Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

about 'urgent' work emails when I'm on leave?

110 replies

flopsyandjim · 28/06/2018 11:25

I'm on annual leave for a month due to having no childcare. My line manager approved this. She can be a bit of a pain, sometimes nice, sometimes not.

I do have a history of checking emails during annual leave and responding to some, but I've been trying not to respond this time (although checking them). My manager even sent me an email last week before leaving saying that I absolutely must not check emails, and copied others in telling them not to email me until I'm back.

except today I get an "I know you are on leave, but this is urgent" email. Asking for information that I've already provided but she can't find...I get all my email alerts on my phone.

I responded. It took me only 2 minutes but AIBU to feel annoyed? I'm trying to do better with keeping work and life separate, and I'm off to spend time with my DD (and catch up on study). I thought she wanted me to switch off but seemingly she wants me to save her skin because she's under pressure again and being a nice person mug I find myself helping again.

DH says as it only takes 2 minutes to provide the info, not to worry (he has done work on his annual leave too, we are quite a pair aren't we?)

I am waiting on the outcome of an interview for a position in another department where hopefully I will have better management. This entire team have been very mixed messages - do not take work home, do not check emails, but we will give you so much work that you will end up doing it in your spare time anyway.

OP posts:

chatwoo · 28/06/2018 13:41

You should be able to stop your work email account from synchronising. Therefore no email updates until you reactivate the sync. Or as PP have said, switch off the notifications.

WillowRose79 · 28/06/2018 13:41

It took you longer to come to MN to whinge about it than to reply to the email. You've got a whole month off, surely people are going to need to ask you stuff occasionally

WillowRose79 · 28/06/2018 13:41

It took you longer to come to MN to whinge about it than to reply to the email. You've got a whole month off, surely people are going to need to ask you stuff occasionally

chatwoo · 28/06/2018 13:41

You should be able to stop your work email account from synchronising. Therefore no email updates until you reactivate the sync. Or as PP have said, switch off the notifications.

chatwoo · 28/06/2018 13:41

You should be able to stop your work email account from synchronising. Therefore no email updates until you reactivate the sync. Or as PP have said, switch off the notifications.

EBearhug · 28/06/2018 13:41

I'm currently on leave. I handed over everything that needed it before I left. My OOO message tells people about alternative contacts. Won't be checking my mail till I'm I'm back in the office.

If it were a real emergency, manager and others do have my personal email and phone number (though I've not always been in reach of a mobile signal.) But they know my first reaction is likely to be, "Have you checked the documentation I wrote, so people can find out what to do when I'm not there?"

I have had a weather report from the office after I kindly mailed them a photo of the beach I was on.

So - just ignore the calls.

didsomeonesaybunny · 28/06/2018 13:45

Hmm - I really think it depends on your position. In my role I’m expected to have my phone on at all times and respond to email (even non-urgent) which can get tedious but it’s the nature of the beast. My advice would be pick your battles, if it really only took two minutes I wouldn’t kick up a fuss because you might be shown to be unreasonable.

DarlingNikita · 28/06/2018 13:50

You've got a whole month off, surely people are going to need to ask you stuff occasionally

Not if the OP left sufficient handover notes or whatever was required, and the department is adequately run and staffed, the latter being very much not her responsibility.

There's really no point using the 'whole month off' thing as an argument either; it was approved by a manager, so end of.

user1485342611 · 28/06/2018 13:50

If it was something that only took you 2 minutes and she was apologetic about it I'd just let it go.

In general though I think checking in on work emails when you're on holiday is a really bad idea. A few friends where I work have my private number so I know if there was something that I really needed to be contacted about ,work would be able to reach me.

But I certainly don't want to encourage it by reading, and replying to, work emails when I'm officially on annual leave. I take several weeks off every Summer and I completely switch off from the place. I really don't want to know about work.

Emmasmum2013 · 28/06/2018 13:52

Its nice to be needed when you're not there I suppose...

However just be careful that it doesn't become a regular thing. I'd turn the email notifications off on my phone. Your boss was probably being too lazy to look at the stuff you'd handed over before you went off.

Good luck with the interview for the new department. At the end of the interview when they ask if you have any questions, you can ask about their policy on working from home and availability so you know its the right fit for you.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 28/06/2018 13:55

If it was that urgent, surely they would call you? They know you are on holiday, do they expect you to be checking for emails every 5 mins? Really annoying. Just put your foot down and tell people you will NOT be replying to emails while you are off.

coffeeforone · 28/06/2018 14:02

I think YABU to be annoyed by this.

I don't see an issue with dealing with work emails whilst on leave. Most people who have OOO email access wouldn't hesitate to send the odd personal message during work hours so it works both ways.

SgtFredColon · 28/06/2018 14:05

I don’t understand why you have the alerts on. In my job I have a work phone so I switch it off when I’m off. If it is your personal phone turn off the alerts or delete the app.

Original poster

flopsyandjim · 28/06/2018 14:14

I met all deadlines prior to going off on leave and handed over some tasks to colleagues. There isn't really any need for my line manager to be emailing me but she is under pressure at the moment - got told off for not doing appraisals often enough/properly and passes a lot of work to the team. I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and being pissed off at her.

OP posts:

Lweji · 28/06/2018 14:31

If she just passed on work to you rather than asking you for something that only you knew, then I'd just not reply.
No point in getting annoyed. Just don't do it. When you got back, you could then ask her if she still needed it.

WhiteWalkerWife · 28/06/2018 15:37

Ignore the calls. They wont learn otherwise. They have the information, they need to look for it.

Oopsmeagain · 28/06/2018 15:47

Many posters have commented that you should turn off the work email sync or stop notifications on your phone but you haven’t responded to those comments.

Why can’t you do that?

coastalchick · 28/06/2018 15:55

My old boss used to expect us to answer emails/calls when on leave (I’m a lawyer) but wouldn’t pay for data for me to check out of WiFi zone if I was out and about on holiday. Was told I should pay for the data myself and “invest” in my career. Needless to say, it did not get checked unless in WiFi.

They went mad at another lawyer once who didn’t take his (own) phone on holiday and instead had a “burner” as they expected him to be available.

I no longer work for that firm and wish I’d left sooner. Am now in a different role for same money and never check emails on holiday or weekends or even past 5 in evening - it was a condition of my taking the job (imposed by me). Best decision I ever made. My time is my time. Life’s too short

LittleMissedTheSunshine · 28/06/2018 15:56

What would happen if you just put a delay of responding to any work emails for a few days... I bet she'd soon stop mithering you. Sometimes we really do have to teach people how to treat us.

MachineBee · 28/06/2018 16:07

No one ever wished they’d spent more time at the office answering emails on their deathbed.

EliseC1965 · 28/06/2018 16:43

We aren’t allowed access to our emails out of the office and no one has any personal details apart from the big boss. They are super keen on work life balance. No eating lunches at desks etc, and when you’re off, then you’re off.
Unlike my previous job: FE Lecturer, when my line manager called me expecting me to send in work, because I was in the hospital with nephritis! She’s actually just been booted because of bullying! So glad to be back in the real world away from education.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 28/06/2018 17:18

I do have a history of checking emails during annual leave and responding to some, but I've been trying not to respond this time (although checking them)

You're causing this. Stop checking. The world won't burn down without you; really. If you stop checking, they'll stop expecting you to check. They told you not too!

I used to check my emails all the time. I enjoy my time away from work a lot more now that I'm not - even if something happens; you can't affect it. You're just causing yourself work and anxiety.

Thebluedog · 28/06/2018 17:34

I do respond to work emails whilst I’m on leave but only if it’s quick, important and only if I can. If I’m in the middle of a day out or simply can’t be arsed to look, then I don’t.

Maelstrop · 28/06/2018 17:36

I do work all the time when on annual leave, I think it’s quite normal. I’ve told my department to take work emails off their phones, tho, so they’d have to log in very deliberately to see them.

My entire week off in May was spent working at home.

Etymology23 · 28/06/2018 17:40

I have a lot of time off this summer. I reply to quite a lot of my emails while I’m off because I don’t want to deal with them when I’m back. 5 mins a day saves me pain when I get back.

I tend to view “urgent” as meaning, need this today rather than when I get back from holiday. If it was genuinely urgent they would ring me. If it was catastrophically urgent they’d get my personal number from HR or one of my friends at work and ring me on that.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5