dev-ns8

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?