AIBU to be annoyed my manager replied with [NAME] in email?

[ThatAmberOtter]

I have had issues with current manager at work, personal life etc and so , I wrote an email to the area manager with my heart on my sleeve how everything has been impacting me and how I am struggling with Mental health. I get a response back which seems like a chat GPT reply and instead of them addressing me by my name , it says [NAME]! AIBU to expect them to use my name when replying to me, should I raise this in my response? or just leave it and move on! I'm feeling pretty annoyed.

That is pretty awful. They must have used copilot or similar to draft the reply. Aside from
not using your name what did the reply say? What resolution did you hope to get from emailing them?

Gosh. I’d be tempted to send it back with a laughing emoji and asking who it was for.

AI seems to be making folk tres lazy.

They just copied and pasted and didn’t change it … it’s up to you does it add anything to the discussion, personally I never send emails immediately that are particularly important I always pause and reflect…. It often comes down to - will what I’m saying get me what I’m seeking or will it just get their back up. It’s a ‘dance’ sometimes you just got to watch your step so it’s in your favour.

That is annoying. It doesn't exactly give you any confidence that you've been heard or respected. I think it would be reasonable to ask them to give you the courtesy of a real answer, not an AI generated response

Dear lord! That's shocking. Can you reply copying in HR/Union/managers manager asking about this awful gaffe

Resolution was to actually feel listened to, they said they would call, but I haven't responded yet. I felt it was not a genuine response, it addressed every line of my email with "I am sorry to hear that ......" and " I am glad you bought that to my attention..." which repeated multiple times!

V careless of them but I suspect they lack emotional intelligence, were struggling to find the right thing to say and asked AI to help. A decent person would have picked up the phone or arranged a call.

I wouldn't be able to resist replying sarcastically, how nothing makes you feel more important than a generic AI response and sign off [NAME]

I agree with@AltitudeCheck. I often use AI if I want to pitch a response correctly. But I do check to make sure it actually makes sense before I send it.

Do not do this. It’s bad but it’s not worth escalating. A busy person used a tool to help them with a work problem and made a mistake.

Focus on resolving the actual issue with your own manager and whatever additional support you hoped to get from bringing their manager into the mix.

There’s nothing wrong with using copilot or similar to help draft responses, particularly to difficult or sensitive topics. But that’s a pretty terrible gaffe.

If you’re looking for this person’s support and help, I don’t think you have much to gain by being snarky about the error or complaining to someone else about it.

It probably is worth raising but in a measured way, I’d say something like thanks for your offer to call to talk this through, I appreciate your support - although I admit I was a little unnerved by the reference to me in the reply as [name] which did make me wonder about whether the email was written by you directly or if a third party was involved, which I’m sure you can understand feels a bit uncomfortable given the circumstances and personal content of my email.

that is appalling

There’s nothing wrong with using copilot or similar to help draft responses, particularly to difficult or sensitive topics. But that’s a pretty terrible gaffe.

Hard disagree. Someone that is struggling doesn’t want a machine-generated response devoid of empathy. Management is hard. Shortcuts always have consequences.

No arguments here - terrible to use AI for this, and hugely incompetent to not even adapt it. But, kindly, I would never write a 'heart on my sleeve' type message talking about my mental health to my boss/management. I think in professional settings it is best to list out verifiable and credible grievances and indicate what duties managers have, and how they are breaching them, and what they can do about it. This might trigger them to take it seriously and according to established internal procedures rather than go to Chat Gpt to manage what they perceive as an emotional minefield.

This. A short answer like "I am sorry about your experience and I will plan in a meeting where we can discuss all of this together and try to find a solution" would take less time and be more honest if the manager didn't have time to read, think and draft an e-mail at the spot.

So sorry @ThatAmberOtter- this must have felt like a slap in the face but it's really down to this person's lack of emotional intelligence (and perhaps lack of confidence since they think chatgpt is more apt to answer than themselves).

Thank you. There has been serious gas lightening for two years about issues, and other grievances raised by other staff. It has reached the point of this was my last attempt. It's made me severely ill.

I'm sorry to hear that, and not questioning that at all. Hope you get help and support. Just suggesting strategy with management.

In that situation, I would become very realistic about who they are to you and the fact they are a manager not a friend. Keep your emotions at arms length from them from now on and move the conversation onto a more transactional plane.

you mentioned you want to feel heard, and you want empathy. You may not ever get that, so how can you advance things so you can continue to keep your job.

what do you actually need? Not nice to haves, rather what are your must haves.
is what you need actually achievable, make sure you're being realistic.

i don't think a ping-pong of emails back and forth will help. It isn't worth pulling them up about their template email. It's happened so perhaps the next step is the start of a constructive conversation on what you actually need.

pick your battles!

Totally agree with this - the area manager isn’t your friend or confidant, they need to manage you fairly but aren’t there to offer empathy and care for you though you’d hope they’d be human in their response.

Id respond to their offer to speak with you and would think carefully about what’s in their gift to be able to help, what do you need from them. Try to focus on your workplace needs rather than what’s gone before because you’ll get bogged down in other people’s issues.