Ignoring Non Work Related Texts on Weekends
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Anonymous
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My colleagues have my personal cell phone number. They have abused it since day one 6 years ago when I started. They routinely text me about non-critical work issues after hours and expect responses whether it be 5 am on a Sunday or 10 pm on a Tuesday.
This weekend one of our temamtes was admitted to Georgetown Hospital with severe chest pain. There were, I sh*t you not, 37 texts between 8 people expressing immediate concern and offers to help with their kids, dogs, meals etc. Early this morning the 'patient' revealed that it was a ...... kidney stone. Not even 15 minutes later, my manager (who is in the work group text) sent me a side text expressing 'dissapointment' that I had yet to chime in. My wife and I had actaully taken a rare weekend away in a cabin by Charlottesville. My tean not only knew this, but I warned them that I might be unreachable as cell service is spotty down there. Point being- they don't know whether I received these texts or not. So my manager's text is so out of line I'm having trouble containing my anger I'm torn between playing dumb and texting back this afternoon "Hey, just back to reality and I got all these texts. Happy to hear Bill's issue wasnt serious!" or Texting my manager back alone and demanding a meeting with her boss first thing as this is clear cut harassment and invasion of privacy. Your vote? |
Anonymous
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Yikes. This would also drive me nuts.
I think you are likely to get some responses telling you to have more compassion for the colleague admitted to the hospital, but I'm going to sidestep that. I would not text your manager back - at least not right away. I'd text them later today/this evening and remind them that you were out of pocket this weekend for a private weekend with your spouse, that's it. Tomorrow I'd go in and tell your manager that your weekend and family time is precious and you intend to mute the group text on the weekends for that reason. If they press, I'd invoke religion or privacy and reiterate that this is something you need to do for your family time.* My own work text group is similar and there's almost no time in any part of my week that I want to get 20+ texts on anything. *I'm basing this on a LDS colleague that I had like 20 years ago who was upfront that he did not work on Sundays - at all. This was law, so Sunday work was not unheard of. |
Anonymous
| Option 2 for sure. Use your words professionally. This is unacceptable behavior. Do not text your manager back today deal with this tomorrow am, during business hours. |
Anonymous
| 1 |
Anonymous
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Right now, #1.
If you really are being bombarded with non work texts on your personal line, I would address that later at a more appropriate time. Addressing it now right after co worker had health scare seems wrong. |
Anonymous
| Absolutely not #2 as could hurt you |
Anonymous
This. You are right on principle but will sound cold and unfeeling. |
Anonymous
| i keep work text threads always muted. if it really was that pressing, someone would call. will that work for you? |
Anonymous
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Not number 2, especially since you seem to be going into this heated and flippant about the "patient". It won't end well.
I think this is a perfect example of work place culture not being a good fit. Your manager's text is absolutely out of line, but it seems like your workplace is the type that gets involved in each other's lives. Sure, you can demand to be removed from it. Call it harassment, etc. But in the end, it is still going to hurt you. Time to look for a new job. |
Anonymous
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I dont think there is anything wrong with the work texts. Assuming you generally like your corworkers.
The managers text was out of line though. I would want to address that. whether passive aggressive or head on. |
Anonymous
This. Personally, I have zero interest in being bombarded by coworker-related texts over the weekend, including about Kevin's kidney stone or other health issue. |
Anonymous
| Screenshot your out of pocket group text and send image to boss saying they must have missed seeing this. |
Anonymous
+1 this whole culture would annoy me to no end but everyone will act oversensitive in light of the context. I would be no-nonsense with the boss: "I had spotty reception while I was away. Glad it sounds like everything is fine." |
Anonymous
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Do you also have a work cell phone or email?
It's a pita but I would change my personal cell number. And not give it out. |
Anonymous
| If you like being employed, just pretend you didn’t get the texts. |