To think it’s inappropriate to call outside of working hours?

I used to have my own online business (about 20 years ago). People used to ring up to leave a message to say can you call me, assuming I'd do so in the morning, sometimes they'd ring at, say, 2.45am. If I was up with small children, I'd answer, on the basis one less thing to do in the day. The number of people that then said 'oh I was expecting the answer machine' 😂

Jeez, if that's the only stress you have at work then you're very lucky!!!!

If OP were expected to answer her phone after she’d finished for the day, you’d have a point. But someone calling outside of another person’s work hours isn’t a sign that work life is more important than private. It’s a sign that workplaces have adapted to employees’ demands for more flexible working hours.

I can't see it's that much of a big deal honestly. It's work phone. They might not have noticed your off line. You are free not to answer.

Not sure why you’re getting a hard time here OP.
It’s a (bad) sign of how conditioned we’ve become that work life is more important than private life.

You were offline yet someone thought they’d call you anyway. Clearly their work is more important than your private time.

For people saying it’s just a call , ignore it, I’d say how about the caller doesn’t call in the first place but decides it can wait until morning.

And here’s a radical notion, how about that email they type out about the matter, they email themselves by way of a reminder in the morning?

Happens to me all the time, but with my role / grade it’s pretty normal to pick things up outside of office hours. I don’t see the problem, if you don’t want to call them back until the next working day, then don’t.

I wonder if there is something else going on here? OP are you feeling overwhelmed with work and/or other responsibilities? Are there other boundaries, which are important to you that are being ignored? Are you unwell or feeling vulnerable for some reason? In other words, is this part of something bigger for you?

I think the question you need to ask yourself is not "why did someone call my work phone after 5pm" but "why don't I understand how phones work?" That might make you less stressed and angry at people who are doing normal things and just trying to get through their day.

It's fine for them to phone. Even if you are not online. Loads of people are busy, will forget to check, and people can be offline for multiple reasons. I would never think to check if someone was online before calling. I would expect them either not to answer or for their work phone to be switched off if they were busy or it was outside of their working hours.

A message saying "I'm here until 6" means just that. I am about until 6 if you are able to call me back. It's not requiring you to call them outside your working hours.

I'm not sure why the sound of a phone ringing bothers you so much. It's not compulsory to answer a phone. If it really bothers you I'd suggest you get into the habit of switching off as your first stopping work activity.

I had a coworker at another location who knew damn well that our location closed at four. He'd phone the office after four. I didn't pick up, BECAUSE I WAS NOT THERE and then he'd send an email to me cc my boss saying that he called repeatedly but noone answered.

So in essence he indicated that I had skulked. Luckily he also did it one day when my boss had been there until four, so my boss knew he was full of it.

Some of my colleagues had my private phone number. I always told them it was ok to give it to most coworkers but not to the twat, and they had to tell people that if they shared my number. Turns out he had also been a twat to some of them and they understood completely.

I think it’s fine to call/
email outside of work hours but it’s not fine to expect people to answer or respond outside of work hours x

Was this a work phone or teams call? or was it to your personal mobile?
if it's the former then it's really not an issue!

So your work phone, on your desk, not even a mobile never mind a personal mobile, rang at 5:30 and you are outraged? You really really need to toughen up.

And your comment, "they could see I'm not online"? Do people really check this sort of thing even if they can? if I want to call someone, I just dial their number. You could be at your desk but your screen has gone to sleep because you're talking to a colleague or working on something with a pen and paper.

I don't think it's inappropriate to ring someone at that time at all, but I realise some people wouldn't answer after they had finished their normal working hours. It's never worried me if people want to ring me in the evening or at weekends, and if I'm not busy then I'm happy to talk to colleagues until around 10pm. If it's not convenient to talk then I'll tell them so and speak the next morning.

You need a new hobby if this is the extent of your worries!

You received a work call at 5.30pm on a work day which you didn't answer and have now made a post about it. You've given this far more thought than the person who even called you.

It's not like they called you at 11pm demanding a 6.30am meeting!!

Get a grip!

5.30pm is hardly the middle of the night, it’s a common time for people still to be working, unless they complained you didn’t pick up I really don’t understand the problem here.

I don’t see the big drama, unless people are complaining about not answering you simply don’t pick up the phone. If someone emails me at 8am because that works for them I don’t care, I’ll just respond within my working hours, and I won’t even see that email until I’m online so why does it matter?

Unless there's aasssove drip feed coming, I can't imagine why you need to canvas opinions on MN.

The way phones work is that, if someone wants to speak to you, they call. If you want/are able/need to talk to them, you answer; if you don't, you don't.

Someone wanted to speak with you during their working hours so they called. You didn't want to answer outside of your working hours so you didn't answer.

It's really not a problem.

It's fine for them to call on the off chance that you're still working.

Lots of people work flexible hours and not everyone finishes at 5. They're not necessarily staring at your online status! It's fine for them to just pick up the phone and see if you're there.

You are under no obligation to pick up or even have your phone switched on after work.

It very much depends on what job you do and the flexibility required, how senior you are, how senior they are, and the urgency of the matter they are calling about. I'd answer a call from someone junior to me but would not call someone junior to me at that time.

The public telephone system, both landline and mobile, allows you to place a call to any number, at any time, that's how it works.

The receiving subscriber has the option to turn off, switch to silent, switch to do not disturb, switch to night service or just not to answer.

That's how phones work, you didn't answer, which is perfectly appropriate.

YANBU. Obviously a lot depends on the type of job you do and level of responsibility, but in general colleagues shouldn't call you about non-urgent things outside of working hours.

The thing is, if your colleague had made a thread here asking if they were unreasonable to call you about something non-urgent outside of work hours, the thread would also be a resounding "YABU". Much of mumsnet loves a good opportunity to lay into a real life but anonymous person. They can't wait to tell someone they don't know just how wrong they are. Whether the person is actually wrong or not isn't of much consequence.

Probably not unreasonable to call and definitely not unreasonable not to answer.

I only work weekends but get calls throughout the week during the evenings (6pm tonight was the last time!) as customers can easily access my number so ring me as their first port of call. It does state weekends only but people try anyway. I feel a bit bad for not answering but I only earn 50p above minimum wage so not paid to deal with them.

It's a slippery slope. I'm against answering because it blurs a line. 'One occasional call' for DH crept in to be more calls at 6pm, then weekends. Eventually holidays. He'd get calls or emails, starting at 8am day one, from either the boss wanting him to do things, or other staff asking questions on how to do something, or external provider companies or clients (who didn't give a toss when he said he was on leave). Two years ago he ended up working the entire week because his boss & colleagues kept calling and/or emailing. So we both now have set working hours & refuse to answer any contact outside hours.

We now have laws that support employee right to disconnect, but really it just comes down to if I'm outside of paid hours, I'm not answering.