HELEN44

Forgive my naivety, but I just wondered how folk out there handle employers who do not respect your free time and try to monopolise your evenings/weekends with extra tasks. I take it that this is common when working for a Middle Eastern employer. As someone in a live in post, any experiences or advice which would help would be appreciated.

Tockalosh

well you could get all cross and upset with them and yourself or just accept it as part and parcel of tax free life
I spend all my Fridays answering calls from the UK, Saturday morning working (well officially) and then the phone will start ringing from Australia as they start work on their Monday morning
Sunday is the only day of peace I really get and I am actually working that day
Everyone bar us out here gets peace and quiet at weekends but they pay tax and I dont

HELEN44

Thanks for that. My contract states specifically that I have a five day week and am free from 7pm, so why have the contract then! Purely a rhetorical question. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

busybee2

half the time contracts are not worth the paper written on, everyone works outside their "standard hours" thats the prob with different weekends etc, and in you are working as a nanny for a local family, sometimes they think they own you

HELEN44

Yeah - I get the picture. Many thanks for getting back to me.

commander

ditto..sunday is my quiet day...and im at work.

norsk

I'm flexible with regards to working hours/days especially when dealing with people who are not working our (weird) week, but there is always a limit to my patience. My working motto (in the UK as well before I had the pleasure of coming here) has always been that if you pay me enough for me not to care about working hours then fine, if you don't then please understand why I will not be particularly enthusiastic if you call me on my time off.

However, I always pick up the phone mostly in case it is a genuine emergency (I work in IT) and there have been occasions in the past when CEO/COO has rung me. Doing the big boys a favour usually pays off down the line if you know what I mean.

There is also a thing about standing up for yourself which counts for a lot in this region (and the rest of the world). If you always oblige they will keep on treating you like a bitch!

HELEN44

Some very wise words - know what you mean about balancing goodwill with not just being a pushover though. Many thanks for taking the time to reply.

Spugsy

you have to have time to yourself though, I used to work til 8 or 9 every night but always made sure I was never in on the weekend, I deteste working weekends.

HELEN44

Thanks for that - yeah working weekends soon causes 'burnout'.

seven seas

Never say "Yes, I'll do it."

Say "Yes, I'll do it after I come back from playing squash."

Or "I'll do it before I go out at six."

Or better yet "I'll do it on Tuesday."


I'm assuming , because you said live-in, that it's either a school or a hospital. Are you still on probation?

HELEN44

In a home - guess it's cos I'm there in another room when I'm s'posed to be relaxing etc and at times I just told to take kids out at nights/weekends etc. It obviously needs a thorough discussion between me and employer but these people are just used to getting their own way. Thanks for taking an interest - much appreciated.

commander

that is so right and exactly what i do on a Friday when good old uncle sam just assumes you will be availalbe even when they know fine its your weekend.

And the usual thursday evening conference calls at 7pm, which gives them in Houston time to waddle into work and fetch thier coffee and doughnuts..I usually reply to these requests saying im available at 4pm UAE time...

it usually gets cancelled..

HELEN44

Yeah, shows it was never that urgent in the first place - more a control thing!

Norm_uk

I make my own hours so my days are my own or dictated by the needs of my clients so I suppose I am lucky in this regard. It all depends on your industry really. Most middle eastern companies are extremely inefficient so overtime is common.

I have friends who have to take their Blackberry with them everywhere and I know others who switch off their work mobile at 6pm.

N.