to switch off my iphone so I can't take texts and calls from work?

[Ormirian]

I've had calls almost every weekend since Christmas because something doesn't has gone wrong (I work in IT). I chose not to go on the on-call rota just so that I wouldn't have to waste my previous weekends - so I also chose to forgo the extra income that would be coming my way. But because we are a small dept we all have areas of the the system that only we have good understanding of. So there is an understanding that if something comes up that is beyond the knowledge of the person being paid to be on call, they can call the specific 'expert'. We even have external contacts at the software houses who wer are paying maintenance contracts with to be avaialable 24/7 so they really should call them first! There have been loads of problems with my areas due to software changes etc and as I say....I haven't had an uninterrupted weekend for ages.

I have written plenty of notes and guides on how to deal with problems that arise. But every time I get a call they always say' I've had a quick look at the notes but I don't think this is the same...' so I dive in and have a look and it is! And even if it wasn't they should call the software house not ME!

So aibu to think 'fuck you, work it out!'? I don't work weekends....

BTW DH is at the stage where I think he will say exactly that next time anyone rings.

[MindyMacready]

Take the call, don't answer the question, but politely point them to your external support houses. They'll stop if you're consistent.

[sayanythingRogerjustrogerme]

In short, YANBU. I hate the fact that technology means that we are all now on call at all hours of the day.

[Ormirian]

LOL at consistency.

I did some training with our new rescue dog on Friday - consistency was the key there too. Perhaps I should also try doggie treats and a training lead

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I tell work that I live in an area with rubbish reception. Which was true until a new mast was installed.... ... haven't told them about the mast.

[CherylWillBounceBack]

YANBU. This is your time, and if you're not on the on call list, it's not your problem unless you want to help as a favour.

Although why did you have to add the 'i' to your phone? Are we expected to be impressed you've succumbed to Apple's marketing?

[wellwisher]

YABU to specify that you have an iphone. And if you work in IT you should know that Android phones are vastly superior and iphones are for muppets who fall for fancy marketing

YANBU to turn off your phone at weekends... but you will win more points with your work if you deal with the issue positively, e.g. by making a new process doc/flow chart for dealing with out-of-hours emergencies.

[Glitterknickaz]

Can you not just block the number?

[PigletJohn]

if it was me I would have a separate SIM for work calls, and put it in some cheap old phone so I could carry on my personal life on the best one.

never give your personal phone no to work.

[PaperView]

Just don't answer. Problem solved.

[PaperView]

Or charge as if you had been on call

[Ormirian]

I specified iphone because work got it for me so I could pick up emails too. Is that an issue?

And I don't give a stuff if it's an iphone, an android or a frigging cyborg......

[Ormirian]

"e.g. by making a new process doc/flow chart for dealing with out-of-hours emergencies."

We've done that. Somehow the easy option still gets taken,

[Ormirian]

So I wasn't impressed my apple's marketing I meant to add.

Weird....

[DontGoCurly]

Don't answer them. If they want to pick your brains they need to PAY with cold, hard, cash.

Work is an exchange of ideas for money. Give nothing for nothing.

[Alibabaandthe80nappies]

Orm - DH is in IT. He has his work phone, and a personal phone. He turns his work phone off at the weekends for precisely this reason.

[Andrewofgg]

YANBU if that's the rule, you can be on call or not and take the money or not. But it's a funny way to run a business and not one I would follow. I would make new joiners take their share of the weekends, and of the money, like it or lump it.

[tribpot]

The reason the easy route is being taken is because many people are inherently lazy, and if they can 'phone a friend' and get the answer instead of figuring it out for themselves, they will do. Your work didn't get you an iPhone so you could answer their calls and emails in our own time, I would turn it off or start charging for your time, which I think will definitely help to motivate the management to ensure the proper support routes have been exhausted first.

[ChantingAsISpeak]

YANBU, unless the software is linked to a nuclear reactor that might melt down or a life support system. Turn it off, have a life and be a more productive worker during the week. If those who are being paid to be on call keep having issues they can't deal with, then surely your company can arrange training?

Few people (if any) need to be available 24/7 -if you are off or on holiday there is no reason for them to contact you.

[rookiemater]

I have two phones for that very reason as many years ago a Sales Director thought i would be the perfect person to bother with non urgent phone calls when he drove home from appointments in the evening.

Try to remember how many calls you have had over the past months, let your work know this and say that its not appropriate because you aren't on the weekend rota and aren't receiving payment to get this level of calls. They may be surprised by how many calls there are.
And yes YANBU unless your work involves brain surgery or nuclear reactors as below.

[Ormirian]

Thanks.

Not nuclear power or brain surgery thankfully.

The production, warehousing and logistics system are all totally dependent on IT now so it can get a bit messy if it goes tits up. So I am 100% suppportive of the need for me to get involved if it goes wrong in a way that it hasn't gone wrong before and for which I have not provided any guidelines...but not otherwise. If I wasn't there they'd have to cope.

[tribpot]

Absolutely - what they need to be 'encouraged' to do is deal with the mundane niggles themselves/with the support system provided and paid for. But the curse of being helpful means they will always come back to you unless you put some firm boundaries in place :)

[fedupofnamechanging]

The thing is people will always take the easy option where possible. It makes sense. You have brought this on yourself by taking the calls and providing the solution. You are not being paid for this time, so you need to stop making yourself available. Don't make a big deal of it at work, or they will think you are being deliberately obstructive and it will damage relationships with colleagues. However, you need to stop being available. Either turn the phone off or screen calls. It's easy. Your colleagues will never know if you have deliberately ignored the call and once they learn that you are not available, they will have to sort it out themselves. I'm sure they will, necessity being the mother of invention.

don't feel guilty because work got you a nice phone - they did it for their benefit, not yours!

[Ormirian]

Thanks.

I have this massive guilt gland about everything not excluding work. And there is also some self-preservation there too.... if it all goes wrong I am going to be the one clearing up the mess on Monday am