An annoying, extremely irritating communication, usually performed at work, where a coworker will reach out to you, usually on an instant messaging platform or text message with just the word “hey” or “hi.” The offender will not say anything more until you respond, then either they will get to the point or will engage in meaningless chatting while you are attempting to complete another task. The painful part of this communication is that it will raise your anxiety level, especially if it is from your boss on a Friday, especially on a Friday morning, (can you jump on Zoom for a second? Aka layoff), or on a Friday night, (I have a fire drill that needs your attention ASAP, it might be an all nighter). The Hey hanging provokes the worst case scenarios, fear, and even paranoia when the victim is trying to figure out what is coming next.
I just got a ping on Teams from this project manager who I haven’t spoken to in months. The ping just said “hey,” now I am racing through my mind like crazy. What did I miss? What does he want? Is this person going to saddle me with something that will ruin my day? Get to the point and stop hey hanging me!
by Lumburgh Survivor May 21, 2025