Regularly contacted by employer on holiday...best course of action to take?

Pete111

FOURCANDLES wrote: »

Well you just tell them the way it is , you are on holiday and will not be available unless it has been written in to your contract?. Then if they take offence BILL them for the hours spent on work while on holiday or ask them to deduct time not used for holiday ie 1 hr a day they owe you 5 hours from holiday taken. However if you think it may result in you on the dole keep you mouth shut if you are on a good salary or happy in your job and claim it back some other way suitable to you.

Glad reality crept in towards the end of that ...

teabelly

Deleted_User wrote: »

I knew someone would say that - but really there is no blame to be had. We've been trying to recruit, but the quality of applicants we're received has been pretty shocking at worst...not quite good enough at best.

My experience has been gained through several years of hard work and exposure in my industry - the team underneath me are all geared towards supporting me and I can't just train them up as it has taken my many years to get to my situation; they can't be trained in 6 months.

If the quality of the applicants is so bad then it is probably because you are not offering a high enough salary. Up it and see what kind of people you get.

I can't see what kind of field (unless science degree area ) would be so complicated that a reasonably intelligent person couldn't do it.

You've designed your team to be dependent on you for everything. I'd suggest a read of the One Minute Manager

lucylucky

When I was a fairly senior manager I used to get called on my mobile, and my home phone, when I was on holiday.

Ultimately I got myself a new phone, gave all my friends the number, but not work and never ever took my work phone on holiday.

Also put call barring on my home phone so I didn't get calls from them there.

I was okay about receiving calls on my mobile outwith office hours when not on holiday but my holiday time is my time not the companies.

Any company that cannot survive without one specific individual, no matter how good or specialised that person may be, is a very badly run and managed organisation.

Almo

So is there any end date in sight? Either through recruitment or training those below you? If there is, depending on when it is I'd be inclined to grin and bear it but if not you need to do something. I agree with designating a time at which you can be contacted - obviously you'd prefer not to be contacted at all but there has to be a realistic view here.

My OH is pretty much on call at all times. He's supposed to only be contacted in an emergency but his clients have a different view of what constitutes an emergency than he does. It impacts our weekends significantly, primarily because when he does get called he has to make calls to resolve the problem and waiting for other people to respond can mean that a problem lasts for several hours. It stresses him out, it stresses me out and it means we can't go out of mobile range.

To those who mention the dole etc, yes the OP needs to accept that at management level there will be contact outside work but there has to be a limit don't you think?

I think your honeymoon is a different kettle of fish though - you need to at least sort out a few days on which you are totally free to focus on you. This would be non negotiable for me.

bendix

If the OP is so indispensible, then he will be able to dictate when he can be contacted. He can't have it both ways.

Frankly, it sounds like he enjoys the air of indispensibility - gets an ego boost from it - so the real challenge is not managing his employers but managing his wife/girlfriend.

That's a different proposition altogether.

Googlewhacker

bendix wrote: »

If the OP is so indispensible, then he will be able to dictate when he can be contacted. He can't have it both ways.

Frankly, it sounds like he enjoys the air of indispensibility - gets an ego boost from it - so the real challenge is not managing his employers but managing his wife/girlfriend.

That's a different proposition altogether.

Yes, even the OP says it doesn't bother him to much but I think the setting of times when he is contactable and only for emergancies is the way to go and that the honeymoon is an absolute non contactable period of his life.

msmyth18

My dad has the same issue however he is paid a allowance for this. Maybe speak to them about it and request the same, you dont ask you dont get.

EllaKeat

I have had this problem in the past, I really did not mind being contacted, but found it a bit difficult when we were in New Zealand because of the time difference. I arranged for work to text me with any probs, and I then rang back, or emailed at my own convenience.
Perhaps this would work for you? Ask them to text and let them know you will respond as soon as you can. No doubt you can find a quiet ten minutes at some point during the day?

Rockporkchop

bendix wrote: »

Frankly, it sounds like he enjoys the air of indispensibility - gets an ego boost from it - so the real challenge is not managing his employers but managing his wife/girlfriend.

That's a different proposition altogether.

Absolutely! OP perhaps you should should suggest to your OH that you will step down from your management role for her and take a lower level job, with commensurate salary. See what she says.

My DH gets calls/emails all the time. Sometimes I want to smash his Blackberry to pieces but I wouldn't complain to him as I realise we are lucky that he has the job.

pimento

What would they do if you were hit by a bus tomorrow? (God forbid)