Wfh today but not actually working

[AlexaShutUp]

I'm supposed to be working from home today, but I was up most of the night with a nasty gallbladder attack (currently awaiting surgery). I am much better than I was last night but still feeling pretty rough.

I tried to do some work this morning but couldn't really focus so I'm now lying on my bed hoping that I'll feel better soon. There is nothing that needs to be done today and I will make up the hours over the weekend. I'll also try again this afternoon if I feel up to it.

DH thinks I should have phoned in sick, but I don't feel that I need to because I will definitely do the hours tomorrow or Sunday. I will keep an eye out for any urgent emails and answer the phone if anyone rings.

So AIBU to rest today without calling in sick as long as the work actually gets done by Monday?

that comment was in reference to your husband having a different pov to you, as in maybe it’s different with his employer

If you’re the boss then do whatever you want

You're not being unreasonable. Hope you're feeling better I think your manager will want you to get better and be more focused on your work.

OP has just mentioned she's the boss.

@thinkingaboutitall

that comment was in reference to your husband having a different pov to you, as in maybe it’s different with his employer

If you’re the boss then do whatever you want

DH is actually self employed, so he just does his own thing anyway! He used to be employed though, so he may be thinking back to that.

If you’re the boss then do whatever you want

This is actually what DH is objecting to. He thinks that the same rules should apply to everyone. I don't disagree, but tbh, I wouldn't mind if one of my team did this anyway.

I’d log it, personally.

First off, the principle is also about what behaviours trickle down from you to your staff. If you discovered that one of your employees had done this, how would you feel, how does it stack up with policy, etc.

The other reason would be if it gets worse and you can’t log in over the weekend, you’re ahead of a potential problem.

You have my sympathy re the pain, my MIL had gallbladder issues and she just got worse and worse with it. I hope you feel better soon.

You say you’re the boss is it your own company as that would be a massive drip feed and completely change the situation

@BIoodyStupidJohnson

I’d log it, personally.

First off, the principle is also about what behaviours trickle down from you to your staff. If you discovered that one of your employees had done this, how would you feel, how does it stack up with policy, etc.

The other reason would be if it gets worse and you can’t log in over the weekend, you’re ahead of a potential problem.

You have my sympathy re the pain, my MIL had gallbladder issues and she just got worse and worse with it. I hope you feel better soon.

I genuinely wouldn't mind if one of my team did this. We do operate a flexitime policy in any case, so I see it as just an extension of that. As long as my team get the work done, I don't really mind when/where they do it. And I guess that's why I don't see it as an issue.

If things did get worse over the weekend, it would be my own self-imposed deadlines that are pushed off course, and I'd want to put in extra time next week in order to get back on track. One way or another, the work will have to get done because it's important. So I will find a way of doing it.

I think your DH is nuts. And its none of his business anyway.

Tell him you're the boss so you've just reported your sickness to yourself and you've got permission to do what you want.

@Figgygal

You say you’re the boss is it your own company as that would be a massive drip feed and completely change the situation

Not my own company. I report to a board, but they aren't interested in operational stuff.

Sorry if it seems like a drip feed. I wanted to know how this approach would be seen in general, rather than being swayed by my position.

If your boss is in agreement it's fine, if not, you're on shaky groundl

what's wrong with him?
who's side is he on?

I don't get people like him. he is supposed to be your team mate, reassuring you, backing you up.
but no. here he is playing Miss Goodie-two-shoes as if the sun was shining out of his arse.🙄

urgh.
no need to waste a sick day if you can work flexible hours

I mean this in a nice way, but I think you are starting to overthink this.

You are fine to take today as an “off” day and make up your hours over the weekend. It won’t affect your team today, because you’ve said your work will be done by Monday. You will take urgent calls/respond to urgent emails today, if you can. You just do what you need to do today to get through the attack. I know what they feel like (I’ve had numerous attacks over the past few months, even ended up in hospital for almost a week after a gallstone got stuck - I am finally getting my gall bladder removed next week).

So no, don’t phone in sick, you are fine in that respect. Look after yourself and I hope you feel better sooner rather than later.

I'm quite like you OP. I rarely take sick leave & work around feeling unwell.

It's not a problem for work, but I think I'm realising it's a problem for me.

Ultimately you are sick, and clearly sick enough to be on leave as you're in bed resting. You should properly step away from your work and focus on yourself.

You say yourself if you're unwell over the weekend the work gets pushed to next week. It's there in your mind, waiting to be done.

I am terrible at doing it, but your well-being comes first. Especially where you are in a senior role / manager. Far too many of us prioritise our work over our family life at this level.

If it was someone who reported to me, I'd like to know so I could help.

Although I don’t disagree with what you are doing, and wouldn’t mind if one of my team did this, I don’t understand what the disadvantage of phoning in sick is?

If you’re sick you need time to recover not working extra hard later as your body will suffer again.

It wouldn’t fly where I work. Taking a sick day, having an afternoon off and making up the time later all good, but you need to run it past someone first. It’s common courtesy if anything.

But you know the culture of your company better than we do, so if it’s not a problem then crack on.

@ThatWouldBeEnough

Although I don’t disagree with what you are doing, and wouldn’t mind if one of my team did this, I don’t understand what the disadvantage of phoning in sick is?

If you’re sick you need time to recover not working extra hard later as your body will suffer again.

Because I don't particularly want a sick day on my record when I know that the work will have to get done anyway.

The work won't go away and there is nobody else who can do it. So I'll have to put the hours in either way. And if I don't do it this weekend, it will just pile on more stress further down the line as I'll be playing catchup.

Hope you feel better soon OP.
Probably is best for work to know you're unwell, and that will take the pressure off responding to messages etc in the short term.
But there are many WFH jobs where it really doesn't matter when you get your work done so If you're going to get it done then it may not be be unreasonable. Right now I'm sitting on a beach watching DC also WFH . All my deadlines will still be met and messages responded to.

I probably am overthinking it. I felt like DH thought I was abusing my position, which I wouldn't want to do. I just don't see it like that.

He is generally very supportive, just has strong views on certain issues!

@misskatamari

As long as it doesn’t actually affect things and you’ll make up the work I don’t think it’s a problem. I hope you feel better soon, gallbladder attacks are awful! One thing I found helpful when I had them was apple cider vinegar, don’t know how it works but it was the only thing that helped me at all (I just drank it mixed with apple juice or just water)

I'm trying cider vinegar in some hot water now. Thanks for the suggestion.

Do not officially log sickness unless you have to. It will definitely be held against you if you are ill again. If you can meet minimise the number of sickness absences on your record, I would do so. The thing that would annoy me in this situation is that I'd probably log in at the weekend and work anyway if I was up to it as I hate getting behind at work so I'd end up with a sickness absence mark but would probably work to make up the lost time anyway

I'd say your DH is bonkers and in your place with the same work environment I'd do the same

I’m your position with your set up then yes I would do exactly as you are doing.

I have worked in places where this would be fine and places where this wouldn’t.

You know your workplace, you know if this is fine.

@bumblingbovine49

Do not officially log sickness unless you have to. It will definitely be held against you if you are ill again. If you can meet minimise the number of sickness absences on your record, I would do so. The thing that would annoy me in this situation is that I'd probably log in at the weekend and work anyway if I was up to it as I hate getting behind at work so I'd end up with a sickness absence mark but would probably work to make up the lost time anyway

I'd say your DH is bonkers and in your place with the same work environment I'd do the same

Thanks @bumblingbovine49, that's exactly how I feel. I'll need to catch up anyway so I don't want to log a sickness absence for hours that I will actually work.

I will tell DH that he is bonkers and hopefully he'll take it on board!

The work won't go away and there is nobody else who can do it.

I say this all the time too

However, if that's truly the situation, and you are senior, you need to address this

You should be able to have a few days off. No-one should be a single point of failure.

@EarringsandLipstick

The work won't go away and there is nobody else who can do it.

I say this all the time too

However, if that's truly the situation, and you are senior, you need to address this

You should be able to have a few days off. No-one should be a single point of failure.

I totally agree with this, but I am relatively new in post and there is a whole lot of development work that needs to be done with the team before they will be in a position to step up and share the load. Ironically, one of the things I was supposed to be working on today was a plan to start addressing this.