Communicating With Employees (after hours)

[Alpacalia]

Is it general practice to be accessible to your boss "all the time" outside of working hours?

For the most part, my boss respects my time, though he tends to call me on weekends if he needs help.

My compensation is time and a half OT after hours.

Lately, it seems to be increasing. It's starting to feel like he is encroaching on my private time. Now, I'm more than happy to try to be useful and available to him outside working hours. If I am unavailable, I always make sure to get back to him at some point to let him know.

I guess I'm wondering if it is appropriate to say to your boss that his weekend calls are annoying and to knock it off?

Of course, I won't say it that way, but that's how I feel.

 

[poppyfields]

23 minutes ago, Alpacalia said:

For the most part, my boss respects my time, though he tends to call me on weekends if he needs help

What type of help does he need? 

I think it's wrong for him to expect this.

At a previous job, occasionally my boss would anticipate needing me to work on a Saturday (office work) but would ask me before I left work on Friday if I was available.

If not, he'd find someone else.

Calling you on the weekend is quite intrusive imo, unless your job requires you to be "on call."

I am assuming that is not the case.

Perhaps you should have a talk?  During working hours.  Set the parameters.

If me, I would politely and respectfully tell him that while you can't guarantee you will always be available to work on weekends, that you're open to it if/when available but request he let you know prior to close of business Friday so you can plan for it. 

I think that's fair.  

[Wiseman2]

55 minutes ago, Alpacalia said:

My compensation is time and a half OT after hours.

Does this include being "on-call"? Or are you given notice that a weekend day may be needed. If it upsets you, renegotiate your contract to include on-call compensation.

[Alpacalia]

Thanks.

No, I am not "on-call." Nor is it part of my contract. 

My initial contract is for a set number of hours per week that we agreed on.

Anything over that amount is paid to me at time and a half. That was never part of my contract though (that I would work extra hours).

They then asked for an extra day during the week once per month that I go into the office, and I said yes. That was after I had signed the initial contract.

@poppyfieldsit's investment project management.

I don't think it's a matter of renegotiating my contract. I can only do a certain number of hours per week with school and other projects that's part of the reason why I took the job initially because of the flexible working hours. They knew this initially and were fine with it initially because they only needed and wanted a preset number of hours too. So, I felt it was a good fit for both of us.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Alpacalia

[mark clemson]

I think it can vary quite a bit between jobs, companies, and even departments/specific managers. For example, I think e.g. corporate Director folks are expected to be ready to put out a fire whenever it might be occurring. First responders get calls whenever as well, I believe, if more personnel are needed to cover a specific situation.

For an hourly type position, I think if you feel your manager is asking too much you need to find a way they can get what they need done without asking for OT you feel is excessive. Depending on your specific situation, "pushing back" can sometimes be risky and so done carefully if you care at all what your manager might think of you. BUT it SHOULD be done (so they don't think they can just ask whatever of you and you don't mind) - just in a very reasonable and constructive way, if possible.

Is it possible to line up an intern or temporary worker to help cover? Maybe suggest that and see how it flies?

[Foxhall]

Your a victim probably of your own personality if that makes sense,

I suppose on a forum like this if you are around a while you get a feel for certain posters and you are clearly a very warm caring person,

It would make sense that your boss taps into that and views you as a good sounding board, 

Perhaps no harm to put a bit of a barrier up- have your phone turned off at weekends make a point of taking measures to ensure you are not available ,

Particularly now that it coming to the point that he is annoying you.

[Alpacalia]

21 minutes ago, mark clemson said:

I think it can vary quite a bit between jobs, companies, and even departments/specific managers. For example, I think e.g. corporate Director folks are expected to be ready to put out a fire whenever it might be occurring. First responders get calls whenever as well, I believe, if more personnel are needed to cover a specific situation.

For an hourly type position, I think if you feel your manager is asking too much you need to find a way they can get what they need done without asking for OT you feel is excessive. Depending on your specific situation, "pushing back" can sometimes be risky and so done carefully if you care at all what your manager might think of you. BUT it SHOULD be done (so they don't think they can just ask whatever of you and you don't mind) - just in a very reasonable and constructive way, if possible.

Is it possible to line up an intern or temporary worker to help cover? Maybe suggest that and see how it flies?

Thanks Mark!

Yes, this is contract-based work so it's a bit different. Thanks for pointing that out.

I didn't ask for the OT rate because it's not like the standard anything over 40 hours per week; they were kind enough to offer it to me for anything over the agreed to number of hours that I initially contracted at.

It's a delicate situation because I need to be able to manage my time sufficiently between this job and others and school where one doesn't suffer over the other. And work-life balance is important to me too. I don't want his work to suffer it's just that I thought when we interviewed initially and he explained that he would only need a certain number of hours per week that that's what I was signing up for, give or take of course. He has said he feels like he isn't able to accomplish anything when I'm not there.

I did research and proposed backup solutions for him in the event that I am not available, but he chose not to use them. 

 

[ShyViolet]

Nope, nope, NOPE.  It's important that you set boundaries when it comes to work.  Certain people will intrude on your boundaries as much as you let them.  But it's not good for your mental health to allow coworkers or supervisors to call you at all hours when you are on your own personal time.  Let them know, in a very respectful and professional way, that you will get back to them during working hours.  I think a conversation in advance would be a really good idea.  Let your supervisor know what hours you will be available to take work calls.  And if he needs something during off-work hours, to email you and you will reply to it when you are back on the clock.  And stick to it!

[Alpacalia]

Thanks.

I had a conversation with them this morning and it's been worked out. My response was that perhaps a full-time employee if they need more hours than what we originally agreed to would be better suited for them. They have no interest in hiring a replacement, and I said I would be available only one weekend per month going forward if the need arises. Let's hope that's the end of the matter.

[MElkington]

On 12/4/2022 at 10:17 AM, Alpacalia said:

lately, it seems to be increasing. It's starting to feel like he is encroaching on my private time. Now, I'm more than happy to try to be useful and available to him outside working hours. If I am unavailable, I always make sure to get back to him at some point to let him know.

I guess I'm wondering if it is appropriate to say to your boss that his weekend calls are annoying and to knock it off?

Of course, I won't say it that way, but that's how I feel.

 

 

It depends on the nature of you occupation and what you agreed to when you began as to whether this is appropriate.

[Alpacalia]

Thank you.

This is freelance project management support. They hired me to provide x, y, and z hours each week based on what they advertised and told me their initial needs were. As a student, that was perfect for me when I interviewed. After I signed the contract, they asked for more hours during the week and an extra day a month, which I agreed to. I felt like it was one of those situations where you get in, get your work done, and then they're like, "But there's more I want her to do."

They have sought my availability more often. I started to get more and more calls after hours or on the weekends. I was also recently asked to take on an additional role within the company, which I cannot do, since I don't feel I have much experience in it, and because it's an entirely separate role, I am unable to devote the time required to do it within the scope of hours that we agreed to even though it would be more money.

Despite reaching milestones, he tends to act right away on ideas that come to him. Some of those ideas can take a few hours alone just for him to map out. Also, he likes to consult me on everything. Both factors are connected, I'm sure.

It is my hope that this proposal will satisfy both of us so that he still feels like he can rely on me without overutilizing my time.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Alpacalia