Expected to start teams meetings?

[surrpundedby]

I’ve started a new job and my diary for now is very empty with few meetings and there’s quite a lot of training material that I have to go through.

My manager is always in back to back meetings and he’s put two 30 minute catchups in with me for the first month. From experience meetings tend to overrun so I’ve waited for him to be ready for our call and then I’ll hop on as I’m just reading - or he might need a loo break or get a drink.

Today it got to 5 past our meeting and he messaged me to say “are you joining”. So I started the call and he said that I am expected to always start the meetings.

Obviously once I’m more busy I won’t even give it a second thought as to who starts a meeting, but this seems such a weird rule to me.

You seem to have quite an attitude, OP. You've already said that your manager is really busy with back to back meetings. It seems odd that you wouldn't just start the meeting on time like any normal person would, and just wait for him to join when ready. What point are you trying to make exactly by waiting it out?

Why have you put it on here? Anything people say you are responding to negatively and aggressively at points. If he's late he is late, however as your manager he will be looking at your time keeping for meetings. You may feel it isn't fair but part of your job will be to be on time (I'm assuming that as most roles do have that included).
If it's an issue discuss it with him, if not then you know where you stand and move forward with that knowledge.

Just start the meeting, it’s really no big deal and if you’re getting upset about this then I can’t see you lasting long in this job…

Aah Gen Z. God love ‘em.

But he has the power, so just do as he asks.

His time is currently more valuable than yours. It makes sense for you to start it so he knows you're ready, rather than him start it and be waiting for you to join.

I think it's pretty normal to start the meeting at the right time anyway and odd to wait for him to do it.

You are beneath your manager in the business pecking order and within reason they call the shots. Complain to HR if you think he's not treating you respectfully.

I can’t find the post now, but I agree there’s too many outdated opinions on this thread. Even using the word “boss” seems so beyond outdated to me. Seems the type of word someone in middle management would use to describe themselves and declare they “pay your wages” - as if it directly comes out of their HSBC current account.

I’ve been lucky that I’ve had good managers previously that don’t make up pointless rules to insert authority. Ive only ever had one manager who lorded his authority and he lost his position and was demoted within six months.

Times have drastically moved on since Covid.

Yawn. Casual ageism on MN again. Just because it’s a younger generation doesn’t make it okay. I’m Gen Z and have never acted like OP. The truth is every generation has lazy entitled people.

You said you never start the meeting on time because you're waiting for your boss to start it and only then will you join .

What is it about clicking the button that you find so hard?
Today's meeting is at 2pm so at 2pm you click join.
It's been explained to you that you're expected to be ready so you just click join at the right time.

Are you a millennial?

OP is one of those posters where any criticism or comments not going her way and she immediately goes on defence attack mode.

In OP’s case yes I’d start the meeting first and wait for him to join.

This is a bit overdramatic OP, he’s only asked you to join meetings on time 😂

Yes, this is normal in every workplace I've worked in.

If your boss doesn't join for a few minutes, you could send him a message asking if he needs to delay/reschedule, but you dial in at the start time regardless.

Generally wherever I’ve worked usually the person who arranged the meeting starts it, whoever they are, or the chair of the meeting but I would always join on time and start the meeting if they hadn’t done so.

It could be as you say he asks because of attitude to junior employees, or equally it could be he is asking because he’s stuck in loads of meetings himself, is tight for time and it helps to keep him on track if you start the meeting. Or maybe it’s how he likes to work and the way he is used to. It could be a number of reasons which unless you ask, you won’t know, but I wouldn’t recommend asking to be honest.

If that’s the way he wants it I’d just do it and try not to get too hung up on it. We all have had managers who like things a certain way, even if it puzzles us sometimes you just have to go along with it.

Yes, people do this in the office too.

Ahh bless your sensitive soul. Maybe the boss is a boomer and can’t find the start meeting button so needs his minion to do it for him.

Join and go on mute.

Always assume your boss is busier than you - it's a good principle to adopt in life.

He should never be waiting for you (unless you are on another work related call overrunning).

🤣😂 the drama of your post is hilarious

Ah yes the old Mumsnet trope of “you sound aggressive” - would you always like to throw in “are you usually this angry?”

No one is being aggressive. If you’re choosing to read text in an aggressive manner then carry on, but just because that’s your narrative it doesn’t make it true.

And I’m solely posting for opinions on what I said. The people that wet their pants and fall over themselves to tell you how you won’t last in your job and how they personally view you as irrelevant to me - they don’t know me, they don’t work with me, they know nothing about my work history. I could turn around and say you’re shite at your job and you wouldn’t care because I’m a stranger to you and neither do I employ you.

He’s busier than you and more important than you.

Be better at your job.

Are you a boomer?

Do you have a job?

Yes, I always join Teams meetings as soon as I can.

Think you’ve missed the entire point. I’ve always assumed he’s busier than I am.