Are you upset because you missed an important meeting at work? Worrying is understandable because of the repercussions that can happen as a result. However, there might be something you can do if you take action right away. This piece will discuss how to apologize for missing a meeting and all the ways you can do it.
Can you get fired for not going to a mandatory meeting?
It’s possible to get fired for missing a meeting at work, especially if your employer advertised it as a mandatory gathering. Employers have the right to terminate you for much less than missing a meeting. Thus, they will be fully justified in letting you go because of your failure to make the required appearance.
It might not happen, but you should expect the worst and prepare to fight for your job if you have to. You can do that by apologizing for missing the meeting before your boss’s judgment falls upon you.
What else can happen if you miss an important meeting?
Your employer can handle the missed meeting in other ways. For example, they can write you up and put the write-up in your file as a part of your progressive disciplinary record. They may also issue you attendance points if they use a points system on its workers.
Another thing they might do is give you an immediate suspension. They might see missing a mandatory meeting as an offense worthy of skipping over the write-up progression and going straight to the instance right before termination. Maybe you’ll get put on probation for 90 days as well.
What’s a good excuse for missing a meeting?
Now that you know some of the ways your bosses might handle the meeting you missed, you will need to devise a good excuse for not showing up. These are seven good excuses for missing an important meeting at work. I’m not saying you should use them if they’re not true. However, they are, indeed, good reasons for missing an important meeting.
1. You had a medical emergency.
Medical emergencies are often acceptable reasons to miss work. The whole purpose of the term “emergency” is to stress that the situation was one you couldn’t prepare for. You can tell your bosses you had a medical emergency, but you should be prepared to show hospital release papers if they ask for proof.
2. Your car broke down.
An automotive breakdown is always an understandable reason to miss work or at least a portion of it. You typically don’t have to show repair receipts, towing documents, or anything like that to prove a breakdown, but you can if you want to.
Traffic jams are also excellent excuses for missing a part of your workday. Your bosses can check them by looking online for traffic jams in the area, though. Thus, you should take precautions if you think they won’t be able to find the incident for some reason.
3. You were falsely arrested and needed to wait for bail.
Getting arrested could certainly put a damper on your workday. Use this excuse only if you have a ticket, booking receipt, or other information to confirm the time you spent in the facility.
4. You have a contagious ailment.
The contagious ailment excuse is one of the most effective ones to use these days. Most employers don’t want any sick people showing up for work.
5. Someone in the family died.
A death in the family could definitely excuse you from a mandatory meeting at work. Many jobs have bereavement policies in place that give workers at least three days to gather themselves.
6. You had food poisoning.
Food poisoning is another one of those conditions that an employer can usually forgive. Such a thing might only last for one day; thus, it’s a good excuse for missing a meeting.
7. Your electricity went out.
When your electricity goes out, many other things also go out. Therefore, your lack of electricity might be the reason why you accidentally slept through that super-important meeting.
Here’s how to start apologizing for the recent meeting you missed at work.
Now is the time to start apologizing to your bosses and higher-ups for missing an important meeting. The sooner you apologize, the better your chances of getting off the hook will be. You can choose from one of three ways to say you’re sorry, and these are those choices:
Apologize by telephone.
Contacting your boss on the phone is a great way to apologize. You can pick a time when the establishment is pretty relaxed and ask your boss if you can chat with him or her. It’s not as nerve-wracking as doing it in person and not as removed as doing it by email or letter. Thus, it might be something you’re comfortable with.
Apologize in person.
You can choose to give your apologies in person if you’re up for it. Keep in mind that your bosses will see your face and body language if you choose this route. They will be able to sense nervousness and insincerity if either one of those shows.
If you have difficulty speaking with authority figures about performance issues, you may want to choose the next option to communicate. Emails and letters can be just as effective as in-person conversations, except no one can see your facial expressions or mannerisms.
Write a letter to your boss apologizing for the recent meeting you missed at work.
Another way you can apologize for missing a meeting is to craft an email or an apology letter for missing a meeting.
Here’s how to apologize for missing a zoom meeting.
Some employers have Zoom meetings because they are convenient for employees who don’t live close to the facility. Maybe you missed that type of meeting because you didn’t realize how important it was.
Unfortunately, a meeting’s online status does not determine whether it’s important or unimportant. Thus, you may have a lot of explaining to do. In other words, you will have to know how to apologize for not being available to answer the Zoom call or enter the meeting room from your computer or mobile phone.
Tips and Examples of Apology Letters for a Missed Meeting
If you’re unsure of how to send written apologies for the missed out meeting, these are a few tips and examples.
Tips
Address the correct person.
Ensure you open the letter with the direct supervisor or person you offended. You must take this step because the person who arranged the meeting is the person who probably has the authority to terminate or reprimand you.
Start with “I’m sorry.”
Try to put some form of “I’m sorry” in the first three sentences of the letter. You can use alternative phrases, such as “My apologies” or “I’m regretful that …”
Explain what happened and defend yourself.
You need to explain why you were late. Don’t worry about whether you’re sharing too much information because your job might be on the line. Therefore, you need to put it all out there and let these people know your reasons for not showing up on their important occasion.
Request a viable solution.
Next, offer to rectify the situation or request a solution that will make everyone happy. For example, you could request to reschedule the meeting so that you can cover the subject you were supposed to discuss in the first one..
You can also request a virtual type of meeting so that no one is terribly inconvenienced. Close gracefully and then wait for an answer so that you’ll know how to handle things moving forward.
Letter Example
Dear Mr. Bossley,
I apologize for my unexpected absence from the mandatory meeting this morning. Usually, I’m an upstanding worker who fulfills all of my commitments. However, a sudden unfortunate outbreak of flatulence-heavy food poisoning made its way into my digestive system and caused me to avoid coming to work.
I propose that we reschedule the meeting for Friday at 9 a.m. I will make every effort to tranquilize my bowels and partake in aromatherapies before arriving at the rescheduled appointment. Please respond to my contact to let me know if this idea is feasible.
Sincerely,
Wenzel Windsmith
Email Example
Subject: Apology for Missed Meeting
Dear Mr. Bossley,
I am writing a note to send my sincerest apology for missing the mandatory meeting this morning.
I wanted to impress you with my presentation so badly that I headed for work at a speed limit of one mile per hour over the guidelines. An officer named George Bousche pulled me over and proceeded to search my entire car for random Mexican-native items that neither my cat nor I had.
The officer also interrogated my feline friend and me and refused to allow us to contact an attorney for representation. This went on for five hours, but we are now free. I will be available for a second attempt at a meeting on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. if you can excuse this minor setback.
My apologies,
Sarah No-Nomenclature-Smyth
You now have the tools necessary to apologize for a missed meeting and achieve positive results. Try the methods mentioned above, and don’t be afraid to grovel a little bit if you have to.
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