I have a soft voice was the answer

[spanieleyes22]

So at work today we were all called to a very difficult meeting about a restructure and redundancies that are coming. When the man started talking - apparently he is my boss boss though I have never seen him before like ever!!!- I couldn't hear what he was saying and I put up my hand and said sorry but it's very difficult to hear what you're saying could you speak up a bit. And he said no I just have a soft voice. I was in the first row of seats and he was standing a good way back and there were about 6 or 7 rows altogether. I am sure a lot of people didn't hear what he said. He kept dropping his voice very low. There was a lectern and mic available too. I think he is a * AIBU

Yeah he’s very unreasonable. What a jerk.

He was being ridiculous.

I have a soft voice. If I’m announcing something important and I can’t speak loud enough, we have to find another way to make sure everyone can hear. It’s not just like oh well bad luck everyone!

Almost as if he rehearsed that line. Weird.

100% dickhead for sure.
Part of announcing an RA is being clear and understood on the points they are raising

TWAT .

This is his personal approach to Bury bad news day.

For all you know, he might have been announcing the closure of the company this afternoon. He did it on purpose.

I have to have a one-to-one meeting with him about my role and job and whether I'll
Be up for redundancy. I'm dreading it. Am tempted to say pardon after everything he says. Will have to toe the line of course. How do these dixkheads get into positions of power.

I wouldn't be surprised. Then a woman at the front across from me was asking interesting questions and he went over and just answered her quietly and I put up my hand and asked if he could share the answer with the whole group. He just mumbled. The woman was nice she turned round and told us what he had said. Honestly it was I think the worst thing I've ever had to go to.

Good luck.

I wish I had said nothing now. He prob tho is in a real trouble maker

Yeah unfortunately that's your copy book blotted. He won't have liked that in public.

What a self centred areshole. You are giving information to people that significantly affects their lives and yet none of them can hear you and you can't be bothered to speak into a mic. One way of showing you give zero shits about your staff. How fucking rude and unprofessional. I'd be fuming.

Well I'd be quoting the DDA as I'm deaf in one ear. I wonder how he'd respond if you'd said you were partially deaf?!

You'd be better quoting the Equality Act as it replaced the DDA in 2010, but otherwise, yes.

Is it a male commanding thing?- 'I'm so important I'm going to make you screw up your whole face in concentration to hear you'.

Or maybe he didn't want to get the blame for what he had to deliver.

He was definitely being deliberately obtuse.

If you know you're very short, you make sure you have a step available; if you know you don't speak the common language, you arrange for a translator; if you know you have a soft voice, you use the available mic.

I personally hate it in scenarios like this where somebody has gone to the trouble of providing and setting up a mic, then you get people - invariably those with the quietest voices - who will say "I don't think we need this, do we? We'll be fine without it, I think!" Just why? It's not a dangerous implement, it's just a useful available tool to help you to do your job more successfully.

Very unprofessional.

Also, what if there were deaf/hard of hearing staff present?

Refusing to make your voice louder is hardly a 'reasonable adjustment', is it?

@spanieleyes22 being half deaf myself, I would have piped up loudly at the beginning and told him that he needed to speak up and use the mic because i was deaf and unable to hear him!!! not quite mastered the art of lip reading. my tv subtitles are always on!