Another need for advice...

This is work related this time. You gals are so incisive and point out views from many sides it always helps to get input...Thank you so much in advance!!!

I work for a husband/wife photography team...it is just them and me. They are from pre-digital generation, I do all digital photo editing and organizing. Basically they shoot and pick...I do the rest. I am not very computer literate so I recruited my hubby to help with the networking of the computers in the office. He agreed to being the IT guy knowing he would not get paid the going rate but could use the experience of networking a working office (as opposed to our home theatre system)

The bosses use their computers for internet, Quicken, and other basic duties...the photos are kept on a server which has an extensive backup system.

Hubby and I are paid on an hourly basis...

We get calls from them on a regular basis during "off" hours...nothing too bad so far.

BUT...this morning I get a 3 calls on my phone, hubby gets 3 on his phone as well because boss believes he got a virus. It is 8 o'clock on a Sunday morning after hubby worked a midnight shift (he just got to bed at 7:30)

I do not know what to do at all...don't think it is fair to wake hubby...but sit here feeling guilty because I won't wake him. Told boss to walk away from his computer for now...

Now...I sit here awake after only 4 hours of sleep cause my phone kept going off (I know, silence it! but it is used as an alarm too)

Wondering if I should approach the bosses with some ground rules for us all? What kind of things should we expect if we agree to taking calls at any hour of the day? (time and 1/2?) Just tell them weekends are off-limits? Require them to send email instead of phone calls?

***all the while I sit here watching tv and how lucky I am to just have a job!!!

good god, yes, ground rules. OR turn off your phone at night. That's ridiculous, it's not like people are dying or something!

Turn off the phone.
Go to the store.
Buy a real alarm clock.

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Originally Posted by bouncybouncy

Now...I sit here awake after only 4 hours of sleep cause my phone kept going off (I know, silence it! but it is used as an alarm too)

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You will be relieved to know that many of the alarms on cell phones still work even when the phone is silenced (no vibration, no ring) :) Check your settings and you may be pleasantly surprised :)

Oh yes, and it sounds like you need to have a professional chat with your employer :p :( Sometimes if we make small allowances that set a precedent which leads to undesirable situations (like this) :p In my opinion, your boss should have the courtesy not to do something like that....but :p

+1 for Zen!

You have a JOB. You're not a slave. Since you are paid hourly, start keeping a time of how many minutes you work when you're not at work, and add them to your timesheet. It's illegal for him to expect you to work for free.

Karen

If he's getting the "going rate" for IT, find out if that includes being on call 24/7 or not. Many IT people are; I've got more than a few systems administrators as acquaintances. Maybe put an after hours clause in the contract.

And yes, a sit down, we-are-professionals here chat sounds like it's in order.

I see you are paid hourly. Do you guys have any kind of contract or written job description? Are you employees or contract laborers? Under or above the table? I ask the last because as a small business owner, I know that is it as expensive as hell to have above the table, bonafide employees.

I think I will start with ground rules...

I am, for whatever reason, scared to death to approach them with demands! They have always been great bosses, never crossing any lines, always giving me excellent raises without me asking, were a great support through a difficult personal issue (divorce)...so standing up to them is so scary for me!

I am just not sure how to approach it....the work environment is so casual calling a "meeting" is weird. I will definitely be discussing this with hubby when he wakes up...he works in the corporate world and may know exactly what to do (besides, it involves him too!)

Thanks for listening...comments are always welcomed!

plus, if DH has done his job right, it should be pretty difficult to get a virus as there are very good ways out there to protect your system. Maybe they need personal computers for the off hours eh?

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Originally Posted by Irulan

plus, if DH has done his job right, it should be pretty difficult to get a virus as there are very good ways out there to protect your system. Maybe they need personal computers for the off hours eh?

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No doubt his job has been done right (I really doubt there is a viral issue! But I know nothing about this and it is hubby that can remote in to see what the pop-up window is really saying)...things as little as a cookie notification causes my boss to call! I have to say though, the boss does click on anything and everything even with all sorts of instruction not to!!! Stubborn and set in his/her way is an understatement!

I posted mainly because I have an overwhelming feeling of guilt for trying to enjoy my weekend...have for years! Needed assurance that what I knew was the right thing to do is the majority thought...

D*H is also an IT guy and his mom calls with computer questions all the time. He finally had her bring her computer here for an overhaul and found nearly 400 malicious hoo-hahs on it. The woman clicks on everything. And she's got grandkids who use her computer to visit, let's just say sites that aren't especially into user security.

He set her up with some antiviral stuff, but like your bosses, she's still allowing all sorts of video and attachments and whatever. He actually threatened her with not taking her calls anymore if she keeps doing it.

I think ground rules are most appropriate. As a self-employed person myself, I know I don't have regular office hours. If I had an employee, I might need them at 7am on a Sunday, and without anything telling me not to, I might be tempted to call if I've got a history of off-hours calling.

I might suggest a troubleshooting education poster, too, to put up near your bosses' computers. "If the error message reads..., do this..." kind of stuff.

Good luck.

Roxy

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Originally Posted by bouncybouncy

I am, for whatever reason, scared to death to approach them with demands! They have always been great bosses, never crossing any lines, always giving me excellent raises without me asking, were a great support through a difficult personal issue (divorce)...so standing up to them is so scary for me!

I am just not sure how to approach it....the work environment is so casual calling a "meeting" is weird. I will definitely be discussing this with hubby when he wakes up...he works in the corporate world and may know exactly what to do (besides, it involves him too!)

Thanks for listening...comments are always welcomed!

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Being a bit contrary to the consensus, I think you should simply go with the flow...you can feed them a fish or teach them how to fish...a virus scan is so easy, simply teach them how to do and move on without any controversy...

I've been self employed out of my home for 15+ years, and let me tell you, if you don't set boundaries people will walk all over you as far as you let them. The stronger boundaries you have, the more professional you will seem.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

Being a bit contrary to the consensus, I think you should simply go with the flow...you can feed them a fish or teach them how to fish...a virus scan is so easy, simply teach them how to do and move on without any controversy...

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Agree. Since it sounds like this is the first time they've really gone out of bounds, roll with it.

Yea, they're being a bit jerky. But they'll think you're a jerk if you point that out. And given you're in an asymmetric relationship in a really bad economy...well, just act wisely.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

Being a bit contrary to the consensus, I think you should simply go with the flow...you can feed them a fish or teach them how to fish...a virus scan is so easy, simply teach them how to do and move on without any controversy...

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Oh Mr Silver...I wish it were that easy! These folks are not teachable...not making excuses!!! been with them for over 6 years now, I have tried everything!!! Although setting boundaries might work...especially if I ignore the phone! They also are workaholics that do not know how to have a weekend...

Had a great pow-wow with hubby to work things out...I have a plan!

Thanks again for letting me vent y'all...

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They also are workaholics that do not know how to have a weekend...

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ultimately this is not YOUR problem. What would they do if you were sick, out of the country, away on personal business?

I got call ID years ago, it's saved me lots of grief since I don't have a business phone line.

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Originally Posted by bouncybouncy

Oh Mr Silver...I wish it were that easy! These folks are not teachable...not making excuses!!!

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I get the picture...sounds like you have it under control, but all I'd suggest is taking the approach of saying "let me show you have to do this so next time you won't feel an urgent need to get us out of bed at an early hour...";)

Can't you just say that he's sleeping and you'll have him call when he wakes up? I never wake up anyone in our house unless it's an emergency.

Oh, and whatever happened to "You don't call before 9am or after 9pm"? You just don't make calls to people's homes other than these times unless they are expecting it, or it's a REAL emergency. It seems inconsiderate.

Communication! I would tactfully but firmly communicate to them that you are willing to help them with IT but at the same time you are not the 24 hr help desk. Come up with ground rules for "out of business hours" communication.

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Originally Posted by uforgot

Can't you just say that he's sleeping and you'll have him call when he wakes up? I never wake up anyone in our house unless it's an emergency.

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That reminds me of a story. Mr. Sundial the pharmacist has a couple of patients that abuse the emergency after hours phone number. At midnight he received several call from a customer who NEEDED Tylenol and could he deliver it? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by uforgot

Can't you just say that he's sleeping and you'll have him call when he wakes up? I never wake up anyone in our house unless it's an emergency.

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I did...the annoying part was I was asleep too!!!

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Originally Posted by uforgot

Can't you just say that he's sleeping and you'll have him call when he wakes up? I never wake up anyone in our house unless it's an emergency.

Oh, and whatever happened to "You don't call before 9am or after 9pm"? You just don't make calls to people's homes other than these times unless they are expecting it, or it's a REAL emergency. It seems inconsiderate.

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Some people have no boundaries. I used to work at a restauarant, and it got to the point where I never, ever picked up the phone on my day off. "other plans" was not considered acceptable if they actually got you on the line. The solution was, don't pick up the phone. This was before voice mail, called ID and all that.

Nowadays, there's no reason on the planet to answer a call you don't want to take. We don't keep a phone in the bedroom for starters, and I never ever pick it up in the middle of the night. Nowadays with kids in college I get up and check the ID if it rings in the middle of the night, but I don't answer it.

There's voice mail, caller ID, turning the thing off, etc - lots of options besides answering.

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Originally Posted by Irulan

Some people have no boundaries. I used to work at a restauarant, and it got to the point where I never, ever picked up the phone on my day off. "other plans" was not considered acceptable if they actually got you on the line. The solution was, don't pick up the phone. This was before voice mail, called ID and all that.

Nowadays, there's no reason on the planet to answer a call you don't want to take. We don't keep a phone in the bedroom for starters, and I never ever pick it up in the middle of the night. Nowadays with kids in college I get up and check the ID if it rings in the middle of the night, but I don't answer it.

There's voice mail, caller ID, turning the thing off, etc - lots of options besides answering.

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Me too! If I don't recognize the number, I figure they can leave a voicemail. I've never been one to talk a lot on the phone. I did, however, receive a 1am call on Saturday from a weird number, and some instinct made me answer and it was my son on a borrowed cell phone who was passing through the Suez Canal on his way to the middle east!

I agree with most you need to set GROUND RULES! No matter what! Caling that early on a weekend is just down right rude!

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Originally Posted by Irulan

there's no reason on the planet to answer a call you don't want to take.

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I think we all agree here...I do "screen" my calls all the time! Just cause I have a cell phone does NOT mean I am at your beckon call 24/7...most people know this right? I would say common knowledge/etiquette:confused:

I just needed a place to vent, it was very early in the morning and could not CALL anyone, I was very tired cause I took the opportunity that I had while hubby was working and stayed up way past my bedtime playing with pictures...

Yes, I choose to keep my phone in my room, we do not have a land line, and I have family that may need to contact me in an emergency!

I merely wanted advice how to approach a boss about boundaries. Less than 2 weeks ago a tree fell on their house...emergency, yeah! But this last Sunday he called a total of 6 times in 5 minutes...for what HE thought was an emergency (computer virus...which it was not) I just wanted some outside views of how to approach a superior with inferior etiquette how to determine a real emergency and how to go about contacting me. Also...alot of times we appreciate a call from them about computer questions...most of the time it is a one line answer and saves IT hubby from hours of "fix-it" work. Another issue: teach boss to leave a detailed voicemail so we can determine if a call back is neccessary!!!

Thanks again for all your input...

I guess I'm just thinking it's way easier to change what you do, than to try and change what THEY do....;)