Can you make business calls after 9:00 PM: etiquette rule

Following the coronavirus pandemic, many people have continued to work from home, blurring the lines between personal and work life. Business etiquette reacted to these changes quickly enough, adjusting the rules of business communication to the new realities.

OBOZREVATEL asked how to communicate remotely on work issues now. First of all, at what time it is appropriate and acceptable to call each other on business.

The main criterion that should be followed when scheduling business calls is the scope of the working day. If a person works a standard 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule, you shouldn't bother them outside of that time frame. If the issue is urgent, then calls are permissible only until 9:00 PM, after which the person's time should be completely his or her own. This rule may be violated only in truly extreme and force majeure circumstances.

If you do call someone at a late hour, be prepared for the fact that the person will not pick up the phone. During free hours, everyone has the right to decide whether to take work calls or not - this is an ironclad rule of business etiquette.

Are there any exceptions to this rule? Yes, if these exceptions have been agreed upon in advance. Some companies do require employees to be available for work at all times. But this should be agreed upon separately and the employee should be informed of such rules at the interview stage.

Modern business etiquette also regulates communication in messengers. Ideally, it is better not to send messages on work-related issues outside of working hours. However, the specifics of communication in text format mean that the recipient has the right to review what has been written whenever he or she can or deems it necessary. Therefore, sending a message even after 9:00 PM is not considered an absolute taboo. However, if the messenger allows it and the question is not urgent, send it without an audible notification.

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