Apparently, there is a new bill in New York City that would make it illegal for bosses to penalize employees for not answering calls and emails after work hours. There are some stipulations, it would not apply in emergencies and it doesn’t ban them from calling, it just bans them from punishing you for not calling back. My local news show did a “vote now” poll to see what their viewing audience thought about this new bill. And surprise, surprise, 80% of people thought it was a great idea. I am intrigued by this.
Let me start by saying, there is not nearly enough information for this to be an accurate question. It does however bring up some great things to discuss. Should bosses call or email after hours? Should they expect you to respond? There are several points I would make and some key tips on how to manage it going forward.
First and foremost, we need to be clear on where the pressure is coming from. The pressure you feel to be so responsive-- at all hours of the day and night. The pressure that makes you feel like you would be punished if you don’t answer that call or email after hours. I mean where is the pressure REALLY coming from? I think-- for way too many people-- it is self-imposed standards. It is in your head.
I did a training event for a large company and had a group of high-level managers and VP’s in my session. One of the VP’s shared an amazing experience with me. He told me that when he was promoted to his current VP position, his C-Suite boss immediately started calling him and emailing him throughout the weekend. Being new in the position he was afraid to not respond, even though he was not happy about it. He answered the calls and emails in the middle of family dinners and kid’s recitals. This went on for several months. Finally, he had enough. One Monday morning he marched into his boss’s office and said, “I need to talk to you about the calls and emails on the weekend.” The boss quickly responded, “Yeah, I have been meaning to ask you about that. Why are you responding?” Come to find out, the boss felt like he worked the best on the weekend, less distractions and interruptions. It was great for him! So, he was sending the emails and leaving the messages when he was thinking about it. He told that VP that he never expected him to answer or return calls, he knew everything he was emailing or calling about could wait until Monday. Can you imagine his surprise?
When I say the expectation is self-induced these are the kind of stories I am talking about. And I hear them all the time! Always be willing to ask yourself did your boss specifically say to you that you are required to respond after hours? Or was it “implied?” Did you ask for clarification of that “implied standard?” My guess is no. If you have not specifically communicated about these expectations, before they happen then it becomes normal. You teach people how to treat you! If you are that person that responds to every email in 9.8 seconds after receiving it, you are teaching people that you will do exactly that. So, the day you don’t answer that email in 9.8 seconds, your coworker is in your office in 10.8 seconds asking “Did you get my email?” And then you are annoyed. But who set that expectation? And before you tell me you haaaavvve to, who says you have to? Probably you. Be honest with yourself and set different perimeters. It starts with YOU setting boundaries and clarifying expectations.
This leads me to the communication of expectations. This conversation is best had before the event occurs. Meaning, don’t let the anger or frustration build up to the point that when the boss does call, you answer with a snarky attitude. This makes you look bad no matter what is right or wrong with the bigger picture. Talk about the expectations with your boss on a regular day when there was no after hours call the night before. Ask the boss to clarify their expectations and appropriate response time. If I return emails within 3 hours, is that acceptable? If I return those after hours calls first thing in the morning, would that work? Remember, you are negotiating what the expected response time is and how you can make sure you are on the same page as your boss. You may not completely agree with the expectation but at least you will know going forward, what they are, and can respond accordingly.
If you are a manager, supervisor, or leader in your organization it can also be helpful if you work with your people about what constitutes a true emergency or need for that after hours call. Just because you think of it at 9:00 at night doesn’t mean you need to call your employee and tell them about it at 9:00 at night. Write yourself a note and tell them in the morning. If everything is an emergency, then nothing is an emergency. Be clear on that point, always.
There are also lots of benefits that come from this accessibility. You can leave early to go to your child’s soccer game because if they need you, they can give you a quick call. You can come in a few minutes later to drop your kids off at school or go to the gym. You can work from home when the plumber is coming over. Whatever it looks like for you. This is the trade-off. You are allowed more flexibility in your work times and locations because you are flexible and responsive as needed. We are a global economy, so many companies do business with people in all different time zones, so flexibility is not just a perk it is required. We need to be realistic in what the work rules and etiquette are today. Not what they were 20 years ago. Be open to the possibilities.
Lastly, remember we have cell phones. And we love our cell phones. And they are NOT going away. This is an amazing technology that we have all adapted to and benefited from. Who doesn’t love the access our phones allow? The shopping, pictures, Face Timing with our kids—and perfectly beautiful nieces! (That may just be me!) We are applying old rules of work etiquette to new technology, and that will never work. We have embraced the technology and now we must communicate about the access. Just because you have the smartphone doesn’t mean you have to answer, let’s face it, you probably do it all the time. So, don’t curse the phone instead, communicate expectations. And do it early—and often.
I hope this gives you a couple of things to consider that may help you going forward. And now I have to go, I have an adorable baby niece I need to Face Time! (I sure hope she answers!)
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