To Discipline Colleague?

[Hesdeadjim]

Just need a reaction check really! I have generalized anxiety disorder so I'm not always confident my reactions to things are proportionate. When the below happened I was raging and I want to formally discipline, but I don't know if that's a bit much?

Some details changed to protect identities.

Yesterday one of my direct reports vanished from the office. No pre-arranged holiday, no meetings or anything in my calendar.

At 14:50ish (he vanished at 12) I got a text message saying in these words "By the way, I'm at a doctors appointment if you were wondering why I'm not at my desk"....

Is it just me or is he taking the absolute piss here?

Dr's appointment is fine as long as you let managers know in advance, but he didn't.

Unauthorized absence policy here:

"Any absence from the office that is not communicated properly is unauthorized absence and will be treated as a breach of contract."

That's pretty crystal cut isn't it?

My problem is, because it was a hospital appointment I don't know where I stand from a HR perspective. It wasn't an emergency and had been pre-arranged.

WIBU to take it through formal disciplinary or am I over reacting? Is this standard behavior or do I need to nip this in the bud?

I'm glad it's being resolved properly @Hesdeadjim
I think your posts have been absolutely fine! It's just the same as asking what on earth to do with a teenager who won't do their homework. It's anonymous and the other party doesn't know.
Hope you can continue to manage your anxiety .

maddiemookins16mum I'm technically on annual leave today... in the office for the morning to catch up on a couple of things before a wedding this afternoon :)

OP.

Oh, and try calling ACAS for free advice if your manager's away at any time.

Well done Hesdeadjim Don't ever get too experienced to seek advice - it normally means you've become insufferably arrogant

I had to read your OP twice. One of my reports. This is a person. Maybe that is just the new jargon. Yes he was out of order leaving the office without telling anybody if that is indeed what he did. But sounds as if you are a bit inexperienced as a Manager. You say you have a large staff. Perhaps you need a refersher course in management skills rather than asking on MN.

I'm sorry but I really do agree with those saying that this thread is totally unprofessional.

My problem is, because it was a hospital appointment I don't know where I stand from a HR perspective.

Then you need to ask HR

Not MN.

OP, don't take all the negativity here personally. Anxiety is crap & throws your thinking out of kilter completely so sometimes you need to chuck your thoughts out of your head and get a bit of clarity from others. Nothing wrong with that and you've got your head sorted enough now to get the issue in hand at work which is all that matters. When you read some AIBUs on here you wonder how people manage to dress themselves in the morning but no-one says they're incompetent.... It's only because you're getting paid (or not since you're meant to be on leave!) that they get all self-righteous. and

Wow. I'm shocked at how many people have said the outcome should be a written warning-pre judging the outcome is a massive no in UK law.

Op you need to have the training to understand the policies your employer has in place in order to confidently implement the processes whether this is the nice bits you enjoy or the more difficult bits you don't.

You have said that you are good at your job but on the evidence you have shown here I would say the opposite is true. You may be amazing at some aspects of your management role but in this part you are woeful. This is an identifiable training need that you should be able to recognise and request training for.
An incompetent manager doesn't inspire trust and respect from those they aim to lead.

I'd normally agree with you, Worra, but this thread isn't really about the guy who left the office. It's about the OP, her anxiety and her inexperience in management.

If the OP was an experienced manager, she wouldn't need advice. She would know what to do. If she didn't have anxiety, she would be able to just ask her manager for advice without thinking she would seem incompetent. If she didn't have anxiety, she would see the unreported absence for what it was, rather than thinking it was a two-fingers in the air to her management.

So she really wasn't discussing her colleague, even if she was. She was talking about herself.

Come on, give her a break. Look at the other threads on MN with people asking all sorts of questions about how to deal with errant husbands, crying babies, inheritances, elderly relatives and yes, work situations.

Just because this is posted in AIBU it doesn't give the right to anyone to be a complete and utter twat to someone who's anxious about a situation.

He is taking the piss OP
He needs to be told loud and clear it's not acceptable to just leave . It's unprofessional , lacks consideration and comprises h & s rules
Enjoy your wedding

worra I agree, OPs first port of call should be HR not MN.

I have no idea about OP is good at her job but I think asking the question itself demonstrates a certain naivety about workplaces as it seems to assume all workplaces have similar environments with similars. Many posters responses are similarly naive. I would hate to work somewhere where going to a hospital appointment would be so much of an issue (whether or not I have officially booked the afternoon off).

with similars with similar procedures

Going to a hospital appointment wasn't the issue Roomster. Leaving the office without authorisation or informing anyone was the issue.

BeautyQueenFromMars I know what the issue was. My point was that In some workplaces you can leave the office without authorisation or informing line managers. Workplaces differ so it is a bit pointless asking people in mumsnet what is reasonable.