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

[fotevers]

I finish at 5pm. I was packing my bag for work and looked at work phone flashing with a missed call from someone in the business. And an email saying they are still available to speak until 6pm.

It’s not even anything critical they are calling about and could be dealt with tomorrow.

It's not massively inappropriate to call at that time but you certainly wouldn't be unreasonable to ignore until tomorrow.

It’s fine to call, obviously it’s also fine not to answer though.

They know what time you finish?

This at 6pm.

If they know it's a work phone they'll assume you switch it off when not working. It would be a bit inappropriate to call after about 7pm and before 7am though unless there are different time zones or shifts involved.

Not inappropriate at all to call at that time. Fine not to answer though.

Well if you were packing away and it's 5i think it's ok.

How do they have your number?

Not inappropriate to call at all, but you also don’t have to answer.
In a work ‘emergency’ id much rather someone call me with a quick question then have to deal with the aftermath.

Well I’m not online so yes.

It wasn’t an emergency

Well I’m not online so yes.

I mean it wasn't an unreasonable question, none of us know your work setup.

Turn your work phone off when you're not working

perfectly fine to call until about 6 or 6.30. You might be walking to the car park or waiting for a bus and ok to take a quick call. Or you can ignore it. Calling just after 5 is working hours!! 5.30 is normal clock off really.

i start at 8 and often finish at 4.

But i am a grown up and i would just go in tomorrow and answer the mail.

It's not inappropriate to try to reach someone. It doesn't matter what your work hours are. It's normal to just not respond if it doesn't fit you.

I know a lot of people hate this. But personally, I think it's fine to call/email etc.. outside work hours. Some people r happy to answer or respond (personally I always read and respond to work calls and emails whatever time of day and night as I prefer to be contacted than not). If you are not happy to answer or respond to work stuff outside your designated hours, just don't answer the phone/switch it to voicemail and put your out of office on your emails. Problem solved.

Some people like to keep very strict work hours boundaries, and that's great! Others happy to work day and night - that's fine too!

If you are the boundary type, just ignore work stuff outside work hours. Easy! Noone will care or judge you negatively for it.

Having cancelled holidays three times this year for work I don't really see picking the phone up at 5pm as a particular hardship. Calling any time is reasonable, its up to you whether or not you take it.

They were absolutely not unreasonable to call at 5pm and just let you know they were available until 6 without setting an expectation or demand that you call back immediately.

You were absolutely not unreasonable not to answer and to wait until tomorrow to call back.

But it's ridiculous for you to be huffy about this - not everyone keeps the exact same work schedule and you are perfectly capable of choosing not to attend to your work devices once you leave for the day. Other people are not responsible for minding your individual schedule down to the minute.

If they had called at midnight or pressured you to respond after you were done for the day then the answer would be different,

It’s a work phone. I would assume you were working if it was on. Or that you will collect the message and act accordingly. If the phone is on someone may be working late and fine to deal with a routine issue.

Fine to call, but also fine not to answer.

It's fine to call.
It's fine to let you know that are available till 6 - that's their deadline to set.

It's fine not to answer the phone from 5, and deal with it the following day. That's the deadline you set.

Fine for them to call and fine for you not to answer.
Many people don't clock off strictly at a certain hour, so as far as they knew, you were still working.

So it’s fine to not answer, equally if you were still working you could’ve picked up.

It’s really fine either way and absolutely not a big deal.

Lots of people work flexibly so not rigid start/finish times, it’s a bit odd you’re so vexed by someone calling your work phone tbh, are you new to working full time?

Making a work call at 5pm is perfectly normal, you dont think the work world closes down then do you? Although I'm not clear from your OP if the call was pre or post 5pm, either way it's a bit of a non issue imo

Ok if you're a brain surgeon then no. If your a taxidermist yes.

I'm currently on call from 5pm to 9am for out of hours cover for a funeral director, it's part of the service. But every one apologies for ringing us.

If you work for yourself then you should really answer at 6pm because the work might not be there next week.

If they were calling you at 10pm you'd have a point.

Just after 5pm - not an issue.

You are being a drama llama