Anyone else’s colleagues do this when you’re going on annual leave?!?

[Netball01]

I’m going on a 2 week holiday next week - it’s been booked for ages & my team have known about it for months.

I’m basically admin support for my team but there’s no one to cover me when I’m not here & the work I do is pretty essential to our client delivery. I’ve given them all plenty of notice / reminders / set deadlines etc to make sure I got everything done before holiday.

So of course, they’ve all ignored all my deadlines & left everything to the last minute & now I’m being inundated with emails about submitting their work to me Friday lunchtime so I can get it done before my holiday (!!!!)

I’ve also had emails about the urgent work I can pick up on my first day back from holiday but needs to be turned round asap.

Everytime I go on holiday this happens & it just ends up being so stressful trying to get it all done as it’s pretty much impossible for me to get it done that quickly.

I also really hate them lining work up for me on my first day back before I’ve even gone away as it just hangs like a cloud over my last few days when I’m meant to be relaxing.

AIBU to think this really poor from my team?? Honestly just want to tell them all to F off !

BTW I’ve already started pushing back but it’s falling on deaf ears so far.

I’d say all of this to your boss. No you’re not being unreasonable. Whoever you submit holiday request to and who is manager should sort correct holiday cover

As pp said and also tell them no can do. They can't leave it until last minute & then expect you to magic up capacity

Definitely speak to your manager about it.

I think you need to push back and say “no I won’t be able to do that before I go, you had plenty of notice” but for that you’ll need your LM’s support.

And also push back against work lined up on your first day back - obviously you should be returning to a day of work, but if you need some “catch up” time, then can you block it in your calendar?

Do you do CC group emails advising dates? If so then you just do what you can before you go. You should be returning to work with a view of doing a day's work, so that bit is unreasonable. You need to work on clearing your mind until you clock on.

Can they be taught how to do their own admin whilst you’re away? Or can a temp be brought in as you give plenty of notice.

I’d speak to your manager. I’ve worked admin support in the past and this was a common occurrence. It wont stop as long as you keep doing it on the last minute and letting them treat you that way.

“The failure to adequately plan on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part”

If they are aware of the ‘lead times’ you need and you’ve told them dates things must be with you, then some balls need to get dropped with a hefty dose of “I gave adequate notice of my leave, this deadline is now impossible”. Some people only learn when they have to.

"Sorry you've missed the deadline of last Wednesday for this task. I will do before my holiday if I can but if not, I will do after my return so it may be up to 3 weeks before its actioned. You'll need to do X y z to ensure the client is aware and not inconvenienced."

They knew the consequences - follow them through...

Just tell them you can't do it and refer any complaints to your manager.

They need proper cover for your breaks.

Was also going to say their poor planning...

id be expected to get it done before my holiday no matter how late I’d have to stay

not saying that’s right, just an example of how you need your managers backing before you chose a stance

Just to say that absolutely don’t expect to have a day of no work when I get back from leave but it’s the pressure of being told I’ll need to do X,Y & Z urgently when I’m back.

I just think it’s a bit selfish as they know I won’t be able to turn it round that fast anyway so it just adds a whole load of pressure before I’ve even sifted through the hundreds of other emails & things I’ll need to catch up on.

Fellow admin here. I think if you don't allow some consequences of their late delivery of work to you to happen, things will never change. It is poor management to not arrange cover for you.

This is excellent advice. Yes, you have been setting expectations and time frames, but you have not followed through with boundaries. Start now by pushing back (politely) as stated above. If a team member responds that its urgent, set out all the other "urgent" work you have. Copy in all team members. Ask which tasks should be prioritised, as you can only complete 1 or 2 prior to your leave.

'Lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on mine....' and repeat.

And yes, take it up with your manager.

Anything that isn't sent to you before the deadline you've already advised them of doesn't get done - simple. Then log off and enjoy your holiday. Not your problem.

You have allowed them to get away with this shit before so they are just going to keep doing it until you decide to no longer be a doormat for their lack of planning.

Drop the rope and allow the natural consequences of their inaction to happen. There is no way they can come back and say they weren't fully and repeatedly informed of your holiday.

With stuff like this I get my manager involved but I do it in a helpful fashion. “Unfortunately there’s been a flood of requests before I go on holiday, I will stay late and get as much done as possible but I think I will need to prioritise x,y,z. Unless you have another preference?” Ultimately they tend to agree with me, roll eyes at other members of staff. “

Then I do the same when I get back. Any complaints are batted back with “you’ll need to speak to manager if you want your work prioritised” often they do not and if they do they tend to get told to have better time management.

It is ridiculous you don’t have cover though. The idea of a holiday is not for you to come back and do two weeks of work to catch up.

Put your out of office on now, reiterating your deadlines for 'upcoming annual leave from x date to y' and saying that any emails relating to work for when you return will be assessed and prioritized when you're back. Saves you engaging with each individual email request now.

Yeah give them a deadline next time and put your holiday dates on your autosignture and remind people every day.

’please get client facing requests to before weds, or they’ll be done on a ‘best endeavours’ basis only.

and copy in your boss

I will stay late and get as much done as possible

Nope - I wouldn't be staying late on my last day before hols because other people have saved work up for me.

This. Why do you have no cover?

Set the expectations now.

Don't work extra, don't play catch up.

As you receive a request - oh I'm away as of Friday and things are piling up, it's unlikely this won't be done until the week after I return. I'm already at capacity, unless of course management wants to make a priority call and this can go before xyz in which case that work will be delayed...

Make it someone else's problem. Tell them when stuff can be done, don't let the request or tell you when it's due, tell them when you can get it done with your current workload. Don't under estimate either. Make sure that you're saying achievable dates.

I agree with this. If you dont follow through you nothing will change.

I would agree with pp - put your out of the office message on now. Take the two oldest emails and work on those until Friday. Move all your other emails from your inbox into a sub folder marked “Emails pending”. When you come back from leave, send all your new emails to emails pending. Sort them into oldest first. Move the oldest to your inbox and work on them one at a time.

Never work late before a holiday. No one will die if the work doesn’t get done. Enjoy your time off.