Messaging outside of work

[Random84]

I thankfully have a job which finishes the minute I leave the office unless something catastrophic happens. I don't need to do any work in the evenings and I manage to fit all my work within a standard week.

I've had a couple of days off on leave (back in tomorrow) and a colleague has just messaged me and I'm guessing it's to update me on his week and the dramas that have taken place (I haven't looked at the message on purpose). This has happened several times, more recently he messaged me on a Sunday morning on a bank holiday weekend asking me if I would go to the office as he forgot to leave a key, messaging on a Sunday evening when he's returning to work after a week off asking what he's going in to on Monday etc.

Maybe I'm being a bit of an arse but it's not a mega stressful job, I'm not paid a fortune and to me messaging someone about work in their own time is incredibly rude? I would never message someone in their own time unless it was something extremely important (redundancy, death of some someone at work etc.).

When I'm in work I give 100% but once I'm out of work I'm not really interested in the latest office drama! Does anyone else have this problem?

[Sporky]

I work during the hours in my contract, and I don't work outside them. That's what the contract says, so it must be what I'm meant to do.

[Mr Pointy]

Random84 said:

I thankfully have a job which finishes the minute I leave the office unless something catastrophic happens. I don't need to do any work in the evenings and I manage to fit all my work within a standard week.

I've had a couple of days off on leave (back in tomorrow) and a colleague has just messaged me and I'm guessing it's to update me on his week and the dramas that have taken place (I haven't looked at the message on purpose). This has happened several times, more recently he messaged me on a Sunday morning on a bank holiday weekend asking me if I would go to the office as he forgot to leave a key, messaging on a Sunday evening when he's returning to work after a week off asking what he's going in to on Monday etc.

Maybe I'm being a bit of an arse but it's not a mega stressful job, I'm not paid a fortune and to me messaging someone about work in their own time is incredibly rude? I would never message someone in their own time unless it was something extremely important (redundancy, death of some someone at work etc.).

When I'm in work I give 100% but once I'm out of work I'm not really interested in the latest office drama! Does anyone else have this problem?

Rather a contentious first post?

[sam.rog]

Block his number.

[Terminator X]

Random84 said:

I thankfully have a job which finishes the minute I leave the office unless something catastrophic happens. I don't need to do any work in the evenings and I manage to fit all my work within a standard week.

I've had a couple of days off on leave (back in tomorrow) and a colleague has just messaged me and I'm guessing it's to update me on his week and the dramas that have taken place (I haven't looked at the message on purpose). This has happened several times, more recently he messaged me on a Sunday morning on a bank holiday weekend asking me if I would go to the office as he forgot to leave a key, messaging on a Sunday evening when he's returning to work after a week off asking what he's going in to on Monday etc.

Maybe I'm being a bit of an arse but it's not a mega stressful job, I'm not paid a fortune and to me messaging someone about work in their own time is incredibly rude? I would never message someone in their own time unless it was something extremely important (redundancy, death of some someone at work etc.).

When I'm in work I give 100% but once I'm out of work I'm not really interested in the latest office drama! Does anyone else have this problem?

Wtf, reading a message or even calling someone takes fk all time. Why wouldn't you engage unless an absolute workshy .

TX.

[Pit Pony]

If someone messaged me about work at say midnight, I would respond thus :

Jon, you okay? Have you st the bed or something? Couldn't sleep? It could have waited you know.

I would do this at 6am whilst having a st

I have done this to our MD twice and followed it up with walking into his office later in the day without an invite and saying "Hi, Jon, are you okay? I'm really wooried about the hours you are doing? You really need to get a proper night's sleep, and learn to let go. You don't want to have a heart attack like me.

It really pisses him off, but he knows I'm right.

[Countdown]

Random84 said:

I thankfully have a job which finishes the minute I leave the office unless something catastrophic happens. I don't need to do any work in the evenings and I manage to fit all my work within a standard week.

I've had a couple of days off on leave (back in tomorrow) and a colleague has just messaged me and I'm guessing it's to update me on his week and the dramas that have taken place (I haven't looked at the message on purpose). This has happened several times, more recently he messaged me on a Sunday morning on a bank holiday weekend asking me if I would go to the office as he forgot to leave a key, messaging on a Sunday evening when he's returning to work after a week off asking what he's going in to on Monday etc.

Maybe I'm being a bit of an arse but it's not a mega stressful job, I'm not paid a fortune and to me messaging someone about work in their own time is incredibly rude? I would never message someone in their own time unless it was something extremely important (redundancy, death of some someone at work etc.).

When I'm in work I give 100% but once I'm out of work I'm not really interested in the latest office drama! Does anyone else have this problem?

Apologies if I've missed something but why can't you just ignore him?

[sjg]

Genuine emergency fair enough. Handover after leave is something you either email for them to read when they’re ready or schedule some time when they’re due back.

Thankfully my work mobile went back years ago, only HR have my personal number and any apps like Teams and Outlook are on quiet mode out of hours.

[LosingGrip]

When I was at my old job (Tesco) I’d refuse to answer any messages outside of work. I didn’t get paid enough to think about work outside of work. In the end only a few people had my number who were friends.

Current job I am happy to take calls if it’s about a job (police). Have a work WhatsApp group. But it’s normally little bits like starting early to get a target or something. But more importantly, every now and then I’ll get to finish early to make up for those times I’ve answered emails at home. Made phone calls on rest days/leave etc.

[sociopath]

Just tell him next time you see him that you don't respond to messages outside work hours.

It's not that hard is it?

[Douglas Quaid]

Terminator X said:

Random84 said:

I thankfully have a job which finishes the minute I leave the office unless something catastrophic happens. I don't need to do any work in the evenings and I manage to fit all my work within a standard week.

I've had a couple of days off on leave (back in tomorrow) and a colleague has just messaged me and I'm guessing it's to update me on his week and the dramas that have taken place (I haven't looked at the message on purpose). This has happened several times, more recently he messaged me on a Sunday morning on a bank holiday weekend asking me if I would go to the office as he forgot to leave a key, messaging on a Sunday evening when he's returning to work after a week off asking what he's going in to on Monday etc.

Maybe I'm being a bit of an arse but it's not a mega stressful job, I'm not paid a fortune and to me messaging someone about work in their own time is incredibly rude? I would never message someone in their own time unless it was something extremely important (redundancy, death of some someone at work etc.).

When I'm in work I give 100% but once I'm out of work I'm not really interested in the latest office drama! Does anyone else have this problem?

Wtf, reading a message or even calling someone takes fk all time. Why wouldn't you engage unless an absolute workshy .

TX.

Why would you want to start thinking about work stuff outside of work? Reading a message and writing one back takes a minute but then it can occupy your mind for hours if it’s a stressful thing, which you don’t need outside of work.

I don’t think not wanting work messages outside of work makes you a .

[ChrisH79]

If I’m off for an extended period of time I check my work emails, and respond to select ones in my own time.

My work phone goes off at the end of each shift, but 3 colleagues and my line manager have each others personal numbers too so we can arrange last minute swaps or give each other a heads up if we’re going to be late. I don’t see an issue if you’re not being asked to actually complete tasks when you’re off.

[Sporky]

Terminator X said:

Wtf, reading a message or even calling someone takes fk all time. Why wouldn't you engage unless an absolute workshy .

TX.

Perhaps we could have a grown up discussion instead of calling each other names.

[jm8403]

Sporky said:

Terminator X said:

Wtf, reading a message or even calling someone takes fk all time. Why wouldn't you engage unless an absolute workshy .

TX.

Perhaps we could have a grown up discussion instead of calling each other names.

This. There is a line for some between 'replying to everything' vs 'workshy'. I reply, often later at night or in morning, weekend and leave, hardly ever.

[fourstardan]

I had this in Lockdown, the org (Big UK Financial Service Brand btw) didn't have anything other than WhatsApp to do group comms.

I also had another project before lockdown with a regional project team where there was a WA group for similar stuff.

It felt like an Intrusion of privacy to me but some people view work socially, I expect the guy texting you see's you as a good "buddy" but maybe express some values you have and he should get the picture as you don't want to lose mates at work.

Also, you could exit the groups and say you have got a new number/phone as a bks excuse?

[jm8403]

fourstardan said:

I had this in Lockdown, the org (Big UK Financial Service Brand btw) didn't have anything other than WhatsApp to do group comms.

I also had another project before lockdown with a regional project team where there was a WA group for similar stuff.

It felt like an Intrusion of privacy to me but some people view work socially, I expect the guy texting you see's you as a good "buddy" but maybe express some values you have and he should get the picture as you don't want to lose mates at work.

Also, you could exit the groups and say you have got a new number/phone as a bks excuse?

I just exit groups or more to archive. People soon get the hint.

[Yazza54]

Depends whether you're actually mates with this colleague or it's just someone who's venting at you or mithering you. If my boss bothered me with something work related while I was off I'd tell him to back off unless it was something that desperately needed answering and only I could. Work isn't just in the doing, it's in your head too and can ruin your day, holiday.. whatever. So there ought to be boundaries.

This is an increasingly difficult thing to balance working at home for me as work is everywhere, so come 5pm everyday my laptop and workphone are switched off and that's that. Only colleagues I consider mates have my personal number.

[Random84]

Sorry I wasn't able to post due to new account rules!

Some of you have hit the nail on the head and the work shy comment is way off the mark. If it was something urgent I could completely understand and I would reply but a handover or discussion about a project is not something I would want to go over when I'm about to sit down for my tea.

Got no problem dealing with it (just ignore the messages), just wanted to get other peoples views as I would never message staff I manage on their day off etc. Everyone needs a break and why would I bother them?

The line of work people are in has a significant impact on this, as someone said some people have a big social side to their job.

[vulture1]

I would be ok with colleagues messaging me with questions or issues if it took me 2 mins to solve something that would cost be 2 hours or £1000s if left undealt with. But that worked both ways. Staff messaging me about hols and chanfge of shifts equals its ok for me to messafe them for overtime.

[Pete54]

I was surprised by the number of people talking about not responding or even switching off work comms. But then I remembered the low levels of UK productivity and it all sort of fitted.

If you want to progress in a company and become a valued resource those tactics are very counter productive and will consign you to slow lane. Or if business gets really bad, the first out of the door lane.

People talking about they would respond in an emergency does suggest they would at least look at the comms - which is really the absolute minimum a business would expect. Always interesting to see how some people think.