So for context, where I work as a waitress our team currently has 4 members of staff. One of them only just started last week and the rest have been here for a while (I’ve been there for the longest).
I generally do about 4 days a week while my manager does the majority of days. Every day we are supposed to have one other person with us – all the roles are pretty much the same it’s just the manager does more of the behind the scenes stuff then the rest of us.
I’ve been struggling with burnout lately and so after doing my days I was looking forward to a day off when all my family had it off of work including me. I got a message asking if anyone could cover for my manager as they had been sick during the night and really didn’t feel like they could come in and work with the new employee. Before I had time to respond the other coworker told their excuse as to why they couldn’t go in so essentially I felt like the fall guy. I was backed into a corner and my head was saying “it’s the right thing to do” and “she would cover for you” and “you can’t leave the new person on their own”. I just feel it important to mention that this manager is really understanding and nice which is why it felt even worse.
So as I was about to cave, I decided that no I had already made plans and I didn’t want to burnout anymore so I said my excuse (which is the truth as we had planned it in my family prior) and then I felt so relieved but also guilty. One could argue that it would have been the morally right thing but then again I think my mental health is also extremely important and it’s not my job to always be the one to give in and go.
So from the outside looking in, should I feel guilty for this or am I just overreacting. I hate burning bridges and confrontation so I just want it all to go away.
Thanks for reading
22 comments
absolutely not
Not for that reason no, but you may be a bad person yeah.
I don’t think you should feel guilty about having time off work ever. If they were bothered they would have offered you double time or something. These fat cats will throw you under the bus at the first chance they get. Fuck them. You don’t owe them anything
I would go in and enjoy the enhanced overtime rates.
They are paying you at an enhanced rate aren’t they? They should certainly consider paying you an enhanced rate. Especially as you are doing them a BiG favour.
Don’t feel guilty, if you burnout you’re no good to yourself or anyone else, you need to look after yourself first or you’ll regret it.
Unless you own the company, work is never your problem.
Don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault or your responsibility that there are staffing issues.
You already made plans. You can’t just never make plans with your scheduled time off. That would be mental.
It’s unfortunate and I fully understand why you’d feel guilty because I would too, but it’s also truly not your problem. You’re entitled to your time off and nobody else is going to put your mental health first.
Ultimately, the workplace is responsible for having appropriate cover and staff levels in place. Assuming you are on zero hours and at no obligation to actually work then they have done this to themselves.
Same with leaving, a lot of people feel guilt that if they leave their managers or collagues will be left in it. Any anger on their part should be directed at the company and not the person leaving.
Because its all about the profit, companies often run in basically a high risk fashion so situations like this happens. You cant have it both ways, you either pay a bit extra for some redundancy that will save you hassle at some point, or you suck up that stuff like this will happen.
Dont let them bully you into it, assuming they pay you minimum wage and no extra overtime, you owe them nothing. I guarantee your job would be gone in an instant if they benefited from it in some way.
Nope. You’ve worked the time that you have agreed to based on your contract so there shouldn’t be an expectation to do anymore then that. Even if there is a new member of staff on shift. Its the companies job to ensure there is enough staff to get the work done.
It’s the businesses responsibility to make sure they have cover, not yours. The morally “right” thing to do is make sure your staffing levels aren’t so badly managed that one person being off sick causes such a problem that another feels forced to come in on their day off lol.
You absolutely shouldn’t feel guilty over this.
You made plans. You stuck to them. If they don’t have enough employees for cover then that is the workplace’s problem, not yours.
Even if you didn’t have any plans, you should not at all feel obligated to go in and do extra work purely for the benefit of your employer on your planned day off.
You’re clearly a nicer person than me OP. I would have said no and not felt an ounce of guilt lol. If I’m not scheduled to work, I’m not coming in. I work to live not live to work
dont prioritise work over life
The company you work for could lay you off at any point, theres no loyalty.
It’s work, not family and morals don’t come into it.
Look after yourself, not someone else’s profits.
You shouldn’t feel guilty. It’s not your problem.
However, covering for a manager and doing manager things will probably help your career. Not only does it make you look responsible when they’re considering promotions, the fact that you’ve trained staff and had keyholder responsibilities looks good to employers.
Not your farm not your pig
No. If the management are so poor that they don’t have planned contingency for such instances, they want sacking.
There is nothing wrong with putting yourself first.
Not a “bad person” but personally I would feel guilty about leaving a new person on their own. Also, it’s true that next time it might be you that is left on your own if others adopt the same attitude.
Not trying to make you feel bad, just pointing out it’s possible to not be neither the good guy nor the bad guy, and to feel both guilty about not being the former while being justified in your actions.
Nope, you do have a life outside of work. I generally go through a period of covering shifts then none at all. Even if I have nothing planned, my personal time is still my time. Work used to guilt trip me heavily sometimes until I complained to an area manager about it.
Work can replace you, yet you are irreplaceable