Latest news with #BenAskins
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Common sense': Wild reason boss disrupted worker's holiday
A boss is going viral for picking a fight with an employee while they were on annual leave. UK workplace expert Ben Askins has garnered over 28 million likes on social media by sharing anonymous text message exchanges between workers and their managers. Mr Askins also offers his own advice, and the series has gone incredibly viral as people love getting a peek into other people's working lives. A recent anonymous exchange he shared has really got people talking. It was posted two days ago and already has 87,000 views. The exchange didn't start off great, with the boss immediately acknowledging they were contacting the worker on holidays. 'Hey, I know you're on holiday, but I thought you said you were going to leave a handover,' the boss texted. 'Hey! I did. I left a copy on your desk like you asked,' the worker replied. The anonymous boss didn't relent and kept going. 'I can't see it anywhere. You should have emailed it to me too. We are meant to be onboarding the new girl in the morning,' The boss fired back. 'Sorry. You just asked me to print it out so I didn't think. We're out atm but I can email it when I get back to the hotel,' the employee offered. 'Emailing is just common sense for these types of things, mate. I'll see if anyone else knows how to set her up on the system but send it ASAP,' the boss. Mr Askins argued that although he agreed emailing makes the most sense, the boss needs to take responsibility because he was the one who asked for a hard copy. 'This has to be your fault. I'm sorry but this has to be your fault,' he said. 'Obviously, you should be emailing instead of print. Why the boss was asking for that I've got absolutely no idea. It really is such poor management,' he said. Mr Askins said 'badgering' an employee on holidays is never ideal and seemed very preventable in this case. Online people were on the workers' side, arguing that if you're on holiday, you should be left alone to relax. 'I wouldn't have replied,' one said. 'Should he not also know how to set her up?' Another argued. Someone else said because they have 'work anxiety' they'd have emailed and printed it off to make sure their boss had it before they went away. 'Just to make sure they have it and then can't moan at me for not either sending by email or printing a hard copy,' the person said. 'No email for them when they're being rude. I mean I wouldn't answer in the first place. If they keep trying to bother me I would just block the number temporarily,' someone else said. 'I'm not checking my work email when I'm on holiday. They'll survive,' another shared. 'Some bosses are really useless when people are on holiday,' someone else said. While another argued that it shouldn't become the employee's fault just because their boss lost the document.
News.com.au
18-07-2025
- News.com.au
‘Astonishing': Text exchange reveals what boss didn't ask
A texting chain reveals the callous response a woman got from her boss after she had to leave work early to care for her child. UK workplace Ben Askins has created a niche online by sharing anonymous text message exchangers between workers and employees. Mr Askins has now amassed millions of views by giving people a peek into workplace across the world. 'Hey. I've just had a call from Jamie's school, he has had a fall and they've asked me to pick him up,' the worker texted. 'Right. How long are you going to be?' The boss demanded. 'Not sure yet. They said he is a bit bruised and shaken. So I'm going to take him home, I'll have to have to work from home for the rest of the day. If that is okay?' The employee asked. The anonymous boss didn't inquire if the child was okay and instead berated the employee. 'Can no one else pick him up? This is meant to be an office day,' the boss replied. The worker replied and apologised, but said they had to leave because no one else was home to care for their child. The boss didn't take the hint. 'What about our meeting later?' The boss asked. The employee replied and said she has her laptop, and once she's home and gets her son settled, she'll log back on. The boss replied that it was 'not really the same' and the employee fired back that she would be 'online and available' but couldn't leave her son alone. 'I will let you go but please don't tell anyone. I don't want people thinking this is an option for everyone,' the boss said, 'Okay understood. Thank you,' the employee texted. Mr Askins argued that the employee had nothing to be thankful for because the boss was doing less than the bare minimum. 'Think about how wild this is,' he said. 'There are obviously things that are so much important than work.' Mr Askins argued it was 'astonishing' that the boss didn't want other workers to know it is okay to take time out of work to care for your child. Mr Askins said the only response to an emergency like that is to let your worker go home, and also let them know they don't have to log back in later if they can't. 'He absolutely Bodged it',' he said. People online were fairly stunned by the texting exchange. 'Anyone else feels like workplaces are going backwards rather than forwards?' one asked. 'It's always the same people with sick kids and the rest of the team has to pick up their slack. Always,' another claimed. 'Do managers and bosses know that employees are only there so they have the ability to care for themselves and their family?' One asked. Adding. 'It isn't an option available to anyone, taking care of the kid is the only thing to do here. There's not even a choice.' 'My first boss was like this, took me years to realise it wasn't normal,' one shared. 'I worked for bosses like this, who had kids of their own. They drained the joy out of my job for 6 years. I resigned without a new job, that's how done I was,' another said.
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Having a laugh?': Boss' wild text to former employee goes viral
A text exchange between a boss and a former employee has gone viral because of a completely outrageous request. Ben Askins, a UK work expert, has carved out a niche online, sharing anonymous text message exchanges between employers and their staff. Mr Askins has racked up millions of views by giving people a peek into working relationships across the world, and this latest one is really something. 'Hey. I know this probably isn't the best time to ask, but we're really struggling with the new ticketing process,' the boss in question wrote. 'Is there any chance you could come in and run the new guy through it?' It sounds polite and innocent enough – but there's just one problem. 'Are you having a laugh? You fired me last week,' the ex-employee responded. Rather than take the hint, the boss wrote back again, explaining that they wouldn't have asked if the matter wasn't important and arguing that it wouldn't take long. 'I know this is awkward. I promise you will get a coffee for the favour,' they added. 'I will do it, but I want it to be a remote tutorial, and I will charge you for half the day,' the former employee said. 'Remote work is fine but half a day's pay? This will only take a few minutes,' the boss argued. 'That is the deal,' the ex-employee said. 'Fine but I am disappointed this is the way you are playing this,' the boss wrote back. Mr Askins was appalled by the boss, arguing that he was 'really pushing his luck' and that situations like this could be avoided if there was a simple and decent training guide. The workplace expert also leapt to the defence of the former employee, saying he was well within his rights to want to be paid. 'The fact he is charging is completely okay. He is giving up his time and he really doesn't have to do it,' he said. Mr Askins said that the former boss believing he shouldn't have to pay his ex-staffer was 'absolutely ridiculous'. People online were stunned by the audacity of the former boss, and particularly bemused that he was trying to compensate his ex-worker with only a coffee. 'A coffee? After being fired? I would not have even answered the text,' one wrote. 'A coffee? No!' someone else remarked. 'Why would you get rid of the one person that knows how to do something?' another wondered. 'I wouldn't have even responded,' someone else claimed. Another social media user dubbed it a 'ridiculous ask', while one person said it was completely 'wild' of the boss to even ask, and a third argued the ex-worker was being far too 'generous' with his time and rate.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Disgruntled ex-employee's fury after boss sends him an outrageous text request
A fired employee has sparked a humorous debate after exposing a shameless request from his former boss. The text message seemed genuine and polite, however it has transpired that this particular manager was asking the man to come back and train his own replacement just days after being let go. In a now-viral TikTok video, British career expert Ben Askins shared the shocking text message exchange that left thousands of viewers gobsmacked, with many dubbing the boss's request 'delusional' and 'ridiculous.' The clip, which has amassed more than 175,000 views, shows the boss pleading with the sacked staffer to return and train the new hire on the company's ticketing system. Outrageously, he was offering nothing more than a coffee in exchange. 'This boss was really pushing his luck!' Ben captioned the video. 'Situations like this can be easily avoided,' after he too seemed shocked by the lack of regard the boss had for the ex-worker. 'Hey, I know this probably isn't the best time to ask, but we're struggling with the new ticketing process. Is there any chance you could come in and run the new guy through it?' the employer messaged over text. To which the disgruntled ex-employee clapped back: 'Are you having a laugh? You fired me last week?' Lacking any regard for their feelings the employee replied: 'I know, but I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. It shouldn't take you long. I know this is awkward, I promise you will get a coffee for the favour.' In the video, Ben chimed in adding his own opinion on the matter, joking that a mere coffee for his time was 'quite alright, then,' as he laughed. Surprisingly, the ex-employee replied with an olive branch to help, but felt remuneration was only fair for his time: 'I will do it. But I want it to be a remote tutorial, and I will charge you for half a day.' 'Remote is fine, but half a day's pay? This will only take a few minutes?' the employer replied, clearly surprised at the request. 'That is the deal.' Begrudgingly his terms were met, but not without a small dig at his audaciousness of actually being remunerated for his time and effort: 'Fine, but I am disappointed this is the way you are playing this,' the boss replied. Ben, who frequently posts career advice and work-related scenarios, was stunned by the entitlement on display. 'Firstly, let's be very clear,' he said. He does not have to do this favour. So the fact that he's charging is completely okay. 'He's giving up his time. He really doesn't have to do it, so the idea that this boss doesn't think he should pay is absolutely ridiculous.' He continued by saying that the text exchanges was 'a good example of why companies need proper training guides and onboarding processes - so you don't end up in situations like this.' Hundreds of Ben's viewers weighed in on the text exchange too, and they didn't hold back. The comments under the video lit up with support for the ex-employee, with many saying he should've asked for far more than just half a day's pay. 'Half a day? I'd charge them my consultancy fee and it would be astronomical,' one user wrote. 'I wouldn't even answer the message,' said another. 'At this point he's not under contract, he's a consultant. He can charge what he wants.' 'I'd reply two words and the second word would be 'off,' joked one. 'Half a days pay? He doesn't work there no more so his days pay is zero and half of 0 is 0.' While some users said they would've hung up or blocked the boss altogether, others applauded the ex-employee's cool-headed professionalism, particularly for negotiating remote work and payment. The viral saga has become a cautionary tale for workers everywhere, especially in industries where employees are often expected to go above and beyond, even after being let go, it seems.
News.com.au
05-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Boss under fire after texts to pregnant employee revealed
An awkward text exchange between a pregnant employee and her boss over maternity leave has sparked outrage online. UK career expert Ben Askins, known for calling out toxic workplace behaviour on social media, shared the exchange with his followers, branding the employer 'one of the top three of the worst bosses I've come across'. The TikTok video, which has been viewed nearly 590,000 times, features Ben reading aloud the highly uncomfortable text conversation. It all began when the employee messaged her manager to confirm receipt of her email about taking maternity leave from February. The boss' response immediately raised eyebrows. 'I saw it, and I wanted to talk to you about it. Is there any way you'd consider reducing how long you want to take? If you are sure you are going to go ahead with it, would you be open to discussing it all? I am just a bit worried about the costs from our side,' the boss said. Taken aback, the woman tried to explain why she wanted to take her full, legally entitled leave — even offering to help ease the transition for her replacement. 'Oh OK, um I was kind of hoping to take as much time as possible. This is my first child and I wanted to get as used to being a parent as possible, especially as my family lives quite far away,' she replied. 'I will ensure all my responsibilities are handed over seamlessly and help interview for mat cover but I really do want to take the full amount.' But her boss doubled down, insisting her leave would place a 'burden' on the small company. 'The challenge is that this is a small company, and it's quite a burden to have to pay both your mat leave and your mat cover. I am just not sure how we can cope.' Remaining polite, the woman stood her ground. 'I appreciate that but this isn't fair to put on me, I am happy to support but I am well within my rights to do this,' the employee said. 'I will try and support however I can, make sure everything is in place for a smooth handover and can also be on call for emergencies if that helps? 'Is my pregnancy going to be a problem for my role in the company?' Sensing he may have gone too far, the boss back-pedalled. 'Not at all! Your pregnancy is absolutely fine by me, we are a family company.' But he couldn't resist adding another guilt trip: 'Just not ideal timing for me that is all. But if you are not going to help out and reduce the time then nothing really further for us to talk about I guess.' Ben was appalled, telling viewers the exchange was 'disgusting'. 'He's trying to use guilt to basically get her to kind of waive her rights … because you can then sort of go, 'Oh no, she agreed with it,'' he said. 'That is not her f***ing problem, that is your problem. If she's not an equity holder, she's not a director in the business, it's not her company, that is your problem.' Ben then praised the employee for making a 'reasonable' request, even going above and beyond to offer extra help despite being entitled to her full leave. The video has since been flooded with furious comments, with many calling out the 'manipulative' boss and others even suggesting legal action. 'This is not her problem,' said one viewer. 'This is a lawsuit waiting to happen,' said another. 'She should not have to explain herself,' wrote a third. It seems the incident struck a chord because many had similar horror stories. 'I had a line manager refuse to discuss it with me because 'your baby could still die right up until the end,'' shared one user. 'My old manager tried to convince me to have an abortion … they wondered why I didn't want to go back after having my baby,' wrote another. In Australia, the Fair Work Act guarantees eligible employees up to 12 months' unpaid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service. Some also qualify for government-funded parental leave pay or employer-funded leave — sometimes both. And as many pointed out, maternity leave isn't a 'favour' — it's the law. 'Wow …. save this, go to an employment lawyer. Get settlement, enjoy!' one commenter advised. 'This is a slam dunk mat discrimination case. Employers need to understand that claim awards are potentially unlimited,' added another.
