My work just wont leave me alone!

xapprenticex

You are high up in management!!! That is the life!!!

We all know that when you are pretty high up, work does not always end at 5pm unless you are lucky enough to be shielded by another manager who is taking the calls.

IMO you should look for something else.

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork

Bogalot wrote: »

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.

Yeah shop management covers me, if I was higher I'd be on a much better salary and with the contractual obligations mentioned above, I'd deal with it then, but I'd be on the right money and contract to do so.

xapprenticex wrote: »

You are high up in management!!! That is the life!!!

We all know that when you are pretty high up, work does not always end at 5pm unless you are lucky enough to be shielded by another manager who is taking the calls.

IMO you should look for something else.

Not sure what to say to that lol. But surely there is a line to be drawn in everything isn't there. Work is called work not "life" these employers aren't recognising that. That's the issue. I've only had 3 jobs in the last 15 years, the first I was made redundant due to cuts, the second the company collapsed and this one. I've been management level in all of them. non of them have ever been this invasive. The other jobs actually had me contracted to do more. But they knew when to stop taking the "proverbial". But if they chose to carry it, they would have had me banged to rights with the contracts they gave me. This is the reverse. They don't have me tied in to this sort of hassle, but they continue to do it.

Bogalot

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork wrote: »

Yeah shop management covers me, if I was higher I'd be on a much better salary and with the contractual obligations mentioned above, I'd deal with it then, but I'd be on the right money and contract to do so.



Not sure what to say to that lol. But surely there is a line to be drawn in everything isn't there. Work is called work not "life" these employers aren't recognising that. That's the issue. I've only had 3 jobs in the last 15 years, the first I was made redundant due to cuts, the second the company collapsed and this one. I've been management level in all of them. non of them have ever been this invasive. The other jobs actually had me contracted to do more. But they knew when to stop taking the "proverbial". But if they chose to carry it, they would have had me banged to rights with the contracts they gave me. This is the reverse. They don't have me tied in to this sort of hassle, but they continue to do it.

I think the confusion in responses is that people are expecting you to be in a senior management role. Perhaps edit your first post to reflect that you're a shop manager

theoretica

I genuinely have my phone off most of the time - helps that I don't run my life from it. It might help if you can make it look like you aren't ignoring work specially - go on a visible digital detox? You say they call you when you are at work, that would be a good time to show your phone is switched off.

elsien

So it's your staff calling you?
Then that is a supervision/training issue. And if the systems are in place, then when you don't answer they will have no option but to engage their brains.
Surely your company has alternative contacts for leave and sickness?

DCFC79

As suggested get a cheap phone and put the sim card in and turn it off when your away, on days off etc. Only tell your family and friends( non work friends) of the new number.

Work will call when your day off and wont get hold of you so explain you were out of range, poor signal etc.

steampowered

If you are in a high up management role, you may need to accept that you have to be contactable outside work hours. And also that you sometimes need to work at weekends and while you are on leave.

If the nature of your work means you need to be contactable, I don't think it is acceptable to fail to respond.

But people shouldn't be contacting you unnecessarily. If it is something that can wait, just reply saying you'll look at it when you are back. Hopefully people will soon get the message.

You need to be more contactable you are in a client service industry. In my line of work people are expected to be contactable at all hours and often need to work evenings/weekends/holidays without advance notice. This is expected from quite a junior level due to market and client expectations. Of course we are paid accordingly, people wouldn't do it if they weren't getting high salaries to compensate for the loss of work-life balance.

getmore4less

Fundamentally in situations like this the problems are self inflicted because you don't manage them.

Don't moan about people phoning you, analyse why they have the need and manage them out.

What sort of things are people phoning and emailing about?

perhaps give examples of what you bosses phone about and what you reports phone about.

motorguy

getmore4less wrote: »

Fundamentally in situations like this the problems are self inflicted because you don't manage them.

Don't moan about people phoning you, analyse why they have the need and manage them out.

What sort of things are people phoning and emailing about?

perhaps give examples of what you bosses phone about and what you reports phone about.

+1

Get in to the habit of putting an Out of Office on your email when you leave for the day - "I am now out of the office, returning at 08:30 tomorrow morning. I will respond to your email after that point". Also, switch the mobile off and have a message, "i am currently unavailable to take your call, if this is work related, i am returning to the office at 08:30 tomorrow morning and i can be contacted then".

Texts or messages - dont read or reply to them.

Your situation does sound self inflected though. You've let them get in to bad habits and they're running everything past you for a decision so that they dont have to think / engage their brains / take any responsibility.

InNeedOfAdviceAboutWork

steampowered wrote: »

If you are in a high up management role, you may need to accept that you have to be contactable outside work hours. And also that you sometimes need to work at weekends and while you are on leave.

If the nature of your work means you need to be contactable, I don't think it is acceptable to fail to respond.

But people shouldn't be contacting you unnecessarily. If it is something that can wait, just reply saying you'll look at it when you are back. Hopefully people will soon get the message.

You need to be more contactable you are in a client service industry. In my line of work people are expected to be contactable at all hours and often need to work evenings/weekends/holidays without advance notice. This is expected from quite a junior level due to market and client expectations. Of course we are paid accordingly, people wouldn't do it if they weren't getting high salaries to compensate for the loss of work-life balance.

No it's not just staff, it's staff and business owners...

I'm not salaried. I am management, but with non of the management ties in this position. As I said before, if that side was different, I wouldn't even be here in the first place.

Examples of what I get called about are:

1. I've seen the note in the diary, I'm going to sort the issue, what is it? What should I do? (Tells you right in the note you claim to have read)
2. Have you seen the keys? I put them in the cupboard, But I can't see them. (Oh look they're in the cupboard where you put them!!!)
3. (Day off - clearly marked on Rota) - Are you in today?
4. I know you're off sick, but can you cover me I'm not feeling well...... (No!)
5. Do you have such and such's number? (There's a diary right next to the phone they're calling me from with all the numbers in! they had to go to the list to get mine!!)
6. Have you done the rotas for the next couple of weeks yet ? (Are they up there? Answer is pretty clear then isn't it)
7. (On holiday 1500 miles away) Can you send this guy an invoice? He just asked for one on the way out. (No ... but you could have printed one off on the spot!)
8. Someone phoned to book a table, I need you to call them immediately to sort this please (Owner of the business @ 8am ... I'm still in bed because I aint due in ..... *facepalm*)

It's just ridiculous trivial things, from people who all have been shown what to do, and in the owners cases have been doing far longer than I've worked for them.