Updated September 2026: in June 2020 the onsite team set an early-morning call without notice, my manager told me to attend, and I deliberately joined late. The call ended as I joined, and I was told to get the details from my manager, which made things worse. I have rewritten it into advice on handling unannounced calls, including why joining late backfires.
The work with that onsite team had dragged on, with little help from my manager, and I just wanted to close it. One day the onsite team scheduled an early call with no prior communication, and my manager called me to attend. I was angry and joined late on purpose. By the time I joined, it was over, and the onsite team asked me to get the details from my manager, who tended to complicate requirements.
Why does joining late backfire?
Because you lose first-hand information. Whatever was decided now reaches you second-hand, filtered through someone else's interpretation. It also looks like disengagement to the people who were on time, which weakens your position when you later raise legitimate complaints.
How should you respond to an unannounced early call?
- Join if you reasonably can, even briefly, and listen.
- If you cannot, say so before it starts and ask for notes or a recording.
- Raise the scheduling afterwards, not by being absent.
How do you ask for better notice?
Calmly and with a proposal: "Could we set these calls the day before, with an agenda? I can prepare the updates you need." Most teams agree when the request comes with an offer to make the call more useful.
What if you must get requirements second-hand?
Write down what your manager tells you and send it back to the onsite team for confirmation: "My understanding of this morning's call is as follows; please correct anything I have missed." That removes the risk of a complicated interpretation.
Is frustration a good enough reason to skip a call?
It is understandable, but it rarely helps. Frustration is better channelled into a clear conversation with your manager about workload and communication. I learned that joining late cost me more than attending would have.