Christmas
Hey good news! Looks like I'll be able to get some time off work after all so Rocky Mtn. House here we come! Still working out the exact dates we'll be there...but we will be there! Break out the Butterball!!!
RW
RW
posted by lisaandrichard at 4:02 PM
9 Comments:
Yay! How did you swing it?
Hurray Richard.
An...um...interesting....process indeed!
First you ask for the time of well in advance to which you are automatically given the response,
"OH...not sure about that...I think we might need you then, send me the dates and I'll see what I can do." You say the kind of things you need to say to appropriatly get your nose brown because you know if you don't your request is dead in its tracks right there. "Wow that would be great really appreciate that, I understand it might be difficult but if it works out that would be great. You make sure to add in the personal details re: meeting up with the family for a vacation etc. etc.
So then you follow up a couple weeks later when you see the boss in person and ask "So was wondering about that time off"?!
That's when you hear about how busy the boss has been and all the things going on and how she hasn't had any time to look at it. At this point you likely get asked to re submit the days you are needing off.
You watch the seat sales to your preferred destination all get booked up as you are still awaiting the approval.
You see the boss again a week or two later and once more inquire about the time off. Same response about how busy she has been and all her woes.
Now you up the ante. You wait for the first day that things are slow and they tell you you will be on-call the following day. " Oh, o.k., then. Things are pretty slow then I take it?" (really meaning come on in and take the bait). She will tell you "yep just nothing going on tomorrow and the phones have been quiet all day". YES now is my time to strike! "Oh, o.k. then, I guess there is nothing you can do about that...Hey while I have you on the line how is it going on that time off request?!Now is when the process starts rolling. You hear "I'll start working on that tonight". (Yep just as I thought...hasn't done anything about it).
Now you start to inquire about your request about every other day for a week maybe more. As you pass each oter in the hall "So...any word on..(and just leave the sentance hanging there...you know she will finish it, always does). Each day you get a new response "Was up til 4:00 am working on it, or,how she's been sick usually leading up to "Think I can get you 3 days off mid week (to which you need to reject saying no that won't work because a day to get where you're going and a day back does't leave any time to visit).
Now you back off for a week, no mention of the holiday. After a week you send an email very short and to the point "Update on time off request,... we will be leaving on the morning of day X and returning on day Y. Please keep me posted on your progress".
You are assured at this point to get an email back within 24 hours, likely asking you to leave a day later and return home a day sooner. Now you have two options, explain why you need these specific days yet again, OR, say Oh, well, if you feel that is the only way it will work I will explain it to the family and we can cut our vacation short. Either offer to leave a day later or come home a day sooner but not both(mind you that was already factored in when you asked for the time off so technically there is no net loss here.)
Your vacation has now been approved and it is likely now just a week or two before your depatrure date (so you get the pleasure of buying tickets at the inflated price! And that's how I did it! So I am off starting on the 24th for sure but possibly starting on the 23rd will find out on the night of the 22nd.
INSANE process indeed!
Makes me appreciate Chilli Cheese Dip and boardgames that much more!!!
RW
Wow Richard, that makes IBM's process seem very simplistic. So happy you can come to Rocky for Christmas.
After all that we had better make sure you have a good time.
Richard is a #1 negotiator - and his boss is a very difficult woman
My favourite part is how you asked for more time then you intended to take, knowing she would try to pare it down on you. You can always game a stupid system, I always say.
Good news...sent an email off the other night asking how the progress was going for getting the 23rd off (in concession for coming home "early")and she gave me the 23rd off. (Don't have to wait until the 22nd to find out)!
So assuming the roads are good we'll be in Rocky on the 23rd!
Richard
That's great. Drive carefully through those mountains.
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