This Boss Says Their Employee Has “Good Work Ethic” But Is Mad Because They “Always Clock Out 5 Minutes Early” — Here’s Why People Say It’s Problematic

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Unfortunately, horrible bosses exist — and an anonymous one may be getting some much-needed feedback after asking this question on Quora: “I have an employee who always clocks out five minutes early. They seem to have a good work ethic, but I recently have been questioning it. What should I do as a manager?”

A middle-aged man in business attire checks his wristwatch, sitting at a desk in an office with a window in the background

Reza Estakhrian / Getty Images

Let’s get right into the feedback…

Current bosses started sharing how the quality of work is much more important than the time it takes to do the work:

“I have run my own company for 30 years and, before that, ran racing teams internationally. Any boss who thinks the hours worked are more important than the work done should revert to sweeping the shop. As a boss, you have to work with your employees. If the five minutes impact the business, talk to the employee. As far as I am concerned, once you have completed the daily workload, you can go home — unless that means the shop is left unattended. I hate people who are pedantic for no reason!”

Two professionals review information on a tablet while standing in an office with glass walls and shelves in the backgroundTwo professionals review information on a tablet while standing in an office with glass walls and shelves in the background

“I don’t give a fuck what employees do up to the point of not doing a good job, being reckless, dangerous, or theft. Leaving a little early or being a little late, I don’t care — it happens and it happens a lot. As long as the money rolls in and the tardiness isn’t causing unhappy customers, why care.”

A person stands at a train station, talking on a cellphone while checking a watch. They carry a backpack and appear to be in a hurryA person stands at a train station, talking on a cellphone while checking a watch. They carry a backpack and appear to be in a hurry

One teacher even chimed in, sharing their own personal experiences witnessing the effects of how focusing on the wrong thing can actually cause good employees to quit:

“As a teacher, I’ve seen custodians come and go. Most do the minimum, but we had one guy who was amazing. Our rooms were always vacuumed, the bathrooms were cleaned and stocked, and he had a great attitude when the classrooms were extra messy. He worked so hard and so fast that his work would be finished before the end of his shift, so he would take off early. But the head custodian had an issue with this and told him he had to stay until the end of his shift. He quit and took a job elsewhere. Now our rooms are dirty and the bathroom is out of soap and paper towels half the time, but the custodian is there for the full number of hours. The moral of the story is….value the work instead of the contract.”

A janitor wearing overalls and a cap mops the floor in an empty classroom with upturned chairs on desks, focusing on cleanliness in a work environmentA janitor wearing overalls and a cap mops the floor in an empty classroom with upturned chairs on desks, focusing on cleanliness in a work environment

Others talked about how annoying it is to have a micromanager for a boss:

“Stop micromanaging. It’s five minutes. The world would be a better place if we valued our employees’ hard work and stopped worrying about why one employee isn’t sitting at their desk for five minutes. Bad employees can sit for eight hours and do the bare minimum…and great employees can finish their work ahead of time. Believe me, you want the employee that puts in effort.”

Illustration of a large man in a suit holding a magnifying glass over a smaller man at a desk working on a laptop, highlighting workplace scrutinyIllustration of a large man in a suit holding a magnifying glass over a smaller man at a desk working on a laptop, highlighting workplace scrutiny

There were also those offering creative solutions for resolving the problem if it was bothering the boss that badly:

“How about start a new policy: If you have completed your work for the day and never are not falling behind, go home for the day. Be on call until your eight hours is up. Why sit at a desk with nothing to do? Watch how productive people get when they can go home early.”

Person joyfully hopping inside a modern office with plants and desk cubicles in the backgroundPerson joyfully hopping inside a modern office with plants and desk cubicles in the background

Some shared how beneficial it could be for the employee to have their schedule tweaked if they were excelling at their job:

“Former HR manager for a hotel here. I had a housekeeper who did great work. She was efficient and got the rooms turned really quickly, and they were all perfect. She was always willing to stay over if needed, but she always got to work late…”

A woman in a professional outfit is walking briskly outdoors beside a modern building. She appears focused and determinedA woman in a professional outfit is walking briskly outdoors beside a modern building. She appears focused and determined

So, as conversations surrounding toxic work environments become more open, people are also addressing why bad bosses are not only miserable to work for but also the negative impact they can have on your mental health. Forbes even wrote an article last month titled “Bad Managers Are Reason Enough To Quit, According To LinkedIn.”

Text conversation: Boss threatens termination. Worker responds they were fired unfairly for an appointment. Boss apologizes for firing the wrong personText conversation: Boss threatens termination. Worker responds they were fired unfairly for an appointment. Boss apologizes for firing the wrong person

In conclusion, instances like this can be helpful learning lessons for navigating what a healthy workplace looks like today — for both the boss and the employee. If you have additional thoughts or suggestions, let us know in the comments!

A man in professional attire sits at a desk with a computer, turning to speak to a woman entering the office carrying a shoulder bagA man in professional attire sits at a desk with a computer, turning to speak to a woman entering the office carrying a shoulder bag

Dmp / Getty Images

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