Responding to a formal reprimand

[Anonymous]

Yesterday I was told by my immediate supervision that "she was being forced" (didn't say by whom) to send me a formal letter reprimanding me for not responding to emails in a timely manner (which is odd because our company keeps stressing how we are not to live in email). While over the past few months, in a vacuum, this is true in some cases, it has only occurred because during this time period our department is down 3 persons, one of whom directly assists me. We are only a 7 person department when we are fully staffed! I had a mid year review a month ago where this was mentioned to me in passing where I said that as soon as our first new hire, the one that works with me, starts, things should go back to normal. They started last week but are currently being extensively trained. I speak with my boss regularly and she has always known that I have been drowning because of being understaffed and until yesterday was very supportive and understanding.

My boss actually said I should refute the letter, which I was obviously planning on, since the only reason I haven't been as responsive in email is because I've been doing the work of at least 2 people if not more and have had to focus my attention on projects outside of email. I would love any tips in doing so as this is foreign to me as I've always had excellent reviews.

I plan on reaching out to HR to find out if there is a formal reprimand policy (in my mind putting something in someone's file that I'm sure will effect raises, promotions and bonuses shouldn't come a month after hearing about it for the first time). I also plan to find out who complained about me and when since I believe timing is everything (what if it was BEFORE I was told last month). I also will be sitting down with my boss today to get written plan of how I am to prioritize tasks so my ass is covered moving forward.

I'd love any insight on how to handle this situation.

[Anonymous]

My advice -

Ask for clarification and make them put into writing what their policy is on email response. If they insist on saying "ASAP" or in a "reasonable amount of time" which are vague terms and open to interpretation, then make sure to exploit that to the fullest in your response.

You also need to gently point out that this is a very slippery slope they are going down. If they pin down a time frame for email responses with you, then are then obligating all staff to that same time frame including themselves.

Since it's email, one can easily produce the emails with all headers exposed and time stamps which can show at what time and which server it hit and when it was delivered. Many times non tech savvy people often believe that if they don't see the email in their inbox or they delete it and not read that they can somehow prove since it's not in their inbox that of course it didn't get sent and so on

[Anonymous]

A couple questions:

1) What is a "timely manner" in your company?

2) When you say that you haven't been responding in a timely manner, what does that mean? How outside the expected timeframe for a response have you been responding?

3) Are these internal emails or external emails? (In my company, there would be a difference between responding to a peer and responding to a client.)

4) Are you able to suss out who is the person who has been displeased by your response time?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses so far! This has been very helpful with crafting my plan of attack.

9:04 am poster - this was super helpful in framing my frame of mind and gave me a few more things to ask.

9:33 poster - To answer your questions:

1. I don't know. I am trying to get this clarified in writing right now by both HR and my immediate supervisor (who isn't in today...boo!)
2. I have never been told an expected time frame for responding to incoming communications. For some emails that may take 15-30 to answer, if I have been busy with a project, I may have taken a day or two. One example that came up in my conversation with my boss was that I was emailed to asked to do something that day but didn't do it until the next day because while the email was sent at 2 pm I was in meetings until late that evening away from my desk. I was also given crap about one that I wasn't email copied on!
3. I'm not sure. I haven't received the formal letter yet so I don't know if examples will be given. When my boss returns to the office I plan on asking who complained about me and what are the examples.
4. I'm not sure. I know it isn't my biggest client. I think it is my boss's boss. He is VERY disconnected with our department and is hardly around and probably has no idea that we are even down staff he is so out of touch!

[Anonymous]

For emails asking that you do something, can you send a one-line response acknowledging the email and giving them a timeframe for completion? That way at least they can't say you are completely ignoring the emails.

I don't agree with the poster who said if they give you a timeframe for emails, then your bosses need to adhere to that same timeframe. They are bosses and can do what they want. I do agree you should get clarification on expected response timeframe, and also be sure to put in writing that you are doing multiple people's jobs and that is a reason why email responses may be slightly slower, if they are really slightly slower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For emails asking that you do something, can you send a one-line response acknowledging the email and giving them a timeframe for completion? That way at least they can't say you are completely ignoring the emails.

I don't agree with the poster who said if they give you a timeframe for emails, then your bosses need to adhere to that same timeframe. They are bosses and can do what they want. I do agree you should get clarification on expected response timeframe, and also be sure to put in writing that you are doing multiple people's jobs and that is a reason why email responses may be slightly slower, if they are really slightly slower.

Disagree. If OP is being accused of violating a company policy, the company policy must exist somewhere in writing, and if it's going to be selectively applied, it needs to be worded in a way that indicates that the expected timeframe for responses applies to employees of a certain level within the company. If the policy is being used to generate formal reprimands, which as OP stated can have negative effects on various things for employees, then it needs to be crystal clear what the policy is and who it applies to.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like the sort of thing a company does when they are building a paper trail to get rid of someone.

[Anonymous]

Considering that you are typing long responses on DCUM during work hours, your employer may have a point...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Considering that you are typing long responses on DCUM during work hours, your employer may have a point...

OP here...I already had taken the morning off to meet a repair man so your comment is off base. I am lagging so far behind in personal things for my family since I don't do any personal things in the office it isn't funny..... But leave it to people on here to assume the worst and be unhelpful.

[Anonymous]

Going forward, respond to emails immediately letting the sender know that it may be a day or two until you can provide a comprehensive response because of pending assignments that have higher priority.

[Anonymous]

Yup have an autoresponse saying that

[Anonymous]

OP, do you have a company issued smartphone that you receive emails on or do you only receive company emails when you are at your desk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yup have an autoresponse saying that

OP here. My spouse suggested this as well and I implemented this and very specific automatic responses for when I'm in a meeting when I arrived at the office today. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you have a company issued smartphone that you receive emails on or do you only receive company emails when you are at your desk?

Yes, I do have a business cell phone. I use it constantly while at home (unless with my child) and traveling for business. We are told to keep all phone out of sight during meetings. All of my many meetings are in house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the responses so far! This has been very helpful with crafting my plan of attack.

9:04 am poster - this was super helpful in framing my frame of mind and gave me a few more things to ask.

9:33 poster - To answer your questions:

1. I don't know. I am trying to get this clarified in writing right now by both HR and my immediate supervisor (who isn't in today...boo!)
2. I have never been told an expected time frame for responding to incoming communications. For some emails that may take 15-30 to answer, if I have been busy with a project, I may have taken a day or two. One example that came up in my conversation with my boss was that I was emailed to asked to do something that day but didn't do it until the next day because while the email was sent at 2 pm I was in meetings until late that evening away from my desk. I was also given crap about one that I wasn't email copied on!
3. I'm not sure. I haven't received the formal letter yet so I don't know if examples will be given. When my boss returns to the office I plan on asking who complained about me and what are the examples.
4. I'm not sure. I know it isn't my biggest client. I think it is my boss's boss. He is VERY disconnected with our department and is hardly around and probably has no idea that we are even down staff he is so out of touch!

For the bolded, set up your Out of Office to indicate you are "in meetings & will not be responding to emails until (whenever). If you need assistance before that time, please contact (someone else in your department or give a phone number they can reach you)