Boss called in sick to Christmas party

[idonotmind]

Our boss called in sick to our Christmas party. AIBU? Shouldn't he be leading by example? He has form though, he cancelled our in-office day once due to the rain, which I was actually relieved by.

Reconsider this - if it was one of your colleagues in the office who WASN'T your boss, and had 'form' for it.

I'd suggest you may well think, I wonder if they are really OK. I wonder if they might have some issues going on outside of work, that could make socialising unbearably difficult for them but they're trying their best, bless 'em.

Be kind applies to the whole team - you have no idea what is going on in another persons life, whatever job they do.

when did christmas parties become compulsory?

If he's sick, he's sick.

Is the OP ever coming back?

Well this didn’t go the way the OP was expecting…

How dare he! Appalling behaviour!

Crikey. Have often had to bail on a party or event for multiple reasons. The size of the team doesn't matter.

Maybe he is ill. Maybe he is not. Maybe he doesn't want to spend time with his team as he hasn't been at home enough? Maybe his partner isn't coping?

Cut the guy some slack. He is only human.

If he's unwell then it can't be helped and of course its better for him not to attend than to spread it to others. What an odd thing to post about 🤔

It's November.

I read the OP's name as idiotmind

Which now seems quite close to the truth

OP was this a Christmas party you decided to organise and expected him to pay for?

Are you wellied on the figgy pudding already?

Maybe he has social anxiety and couldn't face the thought!

Was he hosting the DIY party and thus by not showing up it was cancelled?

I just dont see how attending otherwise would be expected or compulsory and if it was cancelled then theres still 4 more weeks to rearrange it.

I would rather my boss not show up than give me covid, flu or noro/rota right before xmas.

Maybe he's actually sick....something contagious that he doesn't want to pass on, or a severe migraine. This is the kind of attitude that made me try to just power through when I had a migraine and invariably ended up throwing up after making it so much worse, and having to go home.

He maybe IS leading by example, showing that presenteeism isn't a good thing and that it's OK to be sick.

You're unreasonable going to a Christmas party in November- in fact going to a work Christmas party at all 😂 (joking - but I never liked them and only ever went to the department Christmas lunch and never the whole company party)

My boss departs shortly after dessert usually, so everyone can let loose properly without fear of big boss judgement.

At my last workplace the CEO was the one who let loose the most!!!

GET A GRIP

I don't understand your reasoning. YABU.
Why do they have to attend a party.
Do you care? They may be ill or hate parties.
A bit early for a Christmas party - in November!?!

Perhaps he's decided he spends enough time with you all at work and doesn't want to socialise with you as well

I reckon a good boss turns up, buys a round then buggers off so you can all have fun without them. Maybe he's just letting you all have fun without the boss.

OP hasn't really elaborated though. They have given one other example which isn't. the same thing....(cancelling ).an in-office day due to rain).

Radical thought here but maybe he was ill & didn’t want to pass on the screaming adabs; to his loyal; caring; compassionate work force, but given the fact your being horrible & asking if it’s unreasonable of him to cry off I think he should have gone to it & given it to you….. though I wonder what he had vomiting it the squirts 🤣🤣

I do hope he isn’t actually sick, but instead making a ballsy move to avoid the overwhelming tedium that office Christmas parties are. I wish, when I was a boss, I had had the courage to miss this.

The real party doesn't start until the boss leaves.

So he's doing you a favour.

And keeping his filthy germs to himself. If only more were like that!

We once had a guy at work who was a determined high-flier and let everyone know it. 'No sickness can defeat me,I've got a job to do..'. I'd like to thank 'Terence' for spreading Noro throughout the office circa 2019.I thoroughly enjoyed clearing up mine,my 6 year old's and my 2 year old's vomit so he could impress management. As did others and their own families.

Hope it was worth it,mate.😒

Perhaps he dislikes you as much as you obviously dislike him😜