Worker Claims ‘Well-Known’ Boss Texted Her To ‘Make Up’ A Missed Day Of Work After A Business Trip — ‘I Worked 20 Straight Days With No Days Off’
Work travel is not a vacation.
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock.com An employee’s perception of business trips with their employer can tell you everything you need to know about their relationship with their job — and, more specifically, their relationship with their boss. Happy workers look forward to even the most stressful business trips, with extra days for travel and comfortable accommodations — what’s not to like?
On the flip side, resentful employees see work trips as a waste of time and energy.
It’s exactly the struggle an employee described on Reddit after a 20-day work trip with her “well-known influencer” boss. “I had to accompany her on a trip,” she wrote in a post on Reddit. “The flight is 14+ hours and she booked my return trip on a weekday."
An employee’s ‘well-known influencer’ boss texted her to ‘make up’ for a missed day of work after flying home from a business trip.
After finally returning from the work trip, equally exhausted and dreading the rest of the workweek, a text from her boss completely ruined her welcome home. Not only was she not getting a break on the plane, but she was also expected to “make up” for her travel day — booked by her boss — with a weekend day in the office.
Especially for young professionals and corporate newcomers, business trips can be equally taxing and anxiety-inducing, and many bad leaders take advantage of that uncertainty. Considering it can be difficult to manage your typical workload on trips for clients, customers, or your brand — most great bosses compensate employees for their extra time, travel, and accommodations.
However, others, like this employee's boss, aren't quite as accommodating or understanding.
Despite working 20 straight days on the trip, her boss expected her to either work on the plane or add another day of work over the weekend.
“She wants me to either work on the flight or come in on the weekend to ‘make up’ for the missed day,” the employee wrote.
Why did she need to make up a travel day that was essentially work-related?
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock.com
“No, I’m not a personal assistant…This was after I already worked 20 hours nonstop, with no days off for the entire trip.” Without a shred of compassion for this employee’s much-needed break, her boss took advantage of their availability and accessibility — over a text, of all avenues.
A workplace study from Fast Company surveyed employees with “toxic bosses” and found that many of these leaders share a common trait — abusive productivity. While these bosses and their teams might have higher productivity, the means for achieving it are equally toxic and unsustainable.
Their expectations for employees are overstepping balanced boundaries, tainting workplace cultures, and fostering an unhealthy relationship between leadership.
While she urged people to steer clear of influencer bosses, many commenters said their corporate bosses have similarly toxic expectations.
According to a 2023 Harris Poll, over two-thirds of American workers admit they’ve experienced the struggle of a “toxic boss” at work, with over 30% currently working under one. The issue is clearly common — across industries, professions, and roles — and a once stereotypical idea about authority figures is quickly becoming a reality.
“I had an old boss who did this,” one person shared. “She said, ‘Well, if you’re working on the plane, then we can pay you, but if not, it’s not really working hours.’ I said the same thing, ‘Well, if you weren’t having me travel, I wouldn’t even be on the plane. So, you’re paying me for travel time.’”
“You’re being overworked,” another wrote. “Bosses use this as a tactic to manipulate and guilt workers who open themselves to it…they attract people who aren’t good at enforcing their boundaries or are ‘people pleasers.’”
Many comments suggested this employee start looking for another job, especially in the influencer and marketing industry that’s growing so rapidly, while others simply advised her to set clear boundaries now.
Travel for work is work — and if your boss doesn’t think so, consider that your reminder to reactivate your LinkedIn account.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.