stuff is broken at 8 when they are getting setup that is major and so they want people in the seat ready to fix it, not wondering when you are going to stroll in. That frankly seems reasonable to me. At the same time you'll have the benefit of a pretty easy job and a 5pm quitting time that will be firm as well.

So really it is up to you, but I would say you need to have some accountability and the excuse you aren't a morning person won't cut it in standard corporations. If you want flex time, find a new employer that specifically allows for that and you'll be good.

* edit: added a word

Take accountability, while also trying to understand the motive of being in chair at 8am.

Can manager be more flexible? Is it a support/coverage issue?

This manager may have different perspective that you are unaware of.

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