Does Vacation Really Exist For IT Pros?

In a way, I’m both an IT professional and an IT manager as all the people in our SOC report to me.  As such, I try to see this issue from dual perspectives – that of an employee wanting to do the best for his company, and that of a manager who’s also concerned with the welfare of his team.

Let’s start from the first viewpoint.

Although I don’t “expect” to be on call, I don’t mind being brought in if/when necessary.  Personally, I’m against conference calls in general. I was in a large corporation for many years, and it appeared to me that too many people stayed busy on conference calls all the time, for_no_reason.  So, I will attend a conference call if, and only if, there’s a strict need for that call.  Period.  It’s a rule I adhere to not just at work but, for obvious reasons, it becomes stricter when I’m on vacation.

I never check work voicemail; we have plenty of ways to stay in touch – iPhone, SMS, mails, Yahoo – if someone wants me, they know where to find me.  Voicemails?  They’re like faxes – a thing of the past.  I make sure to check my emails frequently, in case of emergencies.If a customer needs help and I’m the only one able to assist, it’s my duty towards the company AND for my personal relationship with the customer to ‘field’ that query.  I wish that were never the case, but there are times when we find ourselves in situations wherein, for whatever reason, no one else can answer that particular issue ~ we certainly can’t leave the customer hanging for a week or two.

That said, It’ll be unfair to quote me on this though, because I also cover a C level role of business development, and business waits for no one. It’s primarily for that reason that I check emails but I also respond to technical emails if/when they come up.

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