Taking the mobile on holiday

**Epiphone** · 26 March 2010, 14:08

He's mad. If he can't prioritise or switch off when not at work he'll make himself ill then burnout.

**northernladuk** · 26 March 2010, 14:11

Originally posted by Nicely Nicely View Post

One of the permies at ClientCo is being ordered on holiday so he doesn't lose it. I suggested he leave his mobile in his desk. He said:

"I have to take it. I can't face coming back from holiday and having all those emails in my inbox. I just worry about it all the time and it spoils the holiday. So I take the mobile and use it to keep on top of my inbox."

Is he mad or is he right?

It got me wondering ... do I offer to be available on holiday for a rate?

I am with the guy. I like to be in touch while on hols. I don't feel it spoils my holiday checking mail once a day or when I am just sitting having a coffee and fell much more at ease abotu what is going on while I am not there.

You are a contractor... You don't get holiday FFS

**Moscow Mule** · 26 March 2010, 14:12

That suggests to me that the chap is far too important to the organisation.

He should be sharing his job...

**MarillionFan** · 26 March 2010, 14:14

Originally posted by Nicely Nicely View Post

One of the permies at ClientCo is being ordered on holiday so he doesn't lose it. I suggested he leave his mobile in his desk. He said:

"I have to take it. I can't face coming back from holiday and having all those emails in my inbox. I just worry about it all the time and it spoils the holiday. So I take the mobile and use it to keep on top of my inbox."

Is he mad or is he right?

It got me wondering ... do I offer to be available on holiday for a rate?

Half and half. When I was perm and in a senior management role recently I was still 'expected' to keep in touch. What I actually did was make sure my team covered all of my roles and set my out of office accordingly. I did read all of the emails but only prompted my team to do the right thing as opposed to replying to emails directly.

As a contractor though. Never. Never. Never.

**northernladuk** · 26 March 2010, 14:15

Originally posted by Moscow Mule View Post

That suggests to me that the chap is far too important to the organisation.

He should be sharing his job...

Doesn't suggest that at all. Suggests he has a preference to know whats going on rather than be oblivious to it thats all.

**doodab** · 26 March 2010, 14:16

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

You are a contractor... You don't get holiday FFS

I am a contractor and I've been on loads of holidays.

**northernladuk** · 26 March 2010, 14:17

Originally posted by doodab View Post

I am a contractor and I've been on loads of holidays.

You might GO on them. You don't get them from the client. When you are not there you are not working. It is not a holiday...

But you know that and I have just been suckered havn't I

**doodab** · 26 March 2010, 14:44

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

When you are not there you are not working. It is not a holiday...

Normal practice is that if you want to take a holiday you negotiate with your client, who agrees to your absence, and you go on holiday. You may not be able to bill while you're on holiday, but it's definitely a holiday.

I generally don't worry about what is going on in the office, but then I generally try to organise my holidays and projects in such a way as I'm not likely to be missed. Having two weeks off over a go live is a bit of a no no, and clients generally won't schedule anything important that requires you if they know you aren't going to be there.

**NotAllThere** · 26 March 2010, 15:18

I've forward all the mail I receive at one client to a webmail account. I can then keep an eye on what's going on when I'm not in their office for whatever reasons.

Helps me to prioritise what needs doing when I go back in, so I can get more done... and so leave earlier!

Taking the mobile on holiday