Walking back into a ****storm tomorrow

[ThrowMeAwayTheVeryNextDay]

I've been away on holiday for a week, back in the office tomorrow. There was a bit of a crisis happening before I went so I wrapped up as much as I could and did a decent handover. It's all blown up, my boss (CEO) has been sending furious emails and I've spent the week keeping a face on for DH and the DC while lying awake for hours at night thinking about it. My team have handled it like troopers but have also been messaging me and have set up a meeting first thing tomorrow before CEO gets in so I'm not blindsided, bless their thoughtfulness.

I'm going in extra early to clear my desk before my team get in, in case I'm getting fired. I don't know how I'm going to hold it together TBH. I've told DH that it's bad, but not how bad. He just said it's a bank holiday, don't worry about it until tomorrow. I'm tired, my holiday was ruined and I just want to go in and get it over with.

Good luck this morning!

I know you’re worried about losing your job, but remember that it will probably be a much bigger headache for them if they let you go because then they need to clear up the mess themselves. It makes much more logistical sense to have you in post and getting things back on track.

Be strong.

Good luck, Op.

Good luck OP hope it goes well for you, sorry that your holiday was ruined, there will be other holidays, but it sounds as though you did the best that you could with the resources available.

Good luck today OP!

Good luck OP.

You have a right to switch off when you are on holiday.

I'm furious for you that your much needed break was ruined.

If this is what your work culture is like all the time then do you really want to work there long term?

Good luck and hope all goes well today. You made the correct decision at the time of the decision. New information has since come to light so entirely not your fault. You need to repeat that to the CEO. But to me it sounds like the CEO should have been sorting out the error instead of sending you emails whilst you are on holiday. I’m sure he/she gets paid a heck of a lot more than you!

I love that you think that but it’s not true.

Good luck today @ThrowMeAwayTheVeryNextDay

I hope it’s a constructive conversation and that it goes well.

You had to make a judgement call while your CEO was on holiday himself. CEO should have made himself more available while on holiday if the situation was so blooming important.

Husband's boss is always taking work tech etc on holiday with him, working throughout his days off, poor bloke has regularly sacrificed family time for the workplace. Just had a big reorganisation and he's effectively been demoted and been given a bullying boss. You can give your all and it still isn't good enough.

Is the situation life or death? I mean this kindly, are people really going to care in 100 years time? I'm so sorry your holiday was ruined by all this.

No, what is crazy is that you think people aren't entitled to ever switch off, or go on holiday without their laptops.

It's reasonable for the CEO to delegate so he can go on holiday. But the same principle applies to the OP. If she and the CEO were the only two people with enough seniority to take this decision then they should not both have been on holiday at the same time, and if one of them really did have to be disturbed, it should have been the CEO because that is why he gets paid the big bucks.

Pestering someone who is already overworked and needs a break when they are supposed to be on their legally protected annual leave, so that they come back from holiday miserable, stressed and exhausted, is how mistakes happen (and how people burn out).

I live in France and have lost count of the number of times I have had to explain to someone in another country that if something is not done by the end of July it will have to wait until the beginning of September because everyone is on holiday in August. My own boss is currently in his third week of a month long holiday and he has been checking in with me from time to time but no one is ruining his holiday. If an emergency came up in his absence I would first discuss it with the most senior person in the business unit I could find, agree a way forward and copy him in as a matter of courtesy, saying, "Just to let you know, this has happened, but don't worry, we are dealing with it and I will explain in more detail when you get back."

Good luck today OP

i honestly think given what you said you can hold your head high.

-a crisis happened and the CEO was away.
-given all the information you had, you made some decisions and made CEO aware of the situation
-before you went away you fully briefed and handed over the situation to your team
-new information came to light on Tuesday which changed the outcome and decision you would have made

I don’t think you were unreasonable to still go away and leave your laptop at home. A signed off holiday shouldn’t be changed in this scenario

the only thing to ask yourself is should you have known about this new information earlier or could you have foreseen it?

I know it’s a worry but I hope everything goes ok

Absolutely this 💯

The CEO sent you furious emails?!
You will have a breakdown if you carry on like this.
CEO should have handled in your absence.
Keep emails, contact HR, start looking for a new job
No doubt you are well paid but you can't even enjoy one week of leave ?
Completely toxic

Good luck today OP!

Good luck!

I have been through a few crises over a 37 year career. They are never quite as bad as you think they are going to be, in my experience.

Also, (I know this is too early) never waste a good crisis. Once the dust has settled (and it will) you can look back and learn from what has happened. As can your organisation.

Right now, head up, shoulders back and get in there. I am sure you are great at your job and will bounce back.

This could be me. My brain is literally on fire at the end of every week and when I leave work on a Friday I’m already dreading going back in on Monday. Have a Manager who is bloody awful too and loves to micromanage and belittle you.

Good luck OP! I hope it’s not too bad for you today.

Good luck op

And if you can ride out the storm I would consider whether long term this is where you want to work. There are very few jobs where this level of stress is excusable

I had to make a judgement call while CEO was on holiday, did my best with the information I had available and kept him informed but facts have since come to light that would have made me call it the other way. Very public, lots of juice for competitors, lots of regulator scrutiny. CEO furious, investors furious.

You kept him informed, you had to make a decision without all the facts, you did nothing wrong.

They should not have been contacting you when you were on annual leave

Good luck OP

Hope it goes ok. I'm glad you're feeling a bit calmer this morning!

you didn't 'make an error' though did you?! You made a decision on the information available to you at the time.

Again, how available was the CEO on his holiday?

Your CEO should either trust you to take decisions in his absence, which means he backs you afterwards, or should have made different arrangements for his own AL. Provided you did you job and can justify your actions, kept him informed, he carries the can. He knows this and is taking it out on you. This is terrible senior leadership. Things going wrong and mitigating is why he gets paid the biggest bucks. Stay calm, do not allow yourself to be intimidated by his 'fury'. You have rights to be treated fairly and with respect and for a process to be followed if you are to be disciplined. Whichever way this turns out, you should look for another job. One with the potential to ruin your precious time off is really not worth it and where you're the scapegoat with more responsibility than authority isn't worth it.

Hope all goes well!

Good luck!

Good luck today.

What will be will be, and either way you'll be fine.

Let us know how you are later on 🥰

This is also me too. I’m at that point where I dread coming back from annual leave because I know I’ll have at least one shitty email from my boss waiting for me. In fact I am back at work today after two weeks off so I am awaiting this pleasure as soon as I log in at 9am! It’s got to the point where it’s affecting me mentally so am on the job search.

Please keep an eye out for burnout OP - you’re entitled to have a break from work and you handled the situation with the information you had at the time. Good luck to you today.

I'm furious on your behalf op.

CEO can't be contacted on his A/L but your holiday has been ruined because of a decision you made which was the best one at the time with the info you had.

As other pp have said, after this settles you need a review of annual leave policy - booking, contact during etc.

I'm 'it' on my team on Thursday this week. My manager trusts that I can make any necessary decisions and if necessary escalate as high as I need in her absence. There are LOADS of my colleagues off at this time of year but as long as stuff is properly documented, I manage everyone's expectations and speak to the best people available, then I know I'm covered.

Document why you took the course of action you did.

Hope everything goes smoothly today op.