My work just wont leave me alone!

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork

Hey guys, new to the forum - but not to the site.

I'm having issues at work. I'm high up in the management line, but my employer doesn't seem to know or care what the difference is between contracted working time and home life (my time) and to be fair, the other staff are just as bad. I have NEVER experienced it before in my life at any other employment.

I get numerous texts calls and emails daily when I am either:

1. On a Day off
2. Abroad on holiday
3. Off work sick
4. Working .. I know, I get called when I'm THERE!!

I am being driven insane. I cannot catch a break. And if they don't stop I'm going to end up quitting. Which I don;t want to! Ilike the place, and the customers. I'm always flexible, I've been late less than 5 times in the last 4 years. Every other shift I've worked I turn up early for. Is it my fault? Have I made them believe I'm available 24/7? I have a family at home fgs!

I was on holiday last year - 1500 miles away - TWICE ( I know, lucky me eh?) .. but they still insisted on calling, texting and when those didn't get answered .. whatsapp calling and messaging me.

My days off, I cherish, I don't get many ... and when I do, I make plans. But they're forever interupted.

Even off sick (or when I was in hospital last year) they still persist. They just wont back off.

What can I do? My head feel like it's going to explode .. and that' only if my mouth doesnt first!!

They're generally good employers, they seem to care about most things, but they just don't have a grasp on the fact they only have me contracted for 40 hours a week and the other 128 hours should be mine! Well it aint even that! 56 of those are for sleep!! By all means if they want to pay for for 168 hours a week .. I will shut up right now... I mean that'd be like £6000 per month wages, I wouldn't be able to moan then right! ... But seriously, I need some advice before I do something I regret.

Savvy_Sue

Get a second phone, cheap PAYG will do. Tell them you've lost the other and this is your new number. Keep it switched off except when at work / reasonably on call.

OR

Get a second phone. Give the number to all your friends and family. Switch existing phone off as above.

Do the same with email: get another address, and don't check it except when at work.

elsien

Stop responding to them. Calling you when you are sick or on leave is not ok, but each time you answer or respond you're reinforcing it.

I never give work my personal mobile or home phone number. I have a cheap mobile that I use to phone them if I need to for any reason. It is turned off the rest of the time. My work mobile is also turned off between 9 and 5, and I don't check work emails out of hours.

Higher up the management line does sometimes come with higher expectations, but certainly not to the degree you are describing.
What are they calling about, are there any systems that can be put in place to give the necessary information when you're not there, and what does your contract say about on-call?

bugslet

Is it a work phone? Leave it at work.

I ring my manager out of hours about five times a year, when it's important. If a business is ringing you that much, it sounds like they need to get some organisation.

daytona0

Turn everything off.

Train/empower your employees so that they can handle more things in your absence.

zagfles

What's so hard about making yourself uncontactable? Don't read emails. Don't read texts. Phone to voicemail, skip any messages from work till you're back in. Or just tell them you're not working if they do manage to get through. Don't be any help.

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork

elsien wrote: »

Stop responding to them. Calling you when you are sick or on leave is not ok, but each time you answer or respond you're reinforcing it.

I never give work my personal mobile or home phone number. I have a cheap mobile that I use to phone them if I need to for any reason. It is turned off the rest of the time. My work mobile is also turned off between 9 and 5, and I don't check work emails out of hours.

Higher up the management line does sometimes come with higher expectations, but certainly not to the degree you are describing.
What are they calling about, are there any systems that can be put in place to give the necessary information when you're not there, and what does your contract say about on-call?

You guys are all far cleverer than I am, but my bain is mush at the moment! A second phone is the way forward! For sure .. why I didn't think of that is beyond me! ... as for contractual obligation. It states I need to be available in their absence in emergency situations etc. But nothing at all in there that cover what they're doing to me now.

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork

bugslet wrote: »

Is it a work phone? Leave it at work.

I ring my manager out of hours about five times a year, when it's important. If a business is ringing you that much, it sounds like they need to get some organisation.

Nope, I wish it was a work phone though!

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork

zagfles wrote: »

What's so hard about making yourself uncontactable? Don't read emails. Don't read texts. Phone to voicemail, skip any messages from work till you're back in. Or just tell them you're not working if they do manage to get through. Don't be any help.

When I don't answer I get even more ear ache on my return to work ... I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place!

daytona0 wrote: »

Turn everything off.

Train/empower your employees so that they can handle more things in your absence.

Each and everyone of them follows the exact training that I had when I was at their level, some of them are supposed to be my assistant managers. When I'm there, they're full of promise and fire, when I go it's like someone turned out the lights
*Edit, just seen the multi quote, will use that next time lol

Sagz_2

I've a dual sim phone (easier than carrying two phones), I can then choose to answer work calls or let them go to voicemail and respond when I'm good and ready.

Email out of office response is always on if I'm out of the office and states when I'm next in the office so people know when to expect a reply. If I reply before then I look amazingly efficient!

Bogalot

What does high up in the management line mean?

If you're director level in a multinational then there would be an expectation that you would always be contactable.

If you work in a shop then I'd agree with the others, switch off your phone and deal with any issues when you get back.