Nearly two thirds of workers say their bosses email them over the weekend and expect a response, according to a survey run last year by Right Management, a division of staffing giant Manpower. The survey asked a single double-barreled question: Does your boss send you work-related emails during the weekend and expect you to respond? Less than half, 37 percent, answered "never." Thirty-three percent said "often," and 30 percent, "only from time to time."
What should workers do about weekend emails from the boss?
Robert Hellmann, a career coach at the Five O'Clock Club, a career counseling firm, who also teaches career development at New York University, says it depends. If you are new to a job, you'd better answer immediately, he advises. "If you're in a new position, you've got to become one with the job," he says, "at least for the first six months." By then, you will have established a reputation.
Next, reflect on the culture of your company and the nature of your boss' request. Most workers know if a note requires an immediate answer. "I'm coaching a lawyer right now," says Hellmann. "He can forget about not responding to emails on the weekend." Suffering from burn-out, the lawyer is contemplating a job search, says Hellmann.
One possible coping mechanism, suggests Hellmann: Delay your answer for several hours. "That can take down the pressure," he says. However, is you compare notes with colleagues and find that everyone else replies right away, you'd better do that too.
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If you're planning to be in a remote spot away from BlackBerry, phone or Internet access, do let your boss know ahead of time that you will be unreachable. The same rule applies to a family leave or a distant vacation: Communicate your unavailability before the fact.
What SheSays: Make sure you have a clear understanding of what your boss expects when you're away from the office. Sometimes we feel pressured to do it all, but it's OK to make your personal life a priority when not on company time.
