I’m a managing legal professional working in-house in a giant company. I handle an legal professional and two paralegals at present, and anticipate my staff to develop within the subsequent two years.
We have a coverage that there always must be protection when somebody is on PTO. Generally, that’s not a downside. Recently although, the legal professional I handle and I each wished to take PTO on the identical day. I instructed him to go forward and take it, and I proposed to my boss that I would examine e-mail recurrently however in any other case would additionally maintain my PTO day — it was prone to be a quiet day anyway.
My boss accepted this plan, however mentioned (I’m paraphrasing), “Since you’re a manager, I expect you to always be available on PTO anyway.”
That was a file scratch second for me.
I’m extremely compensated and usually perceive that the trade-off for that’s entry and time. Earlier in my profession, I would joke “they’re not paying me enough to do XYZ” – however I know that at this level, I am in actual fact paid to be available greater than 40 hours a week, or within the early morning/night/weekends because the job requires.
The considered needing to be available each day although, with probably no respite — that feels inconceivable and is certainly not well worth the wage, not less than for me personally.
My boss and I work properly collectively and infrequently run into variations that she typically chalks as much as generational variations (I’m a millennial; boss is gen X, with about 18 years between us). I additionally know that my boss is a workaholic (as a lot as I work, she works extra – or not less than I understand it that approach).
I’m feeling a little panicked about this, partially as a result of I’m overwhelmed proper now. I have time off deliberate in two weeks, throughout which my complete staff will be available aside from me. I have a good plan for protection, and I actually, actually need to be in a position to disconnect for this trip. Is it unreasonable to be in a position to anticipate to? Is there a sure degree at which it’s a must to anticipate that boundaries and work/life stability can’t be sustained or are basically incompatible with a position?
This is a large enough deal for me that I would contemplate taking a pay minimize to maneuver into a person contributor place if it meant a higher work/life stability. I don’t aspire to be a normal counsel as a result of to me it does signify principally no boundaries, however I’m a number of ranges beneath that. And, I hate the concept of capping my improvement and development. I have a lot to supply, I’m good at my job . I simply sometimes want a break! Is that a ridiculous pipe dream?
