Manager Wants The Firefighter To Attend The Virtual Meeting On His Day Off, Regrets It

With the increasing prevalence of remote work, virtual meetings have become a ubiquitous tool for teams to collaborate and communicate. However, not all virtual meetings are created equal.

Imagine being a firefighter, geared up and ready to tackle a hazard reduction burn during your well-deserved day off, when suddenly, you receive a phone call from work. That’s exactly what happened to OP, a dedicated firefighter who experienced a virtual meeting mishap.

As OP answered the call from work, he was informed that he was required to attend a virtual meeting scheduled for just 10 minutes later. The meeting was supposed to be a training session on a system that OP was already familiar with, as he had been using it for the past six months at a venue. Despite reminding his manager that it was his day off, OP was met with a tone that left no room for refusal, with the threat of being fired if he didn’t comply. This was when the malicious compliance hit OP. Reluctantly, OP agreed to join the virtual meeting. Scroll down to know what happened next.

OP is sharing his own virtual meeting mishap story while being on a day off attending a hazard reduction burn in the bush, feeling thrilled like a pyromaniac in a fire truck:

Via: u/taipan821

OP receives a work call on his day off and gets told to attend a virtual meeting for training on a system he already knew:

Via: u/taipan821

OP’s manager was late to his own virtual meeting and despite OP joining via phone with camera and mic off due to noise, the manager insists he turn them on or be marked as absent:

Via: u/taipan821

OP complies with his manager’s request to turn on his camera and mic during the virtual meeting while standing in a spot with roaring fire behind him:

Via: u/taipan821

OP ends the virtual meeting call after complying with the manager’s request. His manager never scheduled training on his off days after that:

Via: u/taipan821

No one likes unexpected virtual meetings on their day off. It can disrupt the much-needed personal time and create a sense of intrusion into one’s private space. Remote work has already blurred the boundaries between work and personal life, and unexpected virtual meetings can further exacerbate this imbalance. Employees need time to recharge, relax, and engage in activities outside of work to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

OP’s virtual meeting mishap serves as a reminder of the need for work-life balance and the importance of respectful scheduling practices in virtual meetings. It showcases the unique circumstances and responsibilities that individuals in different professions may face and the significance of prioritizing employee well-being.