Boss taking offence to subordinate’s ‘hey’ on WhatsApp has everyone weighing in

While many thought the replies from the boss were uncalled for, others said they did not agree with the boss but understood where he was coming from.

Many did not find a problem with being greeted with a 'hey'. (Source: Pexels, Familiar_Mango_7509/ Reddit)

Gone are the days when the professional world had strict rules and decorum. As times move forward, more and more people are moving away from rigidity and adopting flexibility in the way they work, at least when it comes to everyday communication. However, one young man was recently pulled up for addressing his boss as “hey”.

A young professional recently shared his exchange with his senior in a Reddit subgroup, asking netizens how they would react to it. Sharing a screenshot of a conversation he had on WhatsApp, he remained quite puzzled how “Hey isn’t professional?”

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In the screenshot provided by the user, the employee is seen greeting his boss with a “Hey, No, not yet” when asked about the submission of a particular test. In his reply, the superior wrote, “Hi Shreyas, My name is Sandeep. Please don’t you the word ‘hey'”. Taking it a step further, he added, “If you can’t remember my name, simply use ‘Hi.'”

The boss then listed out a few more words, advising Shreyas to never use them in professional contexts. These included “dude”, “man”, only “Hello” and “Hi there”. Terms like “chap” and “chick” are to be avoided in emails, he said, ending his advice with a curt “Thanks”.

In such circumstances, employees would often apologise even if they do not believe they have done something wrong. But Shreyas did not shy away from defending himself. “Well, considering that we are having a conversation over WhatsApp and not over LinkedIn or a mail chain,” he replied. “I’m just being casual as you are texting me on my personal number. And coming to being professional I’m not the one being offended.”

The conversation carried on further and the boss retorted saying, “Whatsapp is not personal space anymore, it has been used for business.” However, he clarified that he was not imposing his ideology on him. “If you understand it, fine; or you will understand it sooner or later,” the senior replied with a smiling emoji, in a bid to end the chat.

The post got many talking around the world, where people shared their own experiences, most of them supporting the junior employee. Although most noted that younger people might be okay with being addressed by their names, some seniors are sticklers when it comes to honorary titles.

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Many also argued that the problem is something most seen in Indian companies. But many new-age corporations are trying to let go of vertical structures and functions and moving forward to establish a horizontal order. To avoid such sour incidents, many seek clarity while joining a company on how their superiors would like to be addressed.