Working nights at short notice
Discussion
I bend over backwards for my company, working nights and weekends at short notice to meet deadlines, but I think that they're now taking the mickey. This weekend and the bank holiday Monday I've arranged to go away with the girlfriend, (canal boat trip, leaving at 9am Saturday). Yesterday work told me that they need me to supervise some work this Thursday and Friday night, 7pm to 7am, meaning I will get home at around 9am but won't have had any sleep the previous night. (I normally work 8am to 4pm).
I want to tell them no, but because of their short-sightedness I am the only person qualified to supervise the work in case a last-minute change needs to be made - despite me constantly telling them that we need at least one other person trained up to my level, (senior engineer).
If I don't do the work then a test weekend that is scheduled may fail, so it needs to be done, but I'm fed up that yet again my plans are in jeopardy because they've come up with a 'last-minute' shift and I want them to put something in writing along the lines of, "if we need you to work nights or weekends we will give you xx days notice".
Again, I will do short-notice changes of shift, but is it wrong of me to occasionally put myself and my girlfriend first? Is there something laid down in law that I can point to?
Cheers.
I want to tell them no, but because of their short-sightedness I am the only person qualified to supervise the work in case a last-minute change needs to be made - despite me constantly telling them that we need at least one other person trained up to my level, (senior engineer).
If I don't do the work then a test weekend that is scheduled may fail, so it needs to be done, but I'm fed up that yet again my plans are in jeopardy because they've come up with a 'last-minute' shift and I want them to put something in writing along the lines of, "if we need you to work nights or weekends we will give you xx days notice".
Again, I will do short-notice changes of shift, but is it wrong of me to occasionally put myself and my girlfriend first? Is there something laid down in law that I can point to?
Cheers.
Depending upon the terms of your contract you should just tell them that this can't go on. It sounds like this is quite an important one this time so i would make a point of explaining that this will be the last one and that in future you must have X days notice.
Lay it on think about how much you are putting yourself out, even if you aren't your employer will assume you are anyway!
There is the trade off that the higher up the food chain you get, or want to get, the more you have to be prepared to deal with this sort of thing, but sometimes you have to put your foot down or you will become the patsy and the longer you put off the difficult conversation the harder it's going to be to have in the future.
Lay it on think about how much you are putting yourself out, even if you aren't your employer will assume you are anyway!
There is the trade off that the higher up the food chain you get, or want to get, the more you have to be prepared to deal with this sort of thing, but sometimes you have to put your foot down or you will become the patsy and the longer you put off the difficult conversation the harder it's going to be to have in the future.
itsnotarace said:
I'd tell them to do one, and then find a new job
Well it's a really well-paid job and one that I enjoy, except for this fannying around. I've cancelled the canal boat, (which means I'm now in the dog house with SWMBO), as I really am the only person who has to be there to make last-minute changes if needed. My contract just has the hours per week I work, says "days but with the occasional night or weekend". "Occasional" my arse.
I think I'm going to have to put it to them that unless I can get someone who can deputise for me every now and then I'm going to stop doing the extra shifts all together as I've got naff all social life ATM.
Dixie68 said:
itsnotarace said:
I'd tell them to do one, and then find a new job
Well it's a really well-paid job and one that I enjoy, except for this fannying around. I've cancelled the canal boat, (which means I'm now in the dog house with SWMBO), as I really am the only person who has to be there to make last-minute changes if needed. My contract just has the hours per week I work, says "days but with the occasional night or weekend". "Occasional" my arse.
I think I'm going to have to put it to them that unless I can get someone who can deputise for me every now and then I'm going to stop doing the extra shifts all together as I've got naff all social life ATM.
Rude-boy said:
Depending upon the terms of your contract you should just tell them that this can't go on. It sounds like this is quite an important one this time so i would make a point of explaining that this will be the last one and that in future you must have X days notice.
Lay it on think about how much you are putting yourself out, even if you aren't your employer will assume you are anyway!
There is the trade off that the higher up the food chain you get, or want to get, the more you have to be prepared to deal with this sort of thing, but sometimes you have to put your foot down or you will become the patsy and the longer you put off the difficult conversation the harder it's going to be to have in the future.
This is really sound advice. Sounds like your Company needs you, just make sure that they realise that they do and appreciate it.Lay it on think about how much you are putting yourself out, even if you aren't your employer will assume you are anyway!
There is the trade off that the higher up the food chain you get, or want to get, the more you have to be prepared to deal with this sort of thing, but sometimes you have to put your foot down or you will become the patsy and the longer you put off the difficult conversation the harder it's going to be to have in the future.
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