The essence of making rules in a society, organisations, or groups is to maintain orderliness, discipline civility and breaking of any rule attracts a punishment.
I am such a person who always strive to keep to the rules wherever I find myself. I do not want to be seen as one who is. undisciplined and irresponsible. Although it may not always be easy but I still try my best to.
But one day I shot myself on the leg by going against the rules which made me pay dearly for it.
Designed in Canva
Here's what happened, years ago, I worked in a firm where the time for reporting for work is 7:45am latest, any time above that even if it's 1min, means lateness and the penalty is salary deduction. There was a log book provided for signing in and out and once it's 7:45am, the admin rules a line. After each month end, the accounts will then calculate the number of times a staff came late and make the deductions with some percentage. But even with all these, there were some things going on, I always noticed that some people who came late still managed to have their names above the line, how they do it, I don't know because I was the newest staff there. Again it was none of my business as long as it wasn't affecting my work and salary.
I wasn't living very close to my workplace Infact I usually take two drops, sometimes three to be able to get to work. Again being that everyone is always rushing out to work in the mornings, there's usually heavy traffic on the road so one may not always be lucky to beat the clock in time.
With all these challenges, I always try to leave the house 30 - 45mins early and I was always lucky to arrive before time.
You know this thing about making plans and something comes up to thwart it. Well, one day I got unlucky and arrived some minutes after clock in time. Looking at the log book, I noticed that the line hasn't been drawn.
So I looked at the time two of my colleagues that came before me signed and it was within the time range. Without knowing that they came late too I signed my own instead of writing the exact time I came.
Even when I was about writing the wrong time my mind warned me against it but I waved it off, I was like "others have been doing it why not join them you won't get caught, moreover it's your first time"
Oh, how stupid I was thinking I was being smart not knowing that I was bringing double wahala on myself.
I was happy that I won't be short paid for the month and promised myself to make it earlier for the remaining days of the month which I actually did.
Designed in Canva
We usually receive salary first week of the new month so after that month ended and salaries were being worked, I got the shock of my life. I was to be surcharged by ₦5,000 for lateness.
I was mad and stormed the accounts office to know why I had to be surchged when I never came late that month.
I was then told that it was a directive from the director to debit all the staff who lied about their clock in time on that said day.
He was there before everyone and no one except the security guard knew that he was already at the office that day and was noting the time each person came.
Hearing that I felt so embarrassed and speechless. Regrets became my partner and I was beating myself up.
How did I allow myself to do that, something I even caution others from doing. Now I will have to pay dearly for it. How will I be able to manage ₦15,000 for the month, because my salary was ₦20,000.? If I had written the correct time, the debit wouldn't have been this much. Oh, no.
Well there was nothing I could do about it so I had to accept and move on.
One of my colleagues was ranting about the whole stuff but I quietly went back to my office.
. The next day, one of my colleagues who were affected came to me suggesting that I go beg the boss to see if he can cancel the order or better still I be debited just for that day, that he had gone to beg and his was reduced.
I thanked him for his concern and told him that I will think about it but in my mind I wasn't going to do such thing, no way will I. It will be too embarrassing to go beg my boss being that he had so much regards for me. How will I even face him and hear him say how disappointed he was for my actions.
I already broke a rule by coming late for work, lying about it it's even worse than the lateness so it's better to let sleeping dogs lie so I accepted the punishment with full chest while others got some bit of pardon.
Of course I had to do it to serve as a constant reminder to me not to even think of doing such again. It was the first and last time I ever tried that and it really worked till I left his employ.
Even now in my current place of work, at whatever time I arrive at the office that is what I will sign in, although nothing like debit for lateness exist here.
It better to receive punishment for coming late than for being late and lying about it. I wouldn't want it repeated.
It was an experience that I can never forget in my life.
Participating in this contest even when I am not a verified member is another rule I have to break because I couldn't help sharing my story.
Thank you for reading and do let me know your thoughts.
