Jake had just landed for his well-earned holiday when he received a string of texts from his boss… so what would YOU do?
A career expert has sparked fierce debate online after highlighting a workplace scenario that’s all too familiar for some employees: being contacted by the boss while on holiday.
The clip, shared by Ben Askins on TikTok, recounts how office worker Jake had barely stepped off the plane when a stream of texts from his manager began lighting up his phone.
‘What are you doing right now? Can you drop the creative shots in the deck for the meeting with the client?’ one message read.
Minutes later came another.
‘Hello?’
Then a third.
‘I know you are off today, but I really need this sorted before the meeting at 1. Where are the raw files?’
Jake tried to push back gently, reminding his boss that he had already handed over his files before leaving.
A career expert has sparked fierce debate online after highlighting a workplace scenario that’s all too familiar for many employees: being contacted by your boss while on holiday
‘Hey sorry, I just got off the plane. The links to the raw files should all be in my handover?’ he replied.
But the demands didn’t stop.
‘Yeh but not sure how to convert them for the presentation, any chance you can just quickly do this?’ the boss pressed.
When Jake suggested a colleague step in, the manager dismissed the idea.
‘She doesn’t have access. Let me know when you’re through customs and I’ll give you a ring.’
For Askins, the exchange highlighted what he called ‘budget leadership’.
‘You can’t be running a business where basically everything falls apart because one of your team has had the gall to get on a plane and go on holiday.
‘It’s just not good enough. You can’t run a business like this, it’s just not tenable long term.
In Australia, workers are legally entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave – and culturally, there’s a stronger emphasis on ‘switching off’ once holidays start
‘People are going to get hacked off, people are going to start leaving and it just gives this appearance of chaos which is unnecessary.’
The scenario hit a nerve online, with viewers chiming in with their own experiences.
‘I had the CEO call me while on vacation. My response was very simple, if you need advice from me then I need this day back completely. Credit me one day of vacation and I can respond,’ one person admitted.
Others questioned why anyone would respond in the first place.
‘I totally don’t understand why people answer these things off the clock,’ one viewer wrote.
‘When I’m on PTO, work is blocked till I get back,’ another said.
One employee said they were lucky enough to have a boss who actively discouraged answering messages on holiday.
‘I actually got mildly scolded by my boss for responding to a team Slack question when I was on vacation. In my defence, I was on the beach, with a beer, scrolling, and Slack popped up, and it was an interesting question. She just wanted to make sure I didn’t feel obligated to answer.’
By contrast, in the United States, employees receive far less leave on average, and an ‘always on’ culture is common, with workers expected to check emails or take calls while travelling
The debate also shines a light on different workplace expectations around the world.
In Australia, workers are legally entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave – and culturally, there’s a stronger emphasis on ‘switching off’ once holidays start.
Colleagues often step in to cover, and many offices have strict policies about not contacting staff on leave unless absolutely necessary.
By contrast, in the United States, employees receive far less leave on average, and an ‘always on’ culture is far more common, with workers expected to check emails or take calls even while travelling.
In the UK, where Askins is based, leave entitlements are more generous, but many employees say the pressure to remain connected still lingers.
