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

I barely pause when I’m WFH. Work much harder than in the office because I’ve no colleagues to chat to. Don’t tar us all with the same brush please.

I would speak to them in person saying that you couldn't hear the voice note clearly but assumed that he was asking for a day's leave/unpaid leave as you had noted by their lack or presence at meetings etc that they were unavailable to work.
.you could also suggest you could get ICT to help you hear the message properly if there seems any pushback

I would also remind them of the wfh policy and the absence policy, ask them if they needed HR to clarify anything and leave it at that

Yes, you are absolutely right,I shouldn't generalise. My feelings are influenced by the significant experiences of the people who I know 'WFH'. You are right to point out that it doesn't apply to all

UAs a manager I would be duty bound to discuss with them
id send a message just now to effect of “ I have received this, I assume meant for someone else, and we need to discuss this matter as a priority when you’re back in, I will pt meeting into your diary”

and then create a meeting.

In that meeting I’d make it clear that the incident will be recorded in your records, and may be used for disciplinary evidence if there are future issues of breach of trust.
Explain that in such circumstances if he’s not fit for work he should request a day off at short notice explains why- if it’s a rare thing we’ve probably all been there, but it is how he handled it that is the issue.

You are not taking it further as a disciplinary issue AT THIS STAGE, as you appreciate he is a good worker and usually reliable and you will treat it as an error of judgement on his part.
BUT you will be deducting 1/2 day leave for time he wasn’t working today. (Or he makes time up somehow in way you both agree, or if he or is usually beyond his hours then say you will give as time in lieu)
The reason for this is that he has potentially told others he has been taking the piss and you cannot overlook the message this gives to others if you are seen to do nothing, no matter how good his performance usually is.

Finish by saying he has breached the trust you have in him and that is disappointing, given his historic performance and he needs to now focus on ensuring you regain your trust in him quickly and never have reason to doubt it again.
The message is stuff happens, we’ve probably all got hung over or similar or just had a bad night of not sleeping , but he needs to call you, say so or some other excuse and ask for time off at short notice, which given his track record you’d be able to be flexible about

Some right pearl clutchers here. Throwing the book at someone for this is part of the culture that has led to portfolio careers and dwindling loyalty. If they're otherwise good, the "don't think that was intended for me but I trust you'll be catching up on your work this week" is perfect. Message sent.

No it isn't!
I work harder at home as no distractions from chatty colleagues.

Perfect 👋

LOL.

Why does it matter if I sit here in a study, in front of a computer and do 6 hours work, or drive 40minutes, to sit on a different chair to do the same work??

Same I get loads more done at home as I can concentrate more. The amount of time especially as a legal secretary where I had to tune out (but we did audio work) or in previous jobs have had to go to a booth to get work done in peace.

And that’s without people who are loud on headphones in Teams meetings but don’t tone it down (unless they’re told up by someone else.

😂😂😂

100% this.

Lol at all the absolute jobsworths in this thread. If they’re a good worker let it slide, really not a big deal.

lol at the average employees that are happy to let things slide in the current economic climate. Would you pay a tradesman who failed to turn up to fix your boiler or lay your patio if he/she sold you a sob story.

If OPs employer gets wind of her making allowances which cost the company in lost man hours and potentially lost business she will be held accountable.

So much money is lost through turning a blind eye.

Absolutely @Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain. I do a lot of complicated legal stuff and when I was still in the office it was impossible to concentrate so I ended up having to book meeting rooms. People would complain I was quiet but I was just trying to do my work in part-time hours to boot so no slack time.

I sat opposite 2 people who would talk pretty much all day about nothing. Awful! I would have left if home working hadn't been an option.

People can also take the piss in the office and slack off there if they're so minded. The location won't matter.

Yes, but what about all those times that someone works through their lunchbreak, or comes in early, or works an extra hour to finish things off, unpaid. Is that kind of thing only in one direction? Do you think this employee would ever do one of those things again if a big issue were made of this? Do you think they wouldn't quiet quit, or perhaps full volume quit when the opportunity arose?

I can't stand workers and middle managers with this kind of attitude. Do you not think the higher managers ever have a lie in when working from home? Ever take their mates on corporate hospitality freebies? Call it a day on Friday lunchtime to attend a meeting that happens to be on a golf course? I'm not saying going awol for the day is OK, but when the top brass wouldn't think twice its ridiculous for the minions to have the hot tonne of bricks fall on their heads.

Clearly a company will fail if all employees do this often, but a one off for an otherwise good employee really needs to be gotten past. A good manager will play the long game here.

I think you have to address it, otherwise he’ll assume that as a new manager you are a soft touch. So I would tell him that unless he’s genuinely ill, then if for any other reason he is not available for work, he should take it as a day off (either paid holiday or unpaid leave). You have to assert yourself as a manager and make your expextations clear. However, disciplinary or bringing in HR is an over reaction for a first offence imo.

Let them know you got the voice message and let it go

Do you really believe that a well performing employee will - after this just go crazy or tell everyone they can? The worst behaved children might do that. Most grown ups would learn their lesson and ones that don’t are unlikely to be good performers.

That is not gross misconduct 🤣

Things like Theft are gross misconduct.

This isn’t even in the same league 😂

This is a warning at best.

Most people do this at some point, an unplanned mega sesh so must've been a big one not to even login and take at a slow pace when wfh. Back in the day, we physically went in, suffered horribly, then early night as all we could do or last option phone in sick and lose a day's pay. All depends on the job, if hands on and responsible, like nursing, bad idea to work, but if just being present online for meetings surely this is doable and if not then take the day off? Being paid wfh and making excuses while sleeping is a bit snowflake, either crack on or take the day off.

However I guess I would let him know you know, not take it any further, as I said everyone makes mistakes and deserves a second chance. Also remind him he could have actually made some minimum effort to be present, take some painkillers, drink lots of water and toughen up a bit. Xx

This is a good response

No, that's why he could breeze through the day and this is what gives people who wfh a bad reputation, which isn't fair on the majority who don't take advantage 🤔

I agree, taking a whole day off paid and not working for a hangover without calling in sick is taking the piss. Xx

That would be wonderful if it could be applied to all sectors, however it's not. Hey nurse, teacher, police officer, firefighter, social worker... sorry you've got a hangover, please come in to work and get paid, you can use the luxury bedroom we have for this purpose 😊 Oh no, you've rung in sick? Do you realise how many people you're letting down and the cover arrangements we have to make, you need to get a Doctor's note to verify it of course. E Mail your caseload/lesson plans/appointments so we can cancel them, yes even when genuinely ill this is expected.