To not to say 'good morning' ?

[MissMich]

I have been on furlough since the beginning of April. It utter shit... maybe the first week was 'fun' but I would rather be working. Whoever thinks that being furloughed is on holiday can come and swap with me as I have been loosing my marbles the last 2 weeks...
Anyway my question is regarding to my whatsapp group chat at work. Smallish company, only 15-19 people so there is a group chat for us all. Yay, great or well is it?! A bit of back info, I'm very very new to the company, started in February so haven't even had a chance to meet many of my colleagues in person ( company is split between 4 locations)... since the lockdown we have been keeping in touch on whatsapp. Some of my colleagues are still working - lucky ducks... and there is - well I believe - a few of us who don't ... but every single morning everyone says ' morning ' good morning ' hello' ☀️🌈☀️🌈☀️☀️🌈☀️☀️☀️' morning ' hi' and it's driving me nuts. Turned off the notifications but still look obviously when I open whatsapp. I say send a morning in every now and then however I can't help it but cringe at this... I want to work, I want to be busy and productive and do my best at work however I can't ... I also am fairly new so in need of help and some training (no training packages available to do unfortunately while on furlough) so I feel very distant, left out, useless and worry if I will have a job to go back to...
But the good morning messages, every single morning .... why?

Ok, it’s not important really. My problems are my own. It’s a shame for you that you took that comment in such a hostile way as it was not intended as such. This could go either way, and I don’t fancy having to defend a throw away remark to someone who has attached too much importance to that. Im not looking for a fight, and I hope you’re not looking to tell someone off just because you can. No point in escalating, is there? Have a good afternoon.

(Hope the OP doesn’t mind me wishing you a good afternoon!)

I get my team to do it everyday because it's an easy way of knowing everyone is safe.

It's social etiquette really to acknowledge your colleagues, despite lock down. It's also to stop people feeling alone & disconnected. I think your low mood is making you lose perspective. Nice or normal stuff 'gets' to me when I'm depressed too, it's when I know I'm spiralling down & need to put brakes on with Ad's. Starting a new job is tough, with lock down, even more so OP. A buddy system for new staff is often a good idea, just to handhold for the first month or so. Is there anyone you could discuss your work worries with who might know ways you can learn some basics at home?

I get my team to do it everyday because it's an easy way of knowing everyone is safe.

What? This is ridiculous.
You don’t “get” to make your team do anything
More to the point - we are presumably talking about adults here? So who the heck are you to be ensuring you know whether they are ok?!

What? This is ridiculous.
You don’t “get” to make your team do anything
More to the point - we are presumably talking about adults here? So who the heck are you to be ensuring you know whether they are ok?!

It’s called staff welfare. And of course you get your team to do anything you ask, just as you would if you were all working in the office. I sincerely hope you don’t manage people.

* And of course you get your team to do anything you ask,*

Shit way to approach management

I wish our lot did it. Apart from a couple of immediate colleagues I feel totally abandoned; "morning" doesn't need a lot of effort.

I'm not close to anyone really so don't feel any expectation to do it myself and so I can't expect anyone to do it but all the same.

I voted tabu, not because I think saying morning adds any value but because I don't really get why you are so het up about it. They're used to being a team and are trying to keep that feel. You don't feel it because you're not really in the role fully yet. But it doesn't need to be a big deal.

So who the heck are you to be ensuring you know whether they are ok?!

We have a duty of care.

If someone didn’t turn up to work when they were expected in, didn’t call in sick etc etc then we have a duty to check they are safe/well.

In my organisation we have asked the police to do welfare checks if we have particular concerns on many occasions.

My FIL, who lived alone and was socially isolated outside of the workplace was sadly found dead by the police when his employer became concerned about him after he didn’t go to work for a couple of days and they couldn’t get in touch.

I deleted myself from a work group chat and didn't give it a second thought!

My team does it, it drives me batty. I have also turned off the notifications as my phone was pinging every 30 seconds starting at 8:00am.

Same for MS Teams, unless I know I have a meeting or video call then I don't bother to log in. I dont care what Sue is having from the takeaway or what Simon is cooking for tea. Leave me alone!

I dont care if people think I am miserable.

What? This is ridiculous.
You don’t “get” to make your team do anything
More to the point - we are presumably talking about adults here? So who the heck are you to be ensuring you know whether they are ok?!

Are YOU ok?

Some people do this just to show that they're online and working imo. Ignore...

I’m relieved I don’t work for you!

I think the feeling is mutual ...

It definitely is in my case.

I love a happy ending