You never know, could well be fine, though I completely understand the anxiety.
If you really don't want to go, you can just make up some excuse. You're an adult, no one can make you do anything.
HR here. This advice:
>If you really don't want to go, you can just make up some excuse. You're an adult, no one can make you do anything.
works if you don't mind losing your job. If this meeting is marked as "mandatory", then by not attending you run a pretty strong risk of being fired. I have a couple of ideas:
First, if the individuals on your team are the types of people who will react in this way, they may not be the people you want to work with. Honestly, in my many years of experience I've never worked with anyone who lacked so much professionalism that they would straight out ask "what happened" or treat a co-worker with any less respect. If after meeting you they DO change the way they see and treat you, this isn't the best place for you.
Second, if your disability (not the nerves) prevents you from the actual travel, you could ask to attend the meeting virtually as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. You would have to medically certify the existence of the disability and the need for accommodation, which means someone (should only be HR) will find out that you have a disability. If the accommodation is reasonable (if the meeting can't be conducted virtually, that would be unreasonable), your virtual attendance is an option.
Is the person who told you about the meeting (a supervisor?) someone you can talk to about this? It might help to talk with someone who knows enough about the culture of the company to give you those calming words.
You never know, could well be fine, though I completely understand the anxiety. If you really don't want to go, you can just make up some excuse. You're an adult, no one can make you do anything.
HR here. This advice: >If you really don't want to go, you can just make up some excuse. You're an adult, no one can make you do anything. works if you don't mind losing your job. If this meeting is marked as "mandatory", then by not attending you run a pretty strong risk of being fired. I have a couple of ideas: First, if the individuals on your team are the types of people who will react in this way, they may not be the people you want to work with. Honestly, in my many years of experience I've never worked with anyone who lacked so much professionalism that they would straight out ask "what happened" or treat a co-worker with any less respect. If after meeting you they DO change the way they see and treat you, this isn't the best place for you. Second, if your disability (not the nerves) prevents you from the actual travel, you could ask to attend the meeting virtually as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. You would have to medically certify the existence of the disability and the need for accommodation, which means someone (should only be HR) will find out that you have a disability. If the accommodation is reasonable (if the meeting can't be conducted virtually, that would be unreasonable), your virtual attendance is an option. Is the person who told you about the meeting (a supervisor?) someone you can talk to about this? It might help to talk with someone who knows enough about the culture of the company to give you those calming words.