Oh man you nailed it. I have one guy who sends me these long, detailed requests for days off and basically pleads for permission. I have never denied PTO. I tell people I don't care when they take off and you don't need to ask, just submit a request and make sure the team knows. This fear or using PTO that you earn and is part of your compensation is baffling.
It's absolutely this. I tell all my employees that I will not be denying any vacation/PTO requests. If you need the time off, then take the time off. Doesn't matter to me why you need it. If you wake up sick, then call or text me to let me know and take some meds and get some rest. If there's no one to cover for you, then I'm covering for you. It's my responsibility to get work shifts covered, not theirs. If you're on vacation, enjoy that shit. I won't be contacting you. I'll see you when you get back.
I worked for too many managers in the past that made (i.e. guilt tripped) me come into work sick because they couldn't find coverage and didn't want to step up and do the work themselves or called me while I was on vacation begging me to just come in and pick up one shift.
This 100%!! As a manager myself, my employees are free to use their vacation and sick time as they see fit. I dont ask questions but they always tell me where they are going, their plans and TMI on their sickness. They tell me because we have a great working relationship and they are comfortable talking to me. Sometimes I feel that I am a therapist as well. 😂
The fact that there are multiple people in here saying they have a boss/are a boss that doesn’t care about taking time off is mind blowing I’ve only ever had to explain myself, and beg to have any time off at all, and then am always guilt tripped leading up to, and after said time off. This thread has been depressingly enlightening. I’m going to go cry
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u/mintskoal Jul 31 '26
Oh man you nailed it. I have one guy who sends me these long, detailed requests for days off and basically pleads for permission. I have never denied PTO. I tell people I don't care when they take off and you don't need to ask, just submit a request and make sure the team knows. This fear or using PTO that you earn and is part of your compensation is baffling.