Question: “I asked for time off to take a vacation to Hawaii this past spring. My company has offices in California and New York. While on vacation, I received a barrage of e-mails very early each morning (4 a.m. Hawaii time), most of which needed my reply to approve a document or comment on a proposal. Is it really a vacation day if I end up spending five or six hours each day answering e-mail? It seems like I just moved my office a few thousand miles west.” — Chris
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My boss recently went out on vacation for two weeks. I feel that anyone, whether boss or employee, should have that R&R time to not worry bout work, issues that may come up and so forth. In all honesty everyone should know how to handle or cover others duties for just that reason. I know I wouldn’t check email while on vacation, if someone in the office can’t handle it then it can wait. The caller can be informed I am out for so long and they can be advised to email me or leave a voicemail and I will get back to them. I also set my “out of office” when I am gone even for a project that takes me to another room most of the day – I do advise I will check throughout the day but then again I am not on vacation.
Balance, strongly believe that is what makes you a success and prevents burnout. Use out of office and delegate some of your work. Have a primary contact during your absence that agrees to cover for you and you can return the favor when they are out. I usually indicate on the out of office that I will reply upon my return and will not have access. I provide a contact of a person that can assist if it’s urgent. It’s called having a life, no fun making money if you can’t enjoy it or the time off. It doesn’t make you less dedicated, a good break is good and should be taken “guilt free”!!!
I give notice to everyone 2 weeks in advance when I plan on being gone. I also tell them I will not be checking e-mail or voice mail, then don’t. Also plan on a back up person to cover while you are gone.
If you are putting in a full day while on holidays, then you aren’t on holidays and I would make sure that I would be asking for that time to be reimbursed back to my annual leave! Don’t answer your phone if you know it’s work – they can leave a message and don’t respond unless it is exceedingly important. Don’t check your emails – that’s what the out of office is for. Ensure that your out of office gives the contact details of the person that is covering your position while you are on leave and let them deal with it. Vacation time is time for you to recharge your batteries so you can go back to the office refreshed and wanting to work.
The office will still be there when you get back. The work will still be there, and if they can’t survive for a week or so without you, then at least you’ll know that you have a job for life ;)
Many years ago we did not have computers or cell phones…. we went on vacation and were not “connected” to our offices and work survived just fine without us. I just spent a wonderful eight days completely unconnected from work. Remember – we teach people how to treat us. I am very clear about the fact I am going “off grid” when I am taking time completely away from the office. I arrange for backup for the work that needs attention, then I leave. I return refreshed and ready to go. I have lots of responsibilities and duties in my job working for a high-level executive in a 24/7 manufacturing facility — time away is vital for me in order to continue being a high-performing and valuable while maintaining a low stress level.
Why are you checking your work email if you’re on vacation? Next time, set up an out of office reply. This will automaticall reply to every email that is sent to you letting that person know the dates you’ll be out of the office. Give them the name, phone number and email address who they can contact in your absence if something requires attention before you return. This should help alleviate what you’ll need to take care of when you return.
If they expect you to reply or act on any work related issue while away from the office, they should pay you or reimburse you for that vacation time. It’s not vacation time if you’re working. If you don’t want to ask them for compensation for your work while on vacation, ignore the emails, because your are off the clock and not obligated to the company at that time. If they address the issue of you not replying, then that’s your perfect opportunity to negotiate compensation.
Set your Auto-Response on Outlook to the “out-of-Office” reply and leave the computer at home! The only thing you should be doing at a computer on vacation is purchasing discounted tickets for your family activities! You should have a second in command to handle a TRUE emergency and call you if ABSOLUTELY needed, but otherwise, the world will not end if things wait a week. If you are on vacation for a month……that’s another story and the rest of us would like to know where you work and if you have any openings. :)
When you are on vacation you are on vacation. I would not even check my e-mails. If staff knows you’re going on vacation, they need to plan accordingly.
My brother-in-law had the same problem. My sister (his wife) solved it on their last family vacation. He was not allowed to take the Blackberry with him. He had to turn it off and hand it over at the door before they left the house. It even had it’s own special place so he could find it when they got back.
By the way… the world did not end, the company did not go bankrupt and my BIL is doing just fine. :) :) :)
Next time you go on vacation, do not look at your emails. If they are sending you emails to your private email, still do not respond. Vacation is vacation and not work. Also, ask your boss if he is willing to reimburse you for the accumulative time that you may spend doing work while you are on your next vacation. I totally agree with Anon2!
Next time you are on holidays do not look at your emails! Even if it’s your personal email, do not respond!
Chris, my Director does the same to me and I do have all the work delegated with ground rules. However, after the first time I took vacation and was called and emailed nonstop I established that if I am called or emailed for anything work related I will deduct that from my vacation hours in 15 minute intervals so if I am on the phone 2 minutes I will deduct 15 minutes so I can take an extra 15 minutes of vacation at a later date. Before I go on vacation, I always send a reminder memo to my Director and to all the people who are backing me up to know that if you take my time I will be paid for it. It has taken almost three years but the calls and emails are shorter and shorter each time I am away, last Christmas I was called only twice in a week and emailed only once. I do wish I had a Manager like Lynne’s but not all bosses think like that. In my case I had to set some ground rules so I am not taking time off and working when its supposed to be vacation. This is also done with my sick time and I have some stories to tell on that one, lets just say my boss now understands the need for a backup persons.
I am of the belief that no one is that important that they can’t be left alone for some R&R. Have a back up plan for next time. Delegate the items that can’t wait until you get back and set some ground rules. Is there someone that could be designated as your “back up” for when you are out? Prioritize what is important and who will handle it, and be sure to explain the things that aren’t urgent. As my manager says – when you make yourself available and you answer calls all hours, it becomes an expectation and then it is harder to lay boundaries. People might give you a hard time at first, but you deserve your time off just like everyone else and eventually they will get used to the new expectation.