Phone calls whilst on annual leave AIBU

[Tazmania77]

I work for a small firm & report to 1 manager. I have been there for about 10 months.For context its csvs in an industry I was desperate to get back into since leaving to have my children 10 years ago. So the manager took a chance on me & I am grateful, also very aware that in the current climate I'm lucky to have a fairly safe job.I was supposed to be going abroad on Sunday for a week & we had planned on me doing a proper handover of all my work etc as my manager has been pulled in 20 different directions last few months & I basically run everything alone. My holiday was then cancelled & I decided to take 3 days instead of 6 & to take the kids to a caravan instead just to get away. Friday comes & no handover opportunity presented itself so I was there 1.5 hours past my hours sorting out paperwork(my chikdren were at a friends who understood why I was going to be late collecting)but it came to Monday and I got one text to say I'd put out of office on to our shared email rather than mine(was rushing so much it was a very rare mistake)but was it nessesary to send me a text to tell me id done that?! then 2 long phone calls 1 when I was half way up a mountain(surprisingly good reception!)after letting it ring out twice was then asked to call as soon as i could.Turned out to be something I'd already had a lengthy discussion with them before i left but was forgotten.Also emails would have been very easy to find but its starting to be a case of its easier just to call.i'm told constantly by manager that I need to prioritise my children as ill never get that time back but I get calls asking me to sort stuff out at the weekends & now phone calls when I'm on holiday.Starting to feel ive bitten off more than I can chew with this job.In all fairness it did come a few years before I was ready for it but after being out of the industry for so long & with such a great salary I had to go for it. Would I be unreasonable chatting to my manager to try to get a better work life balance at least for now while the kids need me?not reduced hours, just to make time to handover so I'm not going to get calls whilst I'm off?! I do wonder if my manager would have called me if I was actually abroad!!

Reject the calls rather than answer them and when you get back say it was turned off when you were on holiday

mute the number and reject any calls you notice

It’s rubbish!! I used to get emails on my days off... which was fine as could choose not to reply.... but then I would get a phone call/text on personal number asking me to read my emails and reply.

It’s tough, as in some workplaces and industries this would be absolutely standard and you’d harm your prospects by complaining about it. In other places this would be absolutely forbidden.

So without knowing the work culture where you are, it’s hard for anybody to advise.

One thing I found helpful with a similar manager was telling her that I was planning to switch off my phone as we’d agreed on “family screen free time”, so asked her how I could prepare everything to make sure she had everything she needed while I was away. We agreed a structure for handover notes and meetings, which worked well. She’d still occasionally call or text and I’d respond when I saw it, but she soon worked out it was quicker to look back at the handover notes!

My manager rang me during the 6 weeks holiday, I only worked term time & was sat on the beach with ds.

I did try to reject the calls but I then got a text asking me to call and I did say if there is an urgent reason and you need to call me I will try to answer but was not urgent and something wed already discussed in length. Its just the two of us so we do lean on each other quite a bit but I wouldn't dream of calling if they are on annual leave unless a dire emergency and id exhausted all options first. The two calls were not urgent and very easy to find the information needed in two separate places. I start half hour early take a 10 minute lunch then often stay another half hour at least every night. I don't want to be unhelpful and start clocking in clocking out mentality but work life balance is definetly scewed in favour of work at moment! Manager often calls at 5.20 or so with a list of things I need to do urgently and I have to remind that I need to leave on time for the kids etc. I need to learn to start saying no or is it urgent or can I do it in the morning but don't want to be seen as "difficult"!

Ignore the calls. Though I did that once and my manager left a voicemail asking me to call asap as he was worried something had happened to me as I didn't call him back. Then acted concerned about my welfare when I arrived at work the next morning as usual. I said I had not noticed his messages while on leave instead of saying I blanked him. Then I felt bad.

It's hard isn't it? I had to go in twice whilst on AL to sort out something that could only be sorted by me & apparently "couldn't wait". Probably my weakness but it's stressful!

I'd honestly just ignore.

Re reading my op makes it sound like I run the place!! I just do maybe 70% of the admin at the mo as manager being pulled in so many different directions I need to manage our emails and spreadsheet s etc which is why a proper handover in my opinion is crucial to make sure they had all info they needed and it didn't happen as they were pulled away all day again before i left

I completely sympathise, OP.

During lockdown a 'work group chat' was created on WhatsApp. Our office is a small company.

As the weeks and months rolled on my boss used to text after work, while I was having dinner, sometimes even close to midnight with trivial shite that could easily have waited until the next day.

I now mute the chat as soon as I leave the office and will completely switch off when on leave in a few weeks, however as PP said this might not be easy in all circumstances as everyone is different.

They'll soon get the hint. Are you likely to get into trouble for ignoring?

Unless you've signed up to do a job that contractually requires you to be available whilst on annual leave, I'd suggest you block any work numbers (and withheld ones) whilst on leave. That way, messages and calls won't get through and your manager will have to look through the handover info you've left instead of going for the easy option.