Work abusing personal email

[squidsin]

My boss is lovely and I really enjoy my job but she does have a really annoying habit of emailing me on my personal email on my days off (I work Weds-Fri) with 'urgent' work enquiries. They are rarely, if ever, genuinely urgent. I've told her (well, asked her very politely) countless times to PHONE if they are urgent, and not to use my personal email for work, because I don't always check my email, and even if I do, I can't do anything about it if I am not at home. I volunteer with RDA on Tuesdays (although not today actually as I am sick) and she must realise I can't write a quick caption if I am leading a disabled child round an arena, but that doesn't stop her doing it. Arrrgh! I don't like to rock the boat and I realise I am really lucky to have an otherwise great boss but this drives me nuts. It's not just a one-off either, it happens nearly every week. My personal email is not for work use! Any advice?

 

[Mary Poppins]

I would just ignore her requests until you are back on 'work' time. Just tell her that you don't check your account very often and she will soon get the message if you don't respond to them.

I had the same with my private mobile number but just ignored the calls. I don't mind them ringing on my landline and leaving a message on that phone, but my personal mobile is for personal use only - I don't want anyone from work to call me when I am sat on my horse!

 

[Trewsers]

Hmm. Difficult one. OH used to have a very demanding boss who would think nothing of ringing him all hours even Sunday! But that was before emails were invented, god only knows what it would have been like! When we started our own business we got phone calls at all hours because it was new and there was always something that needed urgent attention. However, this is different from being pestered by your employer, when its for yourself you don't mind as much. I would try saying that you don't check your personal email every day - I know you have already told her this but next time she sends one you are going to have to look the other way and when she then says you ignored it, point out the aforementioned.
Its so hard to find a balance between being keen and helpful and being had for a mug!

 

[squidsin]

Its so hard to find a balance between being keen and helpful and being had for a mug!

I know! I do work a lot out of hours (partly because I bunk off to ride during work time!) But even so, I do a LOT extra for them, and I do feel that they take advantage of that.

 

[volcy]

I think it depends on your job and career progression etc but I think you either need to stop it completely and remind your boss of when you work you work and when you don't you don't, very tactfully and remind again that if it really is an emergency just phone... or it would be fair to suggest that if they need you to be, what is theoretically on call outside of your hours but within the working week you would like them to supply and pay for a smart phone which has email through to it, so that you can be emailed to a work account and that you will when able to (i.e maybe when at home having a cup of tea and not when leading a pony round the school) respond to it but that time will either be paid in overtime or in TOIL (riding time!) from your normal work hours!!

I had a day off on Friday, but still had to reply to 3 of the many emails that came through to my phone and replying to 2 texts from my boss - needless to say I did not feel guilty about leaving early to take the cat to the vet last night (and to be fair 4 out of 5 of us in the office were off so I had anticipated that when I booked it!) but there is a bit of me that wishes technology hadn't made us quite so available!

 

[Jessey]

I get emails on my personal address from work on occasion, they also call me at all hours when things are urgent but if they started making a habit of it I would ignor them until the start of my next duty time and then approach my boss with a response, if they asked why I didn't respond sooner I would politely remind them I don't always pick up emails or calls when on my own time around the horses.

 

[Kite_Rider]

My boss knows I don't do work anything out of hours, she also knows that while I'm at work I'll work my socks off but she also fully respects my days off, shame the new employee who is now working part time on my site doesn't. I have had yet another phone call from her today (was having physio at the time) so couldn't answer anyway, but when I listened to the message she had left it was all pointless stuff she should be more than capable of dealing with herself. If she was new to the job fair enough but she is supposed to be competent.
I would ignore your emails from the boss because once you reply you know it won't stop, but again it depends on how important your time off is to you compared to your career. I can fully appreciate people working all hours and being available any time if that's what they choose but think down time from work is very important otherwise you never switch off and it can make you ill eventually.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Its a little bit of a touchy call if you can take time off to ride> That is a big plus. But that being said it seems they should understand
a bit better about your off work time and not hanging around your email! If you do not have an "On Call" situation I would politely
refresh their memory and then not pick up-if you were out riding or leading a child as you would not be able to answer it. I think if they gave you a smart phone
that would imply its no big deal to want to constantly contact you off work time and it would get worse.
As Trewsers said if it was your company than that is a totally different situation -you want to be available all the time.

 

[juliecwuk]

I know! I do work a lot out of hours (partly because I bunk off to ride during work time!) But even so, I do a LOT extra for them, and I do feel that they take advantage of that.

Lol I could have written this comment!

I worked last night from 9-midnight in the vain hope to have the 3 hours back today to ride but the weather was a bit pants so I couldnt be bothered and I have TONS of endless work to do so I have typically given those hours for free!! (though I will just make sure I do actually ride on a sunny day!)