Ignoring work texts

[Nancyg56]

In the circumstance you describe with your work, it sounds like responding or answering a client's call could lead to a longer conversation or may require solving a problem, taking time out of your day off. I can understand why you wouldn't want to respond in your scenario. But in the scenario the OP described, it would have been very fast and easy for their co-worker to simply reply to the manager with a "no I can't come in" text and then they could have ignored any subsequent messages. Then the manager could have moved onto the next person to find coverage. While the co-worker may not be obligated to do that, to me it just seems like the professional and polite thing to do so as not to leave their employer hanging.

I usually make the choice to take the call but that is my own decision.

My dh is union and if they aren't scheduled to work but the weather or circumstances change the calls go out in order of seniority. Believe me, the bosses are not waiting. If within a specified time frame they don't reach one...they move on. The workers are not impacted if her do not return the call.

I have been I. That position of having to say no in previous jobs and believe me, there were times I was sorry I even picked up the phone. A text? I would have never even responded until hours later.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Why is it disrespectful?

"This Memorial Day, celebrate the sacrifice of our men in women in uniform so you can have the freedom to save thousands on a new car!"

 

[smiths02]

Do you? What are you're reasons if you do? Yesterday my boss and supervisor texted someone to come in and he totally ignored both. I feel like unless you are in a life or death situation you can respond.

What say you?

I guess my answer to the original question is that I respond if a response from me is specifically required and/or if it is useful. If my response will not help the other person but will take time out of my personal life, why should I respond if I am neither on call nor have a company phone?

 

[Klayfish]

"This Memorial Day, celebrate the sacrifice of our men in women in uniform so you can have the freedom to save thousands on a new car!"

I can't say I've ever seen a car or mattress (or any) ad worded exactly like that. If there were one, I'd think it somewhat tacky, but not outright disrespectful. As someone else said, we can honor and pay our respects to those who served, and keep them in our hearts. But is it supposed to be something where we sit at home the entire day dressed in black and in mourning? I don't see it that way. Retailers don't either...it's a day where many people have off from work and are looking for something to do.

By that same logic, you could then argue that Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 3rd cousin once removed day (LOL) is disrespectful. They are all also big sales days/times.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I hear you, and I don't disagree. The manager should be calling and not texting when they need someone to come in. But in this day and age, especially with certain age ranges (mine included), texting is just the norm that has replaced phone calls for things like this. Perhaps the manager did move on after not receiving a quick reply from the person, but it still would have looked better on the employee to shoot a quick text back saying no. If they truly didn't see the text until hours later, it still would have been easy and painless for the employee to say "sorry, didn't get your text until now, i'm not able to come in at all. hope you found someone" - or something along those lines. I agree there's no obligation and should be no punishment, but I just feel like it's the nice thing to do.

Texting to see who will come in is unprofessional really in a work setting. I can absolutely see two employees texting each other to see if one will take the other's shift sure no big deal. But a manager and a supervisor texting other employees to see who will come in? Yeah no. Perhaps in a mom and pop type place where it's a handful of very close employees but as the OP stated it was mattress store with locations around the country...it's the store manager/supervisor making the decision to text versus call. I highly doubt company policy is to text employees.

Besides that other employees should not be knowing who was contacted. I mean yeah employees themselves talk but the OP shouldn't know that this specific guy was contacted unless the guy himself said it. The only way I know the OP would know is if there was a group text or the manager or supervisor was texting the guy right in front of the OP. I suppose the manage or supervisor could have also spoken out loud to the OP and say "yeah I contacted so and so" but the way the OP phrased things is that they somehow knew the guy got the text message and ignored it.

It's inappropriate for other employees to know other employee's business; you can't always help employees talking to each other but you can help management gossiping.

Honestly this mattress store location sounds really unprofessional and I wouldn't want to be working somewhere where my privacy isn't being respected.

 

[smiths02]

Not a group text. I was there when my boss texted him. He could have responded with no I can't I have plans. That's it.

Why does it have to be no I can't I have plans? If he had just texted back "No" would you still think he was rude? Why does he have to spend his time justifying that "he can't" or he has "plans"? What if he just didn't want to? I think the boss needs to relay that a simple "No" is okay. Otherwise, for someone like me, that text becomes a confrontation where I have to justify myself and possibly lie. What if he said "No, I don't want to." I mean that might be the truth.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

By that same logic, you could then argue that Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 3rd cousin once removed day (LOL) is disrespectful. They are all also big sales days/times.

You and @luvsJack make excellent points. I'm just being grumpy. There is room for remembrance and doing other stuff.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Again, I am not sure we have enough info.
Just for me... My day off is my day off... Unless it is understood that I should be more available as part of the job requirements that I have signed on to... I am not at my bosses whim on my day off.

Also, I do not appreciate anyone who thinks a 'text' requires a command performance.
I think that the 24/7 electronic 'online' social media stuff has created some unfortunate and unrealistic expectations.

What is wrong with a phone call if there really are extenuating circumstances?

 

[Wishing on a star]

This exactly. But he is nototrious for "not getting" his texts. He blames the phone all the time. We could have used the extra person. But he just blew it off

Why is he getting so many work texts, including on his private 'off' time, that he is now considered 'notorious'?
Perhaps he is just trying to create/defend some personal boundaries.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Why does it have to be no I can't I have plans? If he had just texted back "No" would you still think he was rude? Why does he have to spend his time justifying that "he can't" or he has "plans"?

My thoughts exactly...
Unless this person is in a position where, by definition, one might have to be 'on call'.... which is def. not the case here... I see no reason to have to spend my time off justifying and defending (confrontation).

We all just normal office workers. It's a laid back office. ... Was not an emergency but we could have used the help

IMHO... the above is no reason or justification for a text expecting/demanding a response and even beginning to ask anyone to consider answering texts or coming in on their day off.

ESPECIALLY ON A MAJOR NATIONAL HOLIDAY (I know I shouldn't all-cap, but just couldn't help myself)

Sorry. No sympathy here from me.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

This thread and talk of work/lifeboundaries is reminding me of an interview I once had.

Now granted, the company was notorious for ridiculous hours, but I was green-ish and thought oh it can't be *that* bad.

During the interview I was asked how I would feel about going to my team members' homes to bring fresh clothes to the office, do laundry, check on pets etc. since hours were such that there would be times where employees wouldn't make it home for a week or more. I moped right the you know what out of that interview!

So glad I did. I had a friend go on contract there (he was at least making OT as an hourly). For 7 months they had mandatory 6/7 days a week 12-15 hour days.

 

[msjprincess]

I've never worked retail. Though the job that I had for most of my adult life is a 24/7 operation. I've worked more weekends and holidays than I can count. I doubt I would ever come in on a holiday if I was called that day. There are some people I know that would jump at the chance at holiday pay. Not me though.

 

[nkereina]

Texting to see who will come in is unprofessional really in a work setting. I can absolutely see two employees texting each other to see if one will take the other's shift sure no big deal. But a manager and a supervisor texting other employees to see who will come in? Yeah no. Perhaps in a mom and pop type place where it's a handful of very close employees but as the OP stated it was mattress store with locations around the country...it's the store manager/supervisor making the decision to text versus call. I highly doubt company policy is to text employees.

Besides that other employees should not be knowing who was contacted. I mean yeah employees themselves talk but the OP shouldn't know that this specific guy was contacted unless the guy himself said it. The only way I know the OP would know is if there was a group text or the manager or supervisor was texting the guy right in front of the OP. I suppose the manage or supervisor could have also spoken out loud to the OP and say "yeah I contacted so and so" but the way the OP phrased things is that they somehow knew the guy got the text message and ignored it.

It's inappropriate for other employees to know other employee's business; you can't always help employees talking to each other but you can help management gossiping.

Honestly this mattress store location sounds really unprofessional and I wouldn't want to be working somewhere where my privacy isn't being respected.

I agree it does sound unprofessional. But at the end of the day, taking 3.2 seconds to text the boss back saying "can't work, I'm busy" isn't that big of a deal to me.

 

[wenrob]

I agree it does sound unprofessional. But at the end of the day, taking 3.2 seconds to text the boss back saying "can't work, I'm busy" isn't that big of a deal to me.

I don't know. Doesn't that then open up the possibility of getting back, "Why, we really could use your help." Like smiths02 pointed out it puts you in a position of having to justify why you can't come in on your day off.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I agree it does sound unprofessional. But at the end of the day, taking 3.2 seconds to text the boss back saying "can't work, I'm busy" isn't that big of a deal to me.

I respectfully disagree.

In day to day life I would agree with you (barring issues of not getting the message or whatnot). However from a boss to an employee standpoint I don't and especially in the context of retail.

 

[cabanafrau]

A lot of retail managers are notorious for finding out the workers who struggle to say no and consistently contact that person(s) first when the need arises. My youngest daughter is just working her first year-round part-time job and had to learn quickly how to say no, otherwise she would never get to actually be off on a Saturday or Sunday she wasn't scheduled for because her manager would call for her to fill in for someone who called in. She got fed up when it meant she canceled whatever she had planned every time she was scheduled to have a weekend day off -- and then would subsequently find out from a coworker who had called in that they decided they wanted a day off and simply called in because they were scheduled to work.

My daughter's manager called her several times during her first semester of college when she was clearly listed as unavailable at class. "Oh well, I thought I would give you the first option just in case." When the manager herself was out she directed another manager to call my daughter first. That manager felt terrible when he found out she was at school and could not understand why he was told to call her first when it was blocked off that my daughter would be unavailable during those hours.

Finally my daughter has wised up to screen the calls from work. And her manager learned at least to respect the times that are blocked off for her classes because she knows there's no way my daughter will cut class to come in for her.

 

[bookgirl]

I'm a manager and exempt. I answer every phone call and message even on vacation. My phone number is posted for my higher ups and those below me as well. That being said. I do miss calls or texts but they will keep calling so that I eventually get it.

Good news is that I'm one of two managers and there are also 2 supervisors as well so people tend to group text (unless it's specific to me) so if I miss a notification, someone else will get it.

On the flip side of that. I don't message/call an employee unless it's an emergency so if I call I expect you to answer (non-exempt staff). If you don't answer then I expect you to have voice mail so I can leave you a message.

 

[jaminmd]

I'm a manager and exempt. I answer every phone call and message even on vacation. My phone number is posted for my higher ups and those below me as well. That being said. I do miss calls or texts but they will keep calling so that I eventually get it.

Good news is that I'm one of two managers and there are also 2 supervisors as well so people tend to group text (unless it's specific to me) so if I miss a notification, someone else will get it.

On the flip side of that. I don't message/call an employee unless it's an emergency so if I call I expect you to answer (non-exempt staff). If you don't answer then I expect you to have voice mail so I can leave you a message.

What type of work do you do and why do you expect your employees to answer during their time off? Are they paid to be on call 24/7?

If you choose to be available 24/7, that's ok. It's your choice. But your statement above comes across, shall we say, harsh - as if your word is law and that's that.

I work in a hospital, so I actually do face life or death situations. I've always responded to those without question. It's the stupid crap and the lack of boundaries that set me off. As if I'm supposed to be at their beck and call. Um, no. If I wanted to be a VP and take on that lifestyle, I would be. I don't. I love my job and excel at it. But I have a life and my job ISN'T it.

 

[KayKayJS]

I'm glad this works for him, really. However, IMO, this is an unhealthy situation. Been there, done that. Won't EVER do it again.

Sorry, this is a hot button for me.

I don't think this position is as "big" as running a plant. There is a difference between a job that is part of your identity and a job that is just to bring in cash. I mean, I would certainly hope that, because your husband is running a plant (sounds big ... sounds like a job that is also somewhat of a privilege), he understand the sense of responsibility to take ownership of his role, and be there for an emergency ... as he, indeed, was. That's very important. After all, he is getting big bonuses and a big raise every year. The majority of workers do not. So, the comparison here to this other position is ... to be blunt, but not trying to be rude ... is not working out.

100%. I can understand your job being part of your identity (I would say mine is) and taking pride in what you do.... but if your job is your priority, that's unhealthy.

I will answer a work related text or call in my off time if it's important, but if I had a supervisor who constantly bugged me on my days off, I would learn to stop responding quick.

I take pride in my job and providing high quality work, but it is NOT my priority. Period. My family, our health, and our memories come first. If I wanted the workaholic lifestyle (owning my own company or being a VP, etc etc) I would do that. I don't.

When I'm on my death bed, I won't look back wishing I had spent more time working/making more money or more time stressing about work.

Boundaries are not bad!

 

[Klayfish]

You and @luvsJack make excellent points. I'm just being grumpy.

I'm sorry, I'll get off your lawn...