WWYD: Team member accidently sent me a...mail

[Junestepe]

WWYD: Employee accidently sent me voice note via TEAMs outlining how they were hungover in work today. They were supposedly WFH and didnt attend team meetings were uncontactable for large parts of the day, they provided excuses BUT they just accidently sent me a voice note meant for a friend detailing their hangover and elaborate cover story for not attending meetings/not working today!!!

Employee is senior, established team member who can go rouge from time time but over all is a solid performer.

WWYD: How do I handle this? Person works full time remote. I don't want to fire them...don't want to involve HR..but I want deal with this appropriately and send the correct message so the incident is never repeated. I'm a new manager so your advice appreciated! Thank you

Just write back and say 'was this meant for me?'

They'll be mortified, and will know you're on to them.

You need to involve HR and follow appropriate disciplinary processes. What you describe is gross misconduct. I know you may not want to but if you let this behaviour go unchallenged then the member of staff will think they can walk over you and get away with doing this again. You will never be able to trust them again.

He'll deffo go a bit rouge when he realises his error

’employee is a solid performer’

then just leave them alone and let it go

Yep, I wouldn’t make a huge fuss. We’ve all been there. Just reply saying I think this was intended for someone else

I'd politely respond, say they may have sent this to the wrong person. Then delete that voice note. Their own embarrassment should be enough to fix any issues.

Took me far too long to work out what Op meant to say - it’s been a long day.

Op, if you think it was a one off then you should let it go on this occasion. If it is part of a bigger picture however then I think you need to start disciplinary proceedings.

Bit of an over reaction

Meh. If he's usually a good reliable worker I'd let it go.

🫠

Meh get a grip 😅

I’d defo take the piss out of the next time I see him but please the pearl clutching is insane

"Oops teehee I'll pretend I didn't see that" is sending the message that it doesn't really matter whether you're skiving or lying when you're trusted to work at home, though.
I would have a polite 1 to 1 meeting to say obviously you know what happened and reiterate that you expect if you're wfh to be working, and to be honest about meeting attendance etc.
I wouldn't take it further but it will hopefully show you're not a pushover and some standards exist.

oh god if he's normally fine is it really worth making him feel bad about it? have you ever done something similar? cut him a little slack. he's a human not a bloody robot.

"You have shot yourself in the foot there Dave - bottoms up 🍻!"

Not at all an overreaction. This would be grounds for disciplinary process where I work.

Why do you need to do anything just ignore it and get on with your life

Absolutely! I remember the day after a team night out and we all got relocated to an unused conference room because we were a/still pissed b/stinking of garlic and c/very lairy. By lunchtime we were asleep...the boss sent in pizzas. Happy days!!

In decades of work Ive never don'e anything like that, surely most people would be the same wouldn't they?

What kind of message does it send if nothing is done, the word will soon get round that the new manager is a push over and if it's the start of a decline and it gets worse in the future he can say, oh well @Junestepe knew all about it and didn't say anything , I assumed it was fine

when will companies remember humans are humans and not bloody robots. This person is a solid great worker normally. Cut the good working staff a little slack, apply trust, flexibility and some understanding during the difficult times and they will repay you many times over in loyalty and hard work. It really is true. Do the opposite with a hardline culture and you will have a high staff turnover where all the staff hate you and things are much harder all round.

Further to my previous post I think it really depends on the nature and culture of the workplace and role. I guess if they're getting the work done to a good standard then just letting them know you know would be acceptable. Sort of depends if you think it could snowball a bit.

You could reply asking if he’d like to use half a day’s annual leave for today

As their manager you can't laugh this off. Nor should you go OTT.

I'd just say, I received your voice note obviously intended for somebody else. Clearly your actions weren't appropriate and you need to ensure this doesn't happen again because I will have to take it further.

This will probably be enough to shit them up so that it doesn't happen again.....or they might just hide it better next time!

Which is nothing like skiving and making up lies about why you aren't working

I think @crenellations suggestion is a good one and a balance between being a pushover and going nuclear.