Can you be made to do the work you would be doing while on annual leave before you go

[harriet]

Re: Can you be made to do the work you would be doing while on annual leave before yo

Of course Ailbhe. No worries. Just when I saw your location I thought you might be working for some of the big brokers in Galway and wondered why they couldn't sort holiday time around everyone.

Very few brokers with so many offices iykwim unless spread out countrywide.

I mean everyone takes holidays in the summer and most places (at least the places I have worked) plan around holidays and have made sure that there is a continuity of service and that there is enough staff to cover.

Brian imho there should be absolutely no reason why you couldn't operate normally when someon is off. Surely there are procedures in place to minimise disruption. Customer service is first and foremost, so someones claim not being looked after because "Sorry X is on holidays" doesn't wash?

Work in most places are deputised. You hold a meeting with the person drafted in to look after things in your absence and you document what has to be done, what to look out for, what you have agreed ect.. ect...

 

[Satanta]

Re: Can you be made to do the work you would be doing while on annual leave before yo

not true - the very nature of the work involves communication via fax,mail,phone,email, internet , internal and external "piped in" computer systems - unless you get nasa's supercomputers on the case Im afraid only a human is flexible enough to act as the central hub for all types of communications.

Not sure I agree there. I'm not in this sector, but with experience of project management, contract supervison, etc. a lot of the same issues are/will be dealt with, all via computerised systems.

Even without a complex system in place to track/manage everything, a decent register with all communications/documents/etc. stored via word/pdf (e.g. if there's a phone call, it gets logged with ALL the exact details entered into a document and saved... never dealt with internet/"piped in" systems but I'm sure the data could be set up to allow for easy export) should allow for a fairly managable transfer of data between staff from a very simple system (a little time consuming to set it up [everyone needs explicit details on how the storage must work etc.], but better than no system).

Obviously, the above doesn't solve the problem of the knowledge required to complete specific tasks (e.g. maybe this is the only person skilled to complete a certain role/task), but that's an issue which should also be tackled at management level regarding transfer of knowledge/training/building in redundancy/forward planning/etc.. No employee is guaranteed to remain with a company, so ensuring there is a back up put in place is a (IMHO) requirement.

 

[aircobra19]

Re: Can you be made to do the work you would be doing while on annual leave before yo

not true - the very nature of the work involves communication via fax,mail,phone,email, internet , internal and external "piped in" computer systems - unless you get nasa's supercomputers on the case Im afraid only a human is flexible enough to act as the central hub for all types of communications.

From experience thats exactly one of the things a computer system is perfect for. A communications hub.

 

[Brooklyn]

Re: Can you be made to do the work you would be doing while on annual leave before yo

This is exactly the reason there are such things as "temps". Maybe it's not possible to train someone to do your specific job while you're away, but surely they can get someone in to take little admin chores off of your co-workers so that your co-workers then have time freed up to deal with your work. I can't see any reason that wouldn't be possible, apart from simple bad management.

 

[pernickety]

Re: Can you be made to do the work you would be doing while on annual leave before yo

I think it's reality for most people. And unfair.

Going on maternity leave I nearly killed myself getting everything up to date and writing out procedures that had never been recorded before. Of course when I was gone everything went smoothly, too smoothly. When I came back they asked me to change jobs cause mine 'seemed to run itself'. I was disgusted. And refused.

When I went on maternity leave the second time D), I did the bare minimum beforehand. When I went back they bowed to me and told me I was brilliant! Figures!