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Being 'on Call'

I thought I would get some opinions from the forum on the concept of being 'on call' for your job. The reason this came to mind is that this weekend, I am the 'on call' person, and I've already been called out once, which actually isn't too bad. Being 'on call' for me involves carrying a cell phone so that if I am needed I can be reached 24x7 for the duration of an entire weekend.
In the IT industry, the concept of being 'on call' is almost part of the job description. That is because most businesses are performing some IT function either after normal business hours or during slow periods, like the weekends or holidays. If something goes wrong and they need help, they call in, and usually the people who are staffing the call centers during those slow periods are not field experts, so that's when someone like me gets called out.
Have you been 'on call' for your job or business and what does it usually entail?

Call on Being

I have been on call before. I am also in the IT industry. I feel if you put me on call, you must somehow compensate me, but I haven't worked for companies that shared that view. Most others I know who have to go on call do get compensated whether it be with a small stipend or extra time off or something. Being on call does clip your wings.

Even if you don't get called, you cannot leave the general area because you must be available in called.

My current job doesn't entail being on call formally, but my boss has called me on the weekends before. Basically, if you can find me, and I answer, I can't say "see you Monday." However, most users at my Firm have no idea how to contact me.

I took some vacation time the week of Christmas. I spent half of it on the phone with the college student who was covering for me. So, I wasn't on call, but still the result was the same.

Edited: tenaheff on 2nd Jan, 2004 - 5:51pm

Being 'on Call' History & Civil Business Politics

That is a good point about compensation. I failed to mention this in my first post, but we do get compensated with time-off for being on call. Half a day for each weekend and half a day for each week excluding weekends. That way if you are on call for an entire week, you will get one full day off. Usually you are required to use this day the following week from when you were on call, but our manager allows us to push those days for use later on if needed.

Call on Being

I work as a engineering manager in manufacturing. The process I am responsible for runs 24/7 everyday of the year. I have a cell phone all the time and on weekends we have a special weekend team. The members of the team rotate weekends for responsibility. Basically, you "donate" one weekend a month. I realized it was part of the job when I took it...usually is with manufacturing.

The one complaint I would have is that upper management in general don't show what I would call the proper appreciation of this "charitable donation" for the corporate good. Comp time is quote "OK", but it is unwritten that you shouldn't take comp time. I force my people to take the comp time and assume the responsibility for their being gone - sometimes it is good to be the only Foreigner in a Japanese Plant. In addition, I am salary, so this really is a charitable donation. Usually, my engineers and I work 60hrs a week (mon-fri), so it isn't like they aren't getting some free work out of us already.

I would love to see the company allow the manager to give a reward to the employees that are "on call". Of course, it would have to be within reason. However, I would like to be able to continue to give time off to my employees, maybe a cash bonus or some other recognition - what motivates one may not motivate another.

Just a thought...on call again tonight!

Vincenzo

Call on Being

I was 'on call' this last weekend, and got called out around 3PM. The funny part about this was that I was speaking with the customer from my home, while she was also at home. Here we were, two IT professionals with screaming kids in the background! This led me to the following question:

"Does it reflect negatively on the company when an employee is called out and you can hear their kids in the background?"

My company is not providing a special room and facilities at my home to field these callouts. Yes, they are providing a laptop for mobility, but I even used my own cell phone (no biggie, free weekends) to call the customer. Should someone in my position be expected to provide the same environment that is provided when a customer calls in during normal business hours? Should I expect the same from my customer?

Being 'on Call'

I don't think it is at all wrong for your customers to hear your children in the background, if they call you on the weekend. Unless your company is going to pay you triple overtime to sit in the office all weekend, they really don't have much they could possibly complain about.

And, your customers will certainly realize that you are taking time out of your own life to deal with their problem, just as they probably are, especially in the example you gave.

Being 'on Call'

I don't go on call for my job, but my husband and I used to be on call as volunteers for fire victim support, run by the Red Cross.
Basically, if we were on rota for call out, we had to be prepared to not drive further than 55 minutes from home, carry our keys and 'bleeper', and be prepared to drop what we were doing to help victims if they had a house fire.
We only got called out to serious fires, and we provided clothing and shelter whilst the fire brigade fought the fire.

If you think about it, most people whose house sets on fire, are left on the street stood up in what they were wearing when the fire began, which is mostly night clothes, and left with nowhere to go, and having to stand by helplessly watching their house burn down.
It was a worthwhile cause, and I never minded giving up the time to do it, we only stopped because we moved away from the area, and not every area covers this kind of crisis.

Being 'on Call' Politics Business Civil & History

Name: Don

Comments: I have been on call for 2 years and do not get paid for it, I get comp time but when I take comp. Time I still have to carry my work phone and am still on call, so is this really comp time.feel like I am getting a bad deal here..