During the first UK lockdown I started a new job, which meant I worked remotely. During my first couple of months I attended a classic 'meet the MD' call with 5 or 6 other people. Simple.
18 months later we were back to the office part time and for some unknown reason the MD wanted to rehost these meetings but face to face. He had dozens lined up in his diary to get through the backlog of remote new starters, in groups of 12-15. I was invited to attend one of these meetings, but kindly asked his PA if I could amend my date as I wasn't able to be in the office for that day, for personal reasons (I couldn't get a dog sitter/walker scheduled in time, and I refuse to leave her for 10+ hours of the day alone) but I didn't go into that detail, as I thought requesting a different session was a very normal and acceptable thing. Apparently not.
Within maybe two hours of asking to move group my manager pulled me aside and asked if I had 'rejected a meeting with the MD' I chuckled and said no, I asked if I could move my slot. He said no problem and went back and told me not to worry about it, 'I did the right thing'.
Another hour goes by and my manager pulls me aside again… He now tells me that the MD has spoken HR, my area Director who has spoken to the Head of Business who has spoken to my manager to find out exactly why I wouldn't be there. At this point I'm getting pissed and can't believe something so ridiculous. So to save them all a headache I agree to attend the meeting and drive an hour to the office the next day, for a 30 minute meeting, to drive home again for an hour (oh well, it's their time I'm wasting as I'm not doing over time to make up the commute).
The meeting goes ahead, the MD talks to me the same way he speaks to the others, though making a point of why he thinks its soooo important to be in the office.
I thought that was it, done and dusted. But no. Two weeks later I get a call from my manager. The MD has been on the phone to him and still wants to know why I originally declined the meeting. I'm fuming. I'm at the point where I have to laugh otherwise I'll cry and the madness of it all. At this point my manager has made up a lie to the MD (without my consent) telling him that I had a private appointment that he agrees I don't need to be in the office for. Still, I've had enough of the hierichical bullshit and email the MD directly.
I make it clear to him that I followed the normal process when somebody can't attend a meeting, and I tell him I don't appreciate that my name has now been tarnished in the business. Of course I gave him a passive aggressive apology, I'm british, it's what we do.
Within less than 4 months of that taking place I secured a new job. During my exit interviews HR and the new Head of Business wanted to know why I was leaving and I made it known this was the nail in the coffin. The Head of Business even told me that before speaking to me he only knew me as 'the person who declined the meeting with {name}'. Which made me chuckle. He also said that the MD has the type of ego where he likes to see how high he can make people jump.
Honestly, fuck that company. I will never go back there, nor use their products again, because the management are arseholes and only care about profit and themselves.