Sometimes, an employer forgets that their employees are people and seems to see them as assets rather than living, breathing human beings. A supervisor has gone viral after insisting that their employee fixes a presentation while on vacation with their family.
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Time outside of work hours and time booked off for vacation are sacred if you ask me. Employees are completely entitled to turn off their work phones, close their laptops, and totally check out. Unless a job is paying overtime or specifically specifies on-call hours, then time out of the 'office' is out of bounds.
But some supervisors seem to forget this. Because their job is their world, they think it should be for everyone else, too. An employee has shared the texts they received from their supervisor on holiday, revealing how they encroach on their personal time.
While they were taking a trip, their supervisor messaged them, asking them to 'go over' a few slides for a presentation. However, the employee had booked the time off months ago and had no intention of interrupting their vacation.
Poorly Perceived Priorities
The supervisor texted the employee at about 10 am on the first day of their holiday. "Hey, just a quick one. Can you take a look at the presentation I just sent you? They need tidying up before the pitch tomorrow. Slides 73-78 in particular are the priority," they asked.
Another two texts came through before the employee decided to respond to their supervisor. "'I'm on holiday, remember? We've just got off the plane, and we're on the way to our Airbnb now." They had no intention of breaking up their holiday time by sitting at a computer.
But, their boss wasn't having any of it. They told them it was important and told them to take some time and go over the slides. However, the employee informed them they hadn't brought their laptop. They had left it at home. Nobody wants to drag a laptop around on a vacation.
"You don't have your laptop? Why on earth not? Can you find somewhere to jump online? It won't take long," their employer said. They expected their staff to drop everything and sit at a computer on their holiday.
But the employee kicked back and told them there was no way that was going to happen. Their boss retorted with a: "Good to know where your priorities are," to which the employee reassured them that yes, they were exactly where they should be — with their family.
