22:30 work call - completely unacceptable?

[shortbreadconsumer]

I received a work call from someone in my organisation at 22:30 last night. I answered, thinking it was an emergency. The colleague was completely hysterical and impossible to understand. In the end I had no choice but to end the call with 'we can discuss this in the morning.'

This morning I spoke to the persons line manager about it, who said that it was 'unfortunate, but not unreasonable' for this individual to have called me as I had not answered any emails from said colleague over the weekend. They had sent me over 50 emails this weekend. I did not see the emails as seniors within the organisation take an 'if it's urgent, they have my number' approach.

I am more senior than both of of these colleagues and I was 'on call' all weekend as the most senior point of contact in the organisation. However, this was not an issue that required weekend working and, more importantly, it was not an issue that I needed to be consulted on. It was very simple and should have easily been resolved in working hours by this individual alone - her direct line manager would not have needed to input either.

AIBU to think that this was unprofessional and unacceptable from both of them?After no sleep, I've reached that 'was it really that bad' point where I am so sleep deprived that I am not sure whether I am overreacting in my annoyance or not!

Because this is real life its either work or benefits. We have daily threads about mentally ill people being on benefits and that their scroungers and should get a job but as soon as someone acts mentally ill in the workplace no one wants them there

There are obviously other scenarios, but they would be part of your contract. If it's not part of your contract you are not responsible.

Management plan 🤣🤣 I've been under cmht for over 20 years they don't care what works and what doesn't. Did you take your meds? Yes. Did you try mindfulness? yes. Oh well we have no other suggestions then 🤷‍♀️

No, it's the job of the mental health services and to get people into these therapies! But why are you pretending it's all about bpd it isn't! Most of the people sat on their arses are not claiming to have bpd!

The way op employee is acting strongly suggests anxiety disorder/ panic disorder to

Bloody hell, if this happened where I work the colleague who sent 50 emails would be disciplined as well as the junior staff member.

@shortbreadconsumer We take weekend working seriously as an organisation

Everytime someone says "we take this seriously," that's how I know it isn't taken seriously.

Whenever someone dies in a factory after getting caught in machinery, the company always issues a statement to say "we take safety seriously." Yet, evidently, it wasn't taken seriously.

The fact that you had a member of staff contact you at 22:30 is evidence that you as a manager have not been taking weekend working seriously.

Do better.

Yep, I expect ‘psychological safety’ at this company is shit and the employee was terrified of finding him/herself at the shit end of the blame game. The OP seems most affronted at being contacted by someone much lower down the pecking order than her.

I guess it depends on expectations, but I used to work in ground operations for a small travel businesses. We all took it in turns to cover out of hours. Yes it was supposed to be for emergencies, but it was par for the course that some calls weren't truly urgent. It's just part of the job with out of hours cover. How long would the call have been for you to say "don't worry, we'll pick this up on Monday"?

@ThisTimeWillBeDifferent How will a spa break help my rage?

Having a bath doesn't calm me down.

Yes but this isnt a benefits thread, and we have no idea whether this colleague has MH issues, or just lost their shit over 1 thing. Acting unreasonable isnt always down to a MH issue.

But, gently, its absolutely fair that no one would want to work with someone who harasses them or other employees, or who thinks its ok to do so. And I really don't think anyone would begrudge someone getting benefits in a situation where the person is so unwell they think turning up at someone's home at 10.30pm is normal behaviour.

What you mean a cup of tea and a hot bath doesn't cure your mental illness. I think crisis team need some more material

I have not seen your response shown ANY concern for the member of staff’s MH.You appear to be very dismissive of the person trying to call you. I am glad I don’t work on your team!

Have you spent anytime on the daily benefit bashing threads on this site?

Maybe focus it into something useful like petitioning for change in your workplace, rather than coming onto threads with a staggering amount of projection because you can’t fathom that not every single workplace wants every staff member bled dry.

Sounds like there maybe more to it and she is really struggling. To send 50 emails is an awful lot and to be so hysterical and inconsolable regarding an issue you say was unimportant. I hope she is getting the help she desperately needs!

Ive been on MN 18 years. Of course Ive seen them. But i believe this thread is about an employee who may or may not have MH issues not following an on call process and then ranting at op at 10.30pm.

OK, but would you agree that you have a degree of personal responsibility for putting strategies in place to ensure that you are not harassing other people? Surely you can't just shrug it off and say "my mental illness made me do it"?

@ThisTimeWillBeDifferent Maybe focus it into something useful like petitioning for change in your workplace

Yes, good idea. Create a negative impression with the company management, who are the same people who control my job progression (or lack thereof).

You sound like a manager who has completely lost touch with the normal working environment.

Years ago I was on holiday with my DH and 3 small children - campsite in the UK, remote. First break in literally years.
Got a phone call from another manager at work. Asked pointless questions. Then fucked off.
When I got back a week later the director apologised that I was disturbed on leave, but "John just needed to check X, Y, Z about the project you are both working on; thank you for answering him as he's gone ahead now." Except John hadn't asked any of that, just arsed around like a dick on the phone. And then made the wrong call on all the points he decided himself.
I left shortly after - the company placed such value on useless John that they wouldn't see that he was, indeed, useless and made stuff up to make his life easier. The project, unsurprisingly, failed.

I feel very sorry for you that your workplace is so toxic

Sounds like this employee needs support and a wellbeing check.

Why did they send 50 emails and reach a point of such distress. That’s concerning.

No one should be put in that position at work.

You need to reframe this and approach from a position of duty of care rather than a place of annoyance at a badly timed call.

Theres so much projection on this thread I feel like Im at an IMAX matinee

Yeah its about an employee who's mentally ill and op her boss doesn't give a shit and many people on the thread think the employee is wrong even though its blatantly obvious she's ill. And what we are told daily on mumsnet is that mentally ill people need to get jobs but the exact same people saying they don't want to deal with it in their workplace

The OP isn't her boss. She isn't directly responsible for managing her at work. Quite possibly the OP has no more knowledge of the employee's health issues than I do.