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Original poster

To ask my employees not to contact me outside of my working hours?

53 replies

rathernotshare · 27/04/2020 21:05

Back story. I'm a manager in a large company. We are being briefed and briefed about looking after our employees welfare while they are working from home. My team is working all hours of the day to fit around their lives. I'm continuing to work office hours so that they know when I'm working, and we all have some kind of overlap. However I'm getting calls at all hours of all days and I can't cope with it, but it's being rammed into me that I need to support them. Am I being selfish? Can I ask them to back off or would that make me terrible?

OP posts:
jakeyboy1 · 27/04/2020 21:09

No not at all. Tell them your hours and anything outside of that is via email and you get back when you can.

My boss has just put a 1:1 in on my day off. Delighted.

fedupwiththisshitnow · 27/04/2020 21:12

Is it a work phone they're phoning? If so, switch it off outside your hours with a voicemail message explaining they can email and you'll get back to them tomorrow.

If it's your own phone you should probably ask for a work phone or figure out if you can block certain numbers outside of your working hours.

fedupwiththisshitnow · 27/04/2020 21:14

Ps your also an employee who's welfare needs to be looked after.

BendingSpoons · 27/04/2020 21:15

You need boundaries for your own wellbeing. You are as important as they are. You need to rebuff things e.g. don't answer the phone or say I'm not working now but I'll call you tomorrow. I have young kids which makes it a bit easier to say I'm busy. I would happily respond to something serious outside work hours but not constant minor issues.

ToPlanZ · 27/04/2020 21:17

You have welfare needs too, so Yanbu. Everyone needs downtime. You can't work all day, every day for an extended period without eventually decreasing your own productivity and possibly making yourself ill.

hopeishere · 27/04/2020 21:18

Agree. We are all employees who need support.

Is there one time when everyone is working where you could do a group catch up?

One of our managers is making it clear she is only available at certain times in her calendar.

Another is making it clear she's working harder than anyone else for the first time ever.

Lostintheuniverse · 27/04/2020 21:19

Yanbu, you need to look after your own welfare too

MT2017 · 27/04/2020 21:20

My

MT2017 · 27/04/2020 21:21

Oops...

My phone is on DND from a certain time.

PersonaNonGarter · 27/04/2020 21:23

If your employees are working outside hours then I can understand they might need to communicate with you when they are in work - but can’t they email? Why are they calling?

(And definitely switch on vm when you are not at work)

bridgetreilly · 27/04/2020 21:25

I think it's completely reasonable to say that out of office hours they should email or leave a voicemail and you will get back to them the next day. You can't be on call 24/7. If they need to have an actual conversation with you, then you can arrange to schedule that, but you don't have to be just responding whenever they happen to be working.

Staticelle · 27/04/2020 21:26

YANBU, as you say, you are working more standard office hours, they are aware when you are contactable, and surely working different hours fits into their lives better, so they should also be flexible. As has been said as well, your welfare also matters, and that would be my swede in.

Love51 · 27/04/2020 21:28

Consider it leading by example.

My boss has no boundaries and it doesn't make me respect her.

Hannah021 · 27/04/2020 21:34

Turn ur work phone off or put it on DND and put an auto reply email "im now out of office, will be back tomorrow at 9"

You dont need to say it if you feel uncomfortable. Your email says it, and not answering says it too.

I cant believe anyone would call outside usual office hours, so rude

AmelieTaylor · 27/04/2020 21:35

I don't think it's that simple

What kind of things are they calling about.

Who is in charge of the hours they're working?

Can they get in with their job without your input?

Is it too complicated to text?

Boundaries need to be drawn, but if they're permitted to work outside of your hours then they need someone to go to - it's why they have a manager & why management are paid more 🤷🏻‍♀️

pussycatinboots · 27/04/2020 21:39

Turn your phone off when you finish work and on again when you start.

Staticelle · 27/04/2020 21:41

why they have a manager & why management are paid more 🤷🏻‍♀️

No it's not, a manager is paid more as they have either additional duties and/or a higher level of responsibility; not to be contactable at all hours during a global pandemic when others are working different hours because it suits them. OP works set hours so they know when they can't be contacted.

Matildalamp · 27/04/2020 21:44

What are they calling about at all hours of the day? Is that their working time? Are they calling about work stuff?

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 27/04/2020 21:45

You just need to turn your phone off. You could put a voicemail on there to say if it's an emergency ring 999 and if not ring back tomorrow or email. Then you've met your obligations into their welfare.

hopeishere · 27/04/2020 21:48

Just because someone is a manager doesn't mean they are paid to be at peoples beck and call 24/7!

There needs to be some sort of core hours system.

Ontheboardwalk · 27/04/2020 21:52

I started a new huge job as manager where the core hours were 7am till 9pm (at the earliest) every day. I started being available and noticeably around every hour every day. Other people in the team were doing 7 hours, I wasn’t and it made me ill

I then made time every day during the middle of the shifts for people to contact me but my phone 'went off' at 5pm. if there was a real emergency I was contactable through the major incident process anything else could wait till morning

summerlovin12 · 27/04/2020 21:52

The people I manage at the moment are all doing very different hours to the norm however we all do a daily conference call together. It helps us discuss who's doing what and try to reduce the amount of then individual calls. It isn't fair for you to keep on answering the phone after you have finished work.

DonLewis · 27/04/2020 21:53

God, I'd hate this.

I already have a workaholic boss. I set my boundaries early. She emails me after 6 on a Friday? I answer on Monday morning.

You have to do something. What's possible?

Itwasntme1 · 27/04/2020 21:55

I have this issue in my team. I am the only one with no kids so am working 8am to about 6:30pm. If some one needs me urgently they can text me, otherwise they know I will answer emails in the morning.

Taking care of people means checking in, having a chat, keeping them up to date on what is happening. It doesn’t mean being available 24-7.

The only person who can manage this situation is you. Explain to your team when you are available and when you aren’t.

However, you may need to come up some arrangement to ensure your team are getting the direction they need. And ensure they have the confidence and ability to make decisions that are within their remit.

Ontheboardwalk · 27/04/2020 21:57

Actually I’ve seen someone’s e-mail signature that says 'you might receive mails from me after the standard working day. This is due to my flexible working pattern and my own choice. I do not expect any response from you until part of your standard working day and work load'

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