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

If it’s a once off I’d reply saying next time the drinks are on you.

If not then a warning or whatever disciplinary procedures are in place.

I think a good worker deserves a little bit of slack once in a while.

On work trips entire team have been out drinking and it’s obvious following morning a large proportion are hungover/not at their best. Depends on the culture of individual teams I think but certainly in ours as long as we delivered the work they wouldn’t be overly fussed. I know some very senior people now who called in for project updates between sleeping off a hangover back when we were in our 20s and have been told by my manger before to cover if they have to leave room to be sick when hungover. They are an absolute powerhouse in terms of work and massively valued so can’t see anyone doing anything about overdoing it on occasion. I’ve never been hungover at work but then I’ve never been hungover at all. I don’t really like being drunk and the few occasions I was, when very young, I slept long enough I felt fine when I got up

I would just reply I don't think this was meant for me and leave it at that. Everyone makes mistakes.

Why not just be honest? Phone in, apologise for being unreliable and take a days leave or day unpaid rather than effectively stealing a days pay.

He lied to his employer and then bragged about it? The breakdown of the relationship of trust and confidence would be reason for a disciplinary and warning as a minimum.

If he's usually reliable I would just let him know you have recieved the message & let him be embarrassed. If you want to act on the message then I would ask if he is asking for today as annual leave.

I don't believe those people claiming they've never had a non-productive day at work. Even if you don't get hangovers, have you never been too tired to work properly? Or have a cold, but not be able to go on sick leave?
I've had days where I've just not been able to sleep the night before. I'm not ill so can't call in sick, but there may be moments throughout the day where I can't work either.

Many offices have places where you can hide if you're too tired/hungover, archive department, broom cupboard, etc. I worked in one place that even had a dedicated nap room. So it can happen just the same at the workplace.

Yeah lots of offices have sleep pods, nap rooms, etc

I think generally better workplaces tend to focus more on quality of output than nose to the grindstone "productivity"

If your HR team operate as they should, then they should be able to advise you on informal resolution as well as formal. Asking advice from your HR team does not mean that person is going to be instantly sacked. And in the event that something is worthy of a formal disciplinary process, then hiding it and letting it go under the radar could come back to bite you and your organisation. It’s a bit of an insult to your HR team that you think MN is a more appropriate source of advice on managing your employee than the people in your organisation who’s actual job it is to help you with it (not making any assessments on the quality of advice that’s been given on here)

If he knows you've seen the message and you say and do nothing, you are giving him the green light to repeat this behaviour. It's irresponsible and it does need nipping in the bud now, before you're left with a far bigger problem to deal with.

My inclination would be to give him an 'off the record', informal warning, telling him you've seen his message and in view of the overall quality and reliability of his work, on this occasion you are letting it go. However, if there's any repetition you will instigate disciplinary proceedings.

Importantly, you need to have it on record of what you have done and why, with a screenshot of the evidence. I would act only in accordance with the approval and go-ahead of HR.

Oh please.
There is a shitlot of people who are just incompetent and/or slow at work and still get paid normally.
No one os telling them they "steal wages".

As long as months work is done it does not really matter if someone is taking a day to chill and making up other days, or someone is slow or dumb apnd needs to work all the time.

This absolutely is not gross misconduct, and it doesn’t need to involve HR what it needs is a recorded 1:1 saying it was inappropriate use of work time to send that message. Also do not be passive aggressive like others have said. Be upfront direct and with a raised eyebrow.

they will know they have messed up and will appreciate being told but as they are a good employee stern words and move on

It is not an overreaction.

The OP should not acknowledge this and it should go straight to HR.

I'm sure most of us have had an occasion where we've sort of overdid it and rang in to work. It's been about 20 years since I was in the phase of my life, and I was never a big drinker anyway - but I definitely pulled an occasional sickie.

I'd just reply saying "Thanks for letting me know. I will accept your excuse this once but be advised that this must not become a regular occurrence."

No need for anything extra at this stage. Less is more! He already knows he's sent you the wrong voicenote. He'll be expecting some acknowledgement.

I have occasionally had really terrible sleepless nights due to a physical condition. I've always been honest about it and taken it as a sick day.

I am an employer. For a hangover, I'd expect an employee to be honest and take it as a holiday. I wouldn't need to know or ask the reason but "unexpected emergency, I need the day off" is sufficient.

Agreed

Exactly

Companies do take these things seriously though.

A mam I met a group told me that he got fired for coming into work smelling of drink too many times.

There are some double standards by some posters here!
“as he is a solid performer… let it go.”

so shall we allow unprofessional behaviour on a sliding scale based on seniority/performance?

the same standards shoukd be expected of all from top level management to everyone else.

I am an employer. It's the dishonesty and the boasting about the dishonesty which would bother me rather than the hangover. I now know I can't trust this person. So far as the OP if she turns a blind eye to this, I can't trust her or her judgement either.

Plus this person is effectively stealing a day's wages. He didn't do any work but he's claiming a day's pay.

It's also dishonesty.

I would personally reply to the message and say “My Office, 9am Monday!”.

Then when said meeting occurs and they have pooed themselves a little, I would laugh it off, delete the message in front of them and jokingly say you’ll be watching them in future, especially if they go missing… something like that.

It will make them think about their actions and briefly worry about the consequences. They will give you respect for being casual about it and they will know not to take the piss again.

I doubt that the OP will gain respect from this chancer. More likely he'll just think she's soft/ an easy touch and he's got away with it and the OP is now complict with his dishonesty.

"I have occasionally had really terrible sleepless nights due to a physical condition. I've always been honest about it and taken it as a sick day."

If I did that, I would do no work at all that day rather than just missing some time when the tiredness really hits (mid afternoon, say).

"For a hangover, I'd expect an employee to be honest and take it as a holiday. I wouldn't need to know or ask the reason but "unexpected emergency, I need the day off" is sufficient."

Lots of workplaces don't allow a day off with now notice and again you would be missing his work for a full day rather than just part of the day.