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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

ill, boss not replying to email

95 replies

blephly · 06/03/2023 10:01

Should I send a follow up? A text?

Pretty crap but we normally wfh, today was going to be an in person meeting then dinner. Me, my boss and then some junior collegues.

Boss mainly set it up as she wanted people to meet in person, and I was going to go through a project I'd been doing as the main event, so feel really guilty. Not sure if she has too much to specifically discuss.

I have raging tonsillitis which is so bad it's making me gag and can barely speak. Going in is impossible. Emailed at 7am, no reply from boss. Meeting is at 10:30 and have real anxiety there's going to be an awkward 10 mins where people think I just haven't shown up.

Should I chase up boss? She has previously mentioned how she can't keep up with email, so not sure if she's not replying to save time, or becasue she hasn't seen it. I do normally always get a reply from her.

OP posts:
luckylavender · 06/03/2023 10:42

blephly · 06/03/2023 10:01

Should I send a follow up? A text?

Pretty crap but we normally wfh, today was going to be an in person meeting then dinner. Me, my boss and then some junior collegues.

Boss mainly set it up as she wanted people to meet in person, and I was going to go through a project I'd been doing as the main event, so feel really guilty. Not sure if she has too much to specifically discuss.

I have raging tonsillitis which is so bad it's making me gag and can barely speak. Going in is impossible. Emailed at 7am, no reply from boss. Meeting is at 10:30 and have real anxiety there's going to be an awkward 10 mins where people think I just haven't shown up.

Should I chase up boss? She has previously mentioned how she can't keep up with email, so not sure if she's not replying to save time, or becasue she hasn't seen it. I do normally always get a reply from her.

Absolute policy wherever I've worked that you have to speak to someone.

Original poster
blephly · 06/03/2023 10:43

This has been pretty eye opening in terms of work culture in the UK. I've always worked in my industry (never said it was "special" as another poster said but clearly it is different)

Attitude where I work is - everyone very independent, you don't hassle very important people and try to avoid emailing uncessarily. I don't chase up unless urgent or specifically need a reply.

My anxiety was around sending another email/mesage to my boss, forcing her to spend time replying which would be annoying, when it was likely she's already read and acknowledged.

I did send a follow up, got a nice reply saying already recieved and read (along with other well wishes).

OP posts:
Billslills · 06/03/2023 10:43

Have you managed to reach your boss yet whilst you’ve been busy on Mumsnet?

kirinm · 06/03/2023 10:45

Email would be totally fine in my job (law). If I had something going on like you do and hadn't heard anything, I'd probably get a bit panicky and try and call.

I was sick in hospital for nearly two weeks. Emailed in as literally couldn't cope with much else. Didn't get a response at all!

mynameiscalypso · 06/03/2023 10:45

I'm glad your boss has replied - FWIW, every where I work has been the same as your set up and I've never 'called in' sick in my life or had any of my employees call in sick. I think in the circumstances, I would have dropped a text too. Feel better soon!

maddy68 · 06/03/2023 10:46

Send a what's app just further apologising for your absence.

Emptycrackedcup · 06/03/2023 10:49

blephly · 06/03/2023 10:43

This has been pretty eye opening in terms of work culture in the UK. I've always worked in my industry (never said it was "special" as another poster said but clearly it is different)

Attitude where I work is - everyone very independent, you don't hassle very important people and try to avoid emailing uncessarily. I don't chase up unless urgent or specifically need a reply.

My anxiety was around sending another email/mesage to my boss, forcing her to spend time replying which would be annoying, when it was likely she's already read and acknowledged.

I did send a follow up, got a nice reply saying already recieved and read (along with other well wishes).

I call BS. I've worked in plenty of industries, no one would just email in sick and not follow up if it wasn't acknowledged, then not turn up to a meeting. People are busy and email isn't the way you communicate an important message. I don't think you have to call, but a text would be the minimum surely? What's this highly unique industry?

Frabbits · 06/03/2023 10:51

Is it really beyond the imaginations of people that different industries/companies have different expectations around calling in sick?

Where I work an email/teams message etc is totally, completely fine.

ClawedButler · 06/03/2023 10:53

I've worked in several different industries and many many different companies and have NEVER encountered a system where you do not have to phone if sick. An email or text would possibly be acceptable if you know the boss very very well, but a phone call would be the standard absolutely everywhere I can think of

DinosaurPotato · 06/03/2023 10:57

Just so you're not totally alone, we only have to email, OP. I'd send my boss a WhatsApp too probably but wouldn't phone, for one who would answer at 7am... and even then my boss WFH often too.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 06/03/2023 11:01

I can email in sick too! You are not alone

Mialouu · 06/03/2023 11:02

I would definitely phone. You don't know if they've got the email so why wouldn't you phone?

Xhee · 06/03/2023 11:03

Glad They got your message!
I'm another one in the "I would never have to ring in sick" boat, slack or email only.

cocksstrideintheevening · 06/03/2023 11:05

if I have to call in sick or change my plans work in a different office / wfh i whatsapp my boss on her personal phone and she likewise with me if she is off sick. Messages and emails get buried very easily in my inbox.

the only time I had to call in was when I worked in pub years ago.

SillyDoriswithaDangler · 06/03/2023 11:06

Why is it so hard to understand that not all industries are alike? I work for a fintech company and we slack the manager, I don't even know their phone numbers. Everything we do is online in slack/teams.

RachelSq · 06/03/2023 11:09

I work remotely and my way to say I’m off sick is just a message on our chat.

However, if I knew there’d be an issue (meeting etc) I’d also either text or send a message to someone else if I didn’t get an acknowledgment back.

ImustLearn2Cook · 06/03/2023 11:10

Glad you got a reply and rest assured that your boss has received it.

In future would you be able to compose an email and go into more options and select request read receipt before sending?Then the person reading the email doesn’t have to reply in order to let you know that they have read it.

Trickedbyadoughnut · 06/03/2023 11:11

We have to email, not call, so as to have a written record for insurance purposes (secure building), so I don't think it's that weird!

FoxInSocksSatOnBlocks · 06/03/2023 11:11

It’s very unprofessional to email/text. You should have called; that is standard.

Trickedbyadoughnut · 06/03/2023 11:11

And I meant to say, get well soon, OP!

DilemmaDelilah · 06/03/2023 11:12

I would definitely have texted my boss and a couple of my colleagues so that I knew there was a good chance of the message getting through. We have a very strict sickness notification process at my work, whereby I have to phone my line manager half an hour before I am due to start work if I am sick. Since I start half an hour before him that means trying to reach him at 8 am when he is in the middle of getting the children ready for school/the school run - so now I just text and send an email, however I could be disciplined for this! I think the policy needs re-writing.

OrchardBloom · 06/03/2023 11:16

My industry is very much like yours OP. Only call/text when there is an emergency with a work project. Snr Management would feel rather put-out receiving an call from me telling them I was in. I have not called in sick for years but email to manager copying in HR is the typical process.

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/03/2023 11:20

ClawedButler · 06/03/2023 10:53

I've worked in several different industries and many many different companies and have NEVER encountered a system where you do not have to phone if sick. An email or text would possibly be acceptable if you know the boss very very well, but a phone call would be the standard absolutely everywhere I can think of

Well you haven't worked as broadly as you think you have.

I work at a large organisation - policy is to send an email to your manager Ccing the nominated 'people leader' of your department. That's it. You are asked to email every day you're off sick and after 5 days must make an appointment with your GP (or Babylon, which is provided free).

I don't even have the mobile number of most of the people I work with. I only have my boss' because she wanted to move off Teams and do a meeting on the phone while she was doing the school run.

I have NEVER encountered a system where you couldn't email in.

Moveoverdarlin · 06/03/2023 11:23

I would always ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Common courtesy in the majority of work place. It shows your genuine. Even with a croaky voice. Every workplace I’ve ever worked in has made you call in sick. Pinging off a email, text or WhatsApp makes it too easy to pull a sickie. Juniors would do it all the time - they’d send a half arsed message on a Monday morning and say sorry won’t be in. As bosses we were always told to message back ‘ring me’. It’s amazing how many had a miraculous recovery and came in.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 06/03/2023 11:24

Could you let one of the other junior attendees know you can't make it - you don't have to give any details, just that due to unforeseen circumstances you're having to send your apologies for the meeting, so not to wait for you.