Rac, like Yvonne I do understand what you're saying about the necessity of being able to get ahold of certain people in order to keep things running smoothly or even keep things from becoming critical. Certain professions kind of come with the disclaimer that work hours will not be 9 to 5 or five days a week but more like 24/7 - professions such as doctors, lawyers, IT professionals, etc. And when you add to the mix the fact that it's a global market where half the world is awake and working while the other half is sleeping, there seems to be no such thing as a normal work week any longer.
But I think what always stumps me is that it wasn't always like this. There was a time not that long ago when cell phones did not exist. Or beepers for that matter. Doctors had answering services who could reach them in emergency situations. Clients understood that a person was on vacation and out of the office until Monday and therefore were not available. Companies covered the absences of employees with other employees. And the world turned around rather nicely.
Now, however, companies lead you to believe that if you were to be unavailable for consultation even long enough to take a shower, the entire capatilistic structure would collapse. No one is ever willing to wait any longer. (Again, I do understand that certain situations cannot be postponed, but I'd argue they are in the minority by far.) Everyone *must* have what they need now. No one is willing to wait, and it's a situation we've inadvertently created by making it possible for people to have everything with a phone call at any time of the day or night.
So it's exactly as Rac has described. Companies are no longer made up of workers with lives. And sadly, it's no longer the demanding and paying-for-service clients who take advantage of people but the very employers themselves. They demand that employees sacrifice everything or else risk losing a good job. That's pretty sad.
I guess if I agree to work for a company for a certain salary, I want to know how much of my life that company now owns. And if it turns out the company owns my entire life - every single minute I must be available for consultation - then I want to renegotiate my salary substantially upward. Companies reap the benefit in the way of happy clients and more money gotten off the sacrifice of employees' personal lives. Seems a tad bit inequitable if you ask me.
Like I'm always saying to Ken, no one lies on his or her deathbed and wishes he/she had spent more time at the office. But I have a feeling that our generation and the ones to follow will really bear the burden of the now blurry line between being in the office and being unavailable.
Meerkat, I think if I were you the minute it becomes clear that the person is not just answering to say "Call you back later" I'd gather up the stuff in a neat pile, back my computer out of this person's records, and call for the next person in line to step forward. Pretend that rude cell phone call taker is no longer even standing there!
Lynn
