Recently Teams added a new feature where when anyone joins a meeting it sends a small notice to everyone in the meeting.
I usually join meetings when Outlook notifies me 10 or 15 minutes early. I continue working till people start joining, and the meeting starts. This is due to ADHD and if I get focused on other things, I fear I'll forget about the meeting.
Well, this feature has been out for about a week. In that time I had maybe 3 teams meetings.
Last week, I joined my own meeting 10 to 15 minutes early. I get very anxious running meetings because of my boss mostly. So I was preparing, opening up documents and maps to go over in the meeting. I don't want people to wait while I find things.
Well, a VP joins, and we're talking about his recent vacation. It's maybe 5 minutes before the meeting.
My boss jumps on and cuts us off. She barks orders about “hey let's get this meeting started… is everyone here. You need to start the meeting” I truly were missing 6 people. I wait maybe 2 minutes past the start time, and I say “well the VP is here, it's his team we're waiting on, but he's the reason for the meeting so I'll start”
In the meeting, I'm being bullied throughout. It's obvious she's angry.
After I go tell my wife that she did it again. I go back to my desk and see a message.
“The meeting starts at 1:00. Do not join meetings before it is time. It is unprofessional and sends the wrong message. “
I truly “serious” “okay I'll wait to join a minute before the meeting”
Well she calls me tells me she's my boss and I can't talk to her that way. Tells me it's not just her, but a comment was made to her that “he's joining meetings early does he not have enough to do”.
As a result, I'm now looking over my shoulder and judging everything I do based on how it might be interpreted. I've been depressed and suicidal for a few days.
Personally, I think this shows a toxic and childish work environment where joining a meeting early is for some reason a huge deal.
What are your thoughts.