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I just started a new job. I'm working 8-6. We are required to stay to 5, but I stay to 6 for various reasons, but a lot of times the west coast sales people will call me after 5pm (we are on Eastern Time). I took over some tasks from another lady and both me and her deal a lot with the sales people. This other lady, has "trained" the sales people that she is available after hours. They call her and email her and she talks to them, sometimes 9-10 o'clock at night and on vacation too. She has a company issued phone (I do not) and we both have laptops although I don't take mine home.
I don't know how many of you are familiar with sales people, but they tend to not have many boundaries when it comes to time because they are working all the time. I am setting boundaries with the sales people I deal with. Basically they know I'm here a little past 5, if they get me, I'll do whatever I can for them. They know I'm here early in the AM too. Obviously emergencies are different, but none of what they want is usually an emergency of any sort.
Some of the sales people are in our office for training this week. One of them approaches me last night as I'm leaving and asks if I'll be available around 8:30pm to talk to him. I said no, but I am here at 8am (their training does not start until 9am) and if needs something he can talk to me in the morning (or any part of the day, but it's hard with the training).
I just felt a little put off by his request. I go home, take the dog to the park, make dinner, watch a show or two on TV and I'm out. I don't want to by any means to do any work at home. I feel 10 hours in the office is plenty. And I don't have kids, yet.
What is reasonable? Is corporate America just expected to be on their phones and computers all the time? Just because I have a cell phone, doesn't mean you can text me at 9pm. I am just a little bit frustrated and I want to make sure to handle this properly and set up the correct boundaries now, before I "train" them to a specific behavior with me.
Does it make much of a difference if the OP is exempt or non exempt? I understand doing work that is time sensitive or needed early the next day at home, and having to work extra hours. But I would assume most of us want a semblance of a life and know that when we leave the office, the time is ours and we can relax and deal with things when we get into the office...as I said, unless its a dire situation, otherwise, I wouldn't want to be disturbed while on vacation or after having clocked out for the day...
Thanks for that link groar. Luckily it's not that bad of a situation. And the thing is that these sales people are not my bosses, but they do go out there and get us sales, so I try to accommodate them as much as I can. It's just that if you do it once, when they are clearly in a bind, all of a sudden, everything becomes a dire situation. This is just how they are.
My Mom has always set boundaries because she's always had us kids. And now even at 53 she still has a 13 year old at home. As far as I know, it hasn't come back to hurt her in her career.
It seems like they see that I don't have a wedding ring, so they assume I'm not married, no kids and I can work at all hours. Well, I am in a relationship, I have a puppy, I have duties I have to tend to and I want time to relax. I want to somehow express to them that after I leave, I'm off limits.
Work is at work during certain hours and after that, it's YOU time. You don't live to work, you only work to provide a means to live. Be very firm about the fact that you have a life outside work, whatever it looks like. Certainly do not feel bad about it. I'm a counselor and where I work they know, if I'm not here...then I'm not here. They can leave a message or an email and I will get back to them when I can. Once you start being slightly flexible, they will take you for everything.
Up to you, you draw your own lines. Last week I had an attorney call at 9 p.m. and stayed up until 1 a.m. so I could get the work done and to him in the morning. That annoyed me because I'd asked two days ago if they needed it soon, but pulling 16 hour days is pretty normal in big box corporate law. When I work with them, it's what I expect. If I didn't want to, I'd refuse. There's plenty of work where calling at 9 p.m. expecting something that night would be totally out of line. It might not pay as well, but it's sure as heck less stressful. I could have a perfectly successful career never having to deal with that crap too.
Sounds more like your salespeople are like my particularly attorney and their disorganization becomes your problem rather than there being any particular urgency. Just be blunt about it. Feel free to email me or call afters and leave a voice message, and I'll get to it in the morning. In certain lines of work, that just isn't acceptable. In most, it's perfect normal. It doesn't mean people won't try and push and get more, but it doesn't mean you're necessarily obliged to do it. It might or might not impact your career. It certainly would with mine but it's not like I'd be out of a job... my workload would just change accordingly. I don't know how flexible your job is, maybe the more demanding sales reps get assigned to someone else who gets fast-tracked while you stay where you are working an 8-5. Is that necessarily horrible? Depends on the person and what they want in life.
Work is at work during certain hours and after that, it's YOU time.
It depends on what the job is to some extent. Some jobs are for specific hours. Others are to do a specific job, without regard to what hours are actually worked.
Quote:
Originally Posted by etjaipleure
I'm a counselor and where I work they know, if I'm not here...then I'm not here. They can leave a message or an email and I will get back to them when I can.
Obviously your position does not involve dealing with clients on the west coast or Europe where there are significant time differences involved. Try working with clients in Australia. I do on occasion and I may very well respond to an e-mail or two from them for a few minutes in the evening.
As to the OP - When it comes to these sales folks...I would let them know that if there is an occasional emergency where they need to speak with you ASAP, that is one thing, but let them know for non-urgent matters, you will get back to them the next morning. That sounds reasonable. However, at the end of the day it really comes down to the expectations of your role as laid out to you when you started. If this is something you cannot get around (working here and there in evenings, weekends, etc.) and you do not care to do, then maybe the position is not a good fit for you and it is time to look elsewhere.
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