Consider a real-world style case drawn from workplace communication examples where leave and client work clash.
Background
An employee, Riya, applied three months in advance for one week of annual leave for a family event, which HR approved. A week before her leave, her manager, Mr Arjun, received an urgent request for a high-value client meeting scheduled during Riya’s leave period.
Manager’s Perception
- Arjun perceived the client meeting as critical to the team’s reputation.
- He saw Riya’s insistence on taking leave as a lack of commitment and flexibility.
- He assumed that, as a relatively junior employee, she should easily change personal plans for business priorities.
Employee’s Perception
- Riya perceived the late request to reschedule her leave as disrespectful and unfair.
- Her leave had been approved long ago and involved non-refundable tickets and family commitments.
- She believed she was cooperative by offering to dial in remotely for part of the meeting.
- She felt the manager ignored this compromise.