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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed re change in work situation while I'm on holidays?

35 replies

user1498921160 · 07/08/2017 11:47

I am on holidays from work for a few weeks. In my absence some new work arrangements have been put in place to accommodate a particular situation. So I now have a new Manager who will be joining the company at then end of this week. The position was not advertised, no one knew anything about it, and I was not asked if I would be interested in the role despite having received extremely good performance reviews and strong hints that I would be promoted shortly.

My main problem is that I only heard of this new situation by texts from one of my staff and a lady who works in our canteen who I'm friendly with. Apparently an email went around the entire organisation advising staff of the new arrangement, but I was not informed via a phone call, a private email or any other means of communication from HR or my current Manager.

AIBU to be absolutely furious and to contact work and let them know I'm annoyed and upset about how I've been treated, not to mention humiliated?

OP posts:
Ladyformation · 07/08/2017 11:52

Whether or not they've behaved shoddily in hiring this person pretty much entirely depends on what the "particular situation" is.

Whether or not they've behaved badly in not telling you personally - I sort of think companies can't win. We get threads on here where posters are furious that their company has text them the night before they're due back from work. You're annoyed and upset because your company have left you alone during your holiday. From the sounds of it, they did tell you in the company wide email - you just haven't picked up your emails? And for all you know you'll have a meeting as soon as you get back to discuss?

Depending on the situation, I have sympathy for your position, but I'm not sure what they could have done better.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 07/08/2017 11:57

Apparently an email went around the entire organisation advising staff of the new arrangement, but I was not informed via a phone call, a private email or any other means of communication from HR or my current Manager.

On this employers can't win.

You are livid about not being contacted. Another poster is livid because their boss dared to text them the night before they returned to work.

I understand why you are annoyed, but I also can see their view.

Also it does depend on the reason for it happening so fast.

Original poster
user1498921160 · 07/08/2017 11:57

I don't pick up work emails while I'm on holidays. However, in a situation which affects me directly and where they would have known that I would hear stuff on the grapevine from other colleagues, I would have expected a phone call from my current manager advising me that this is happening and that an email will be issuing shortly.

That is what I would have done if a change that would significantly impact on one of my staff was to be announced, and a new manager would be in situ when they came back from their holidays.

That is entirely different from contacting staff about unnecessary or trivial matters while they are on holidays.

OP posts:
araiwa · 07/08/2017 12:03

Yabu to expect them to contact an underling about managerial changes

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 07/08/2017 12:07

I would have expected a phone call from my current manager

Do you know that the current manager is still there?

I would say that as it had happened so quickly there is a lot going on.

When are you back at work?

RainbowsAndUnicorn · 07/08/2017 12:07

YABVU, you can't expect them to phone you on annual leave every time they make a change etc. It's not their fault if you didn't pick up the email.

Not sure where the humiliation comes into it, it's just a change of manager.

Judydreamsofhorses · 07/08/2017 12:21

I'm a lecturer so off for most of the summer - I check my emails every day, and am glad I did as I would otherwise have missed a notification that a colleague passed away. I thought most people picked up work emails while on holiday.

Original poster
user1498921160 · 07/08/2017 12:22

I'm not an underling. I'm a manager myself, I do a very specialised job, and this person and I will be working as a team of two. I have staff who report to me for a different area of work (complicated arrangement) but I manage their leave etc but not their work.

I don't expect to be contacted re every new arrangement. But neither do I expect to walk back into work and discover an unknown person sitting there and discover they're my new Manager, or as happened, to be contacted by 'underlings' and told my work situation has changed, I have a new Manager, etc etc

I'm trying not to out myself, so can't give full details, so maybe I haven't made the situation clear. Anyhow, will try not to let it ruin my holidays.

OP posts:
Original poster
user1498921160 · 07/08/2017 12:26

Actually just read over my email and realise that, i.n my anxiety not to reveal too much, I have made the situation sound quite innocuous. Probably just shouldn't have posted. Thanks for the replies and sorry for wasting people's time by not being able to fully describe the situation.

OP posts:
BadPolicy · 07/08/2017 12:27

Why will a new manager 'significantly impact' you? Wont you just do the same job & report to a different person?

Original poster
user1498921160 · 07/08/2017 12:43

It's not quite as straightforward as that BadPolicy. As I said, can't really go into details without giving too much away. But genuinely, if it was just a case of John being my new Manager instead of Mary I wouldn't expect to be contacted on holidays. But I think I've given the impression it's that kind of situation, so apologies.

OP posts:
pringlecat · 07/08/2017 12:50

I don't think an employer should contact you on annual leave unless you're being put at risk of redundancy.

For all other matters (including a potential change of boss) it's up to you whether you want to check your work emails (so you know what's going on) or have a complete break (and run the risk of missing out on information like this).

I don't think they've done anything wrong in terms of notifying you. If you don't want to be bothered by work on annual leave (hence not checking your emails), it would be strange of them to call you.

Viviennemary · 07/08/2017 12:55

I can see why you are annoyed by this on a personal basis. But really I don't think they do have an obligation to inform you that you have a new manager when you are on holiday.

Original poster
user1498921160 · 07/08/2017 12:57

As I said Pringlecat, it's not really just a simple change of boss. It's more nuanced than that, so I can't really explain. It also, because of the level this person is coming in at, directly contradicts a verbal promise of promotion I was given recently (in fact guaranteed and assured was going to happen).

So all in all feeling confused and humiliated.

OP posts:
Syc4moreTrees · 07/08/2017 13:00

It's probably not unusual for people working at lower levels not to be consulted on higher management decisions and hires, but probably it would have been beneficial for you to have been given a heads up that things were changing. If this decision came about and action was required whilst you were on holiday I wouldn't expect them to prioritise you when notifying of the change.

I also check my emails when on holiday as do most people who have management responsibilities, but equally I know some people who would crack up if they were contacted whilst on holidays.

Crunchymum · 07/08/2017 13:01

I'm sure you would have been thrilled to receive a phone call in the middle of the night if you were (say) on a long haul holiday?

Your vagueness makes it hard to comment on though? [Of course I appreciate the reason you are being vague]

scrabbler3 · 07/08/2017 13:03

I agree with you OP. Whilst I disapprove of silly "where do we keep the paperclips" type of contacts during annual leave, I think that a change in the management structure is pertinent, especially if you're going to return to work one morning to find Joe Bloggs sitting at your old manager's desk sipping his skinny cappuccino. YANBU.

I would also be asking (when I returned) why they didn't trawl for the position.

talonofthehawk · 07/08/2017 13:04

Unless you're the be all and end all in this company- get a grip.

Bezm · 07/08/2017 13:09

Sorry, but I hope you don't refer to other colleagues as 'underlings' as a general rule! If I thought my line manager referred to me in such a way I would be livid!

scrabbler3 · 07/08/2017 13:10

The OP didn't use the word underling. She was quoting someone else.

Urubu · 07/08/2017 13:12

What would you have done if they called/emailed to let you know?
I imagine they had to assess the benefits of contacting you vs the fact that they are not supposed to interrupt your holidays.

Also, are you in an industry where you are supposed to have 2 weeks off with no work interactions (same as in finance)? If it is the case, they are not allowed to contact you at all.

imamouseduh · 07/08/2017 13:13

Well if you aren't going to keep your eye in by checking your emails during your holidays you can't really complain, can you?

AlpacasPackOwls · 07/08/2017 13:17

I understand OP. It will directly affect your job and it was sudden. My company always contact people when there is restructuring (which this sounds like it is?).

DailyMailReadersAreThick · 07/08/2017 13:19

Well if you aren't going to keep your eye in by checking your emails during your holidays you can't really complain, can you?

Exactly.

Your workplace doesn't revolve around you. You're expecting senior management or HR or whoever to, when all of this change and "situation" is going on, think through your particular holiday arrangements, psychically know that a) you don't check your emails on holiday and b) but you do gossip with colleagues on holiday, and decide how to contact you. Not going to happen.

pringlecat · 07/08/2017 13:20

user1498921160 I understand we're not getting the full picture here, but they clearly made a decision. Personally informing you of that decision whilst you were on holiday was not going to change that, but it was going to ruin your holiday.

Perhaps things had to move fast for a commercial reason in your absence and this did all happen whilst you were on annual leave, as opposed to them smiling and nodding and talking of promotions six months ago whilst secretly recruiting and lying to you. You're not going to find out until you're back and you're not going to change what's already happened.

I get that you're annoyed at having your promotion taken away from you, I would be upset too, but as a manager, I actively avoid contacting people when they're on annual leave and expect them to afford me the same courtesy.