Is it just me or is the “do it now!” mentality present in many IT shops?

IT shops at this time of year are a breading ground for bugs - I’ve just returned from the first bout of seasonal flu (which was inevitable considering 2/3 of the department have already had it). IT departments (and all large office spaces) are such a breading ground for bugs. It does show why Bird flu is a very scarey proposition.

This week I had the most annoying incident while sick on Monday. I got called on my (personal) mobile by a persion who had been told I was sick and unavailable to do the work by my boss earlier in the day. I know this as he sent me an email advising of this (I did ocasionally look at my blackberry) . Its just rude to call when you’ve been told that.

This person is now on my “bad people” list . I think the said person realised their mistake when they could hardly understand me on the day - its certainally not clever to call a very sick person.

I’m also not generally off work sick - it takes a serious bout of illness to keep me away (last time was for an emergency appendicitus operation over 12 months ago). My boss knows this - so when I do call in sick he knows not to bother me. The good news about this is my boss is shocked said person called me on my mobile after being advised earlier - and has reported the incident to the tactless person’s manager.

The above is yet another reason I try to avoid anyone apart from my manager having my home number or personal cellphone number. If I want people to call me when mobile, I can always remotely divert the office number to my personal cellphone (without having to give said number). In this case the person involved had my personal cellphone from years before I had started implementing the above policy.

Hows illness in your office right now?