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Original poster

Using personal phone for work reasons

36 replies

Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 14:40

Work don't provide us with phones, and in general do not expect us to use personal phones for phone calls. However they do expect us to use them for things like, taking photos of meeting flip charts that sort of thing.

I'm quite new and this is the first job I've had since 2008 where a phone hasn't been provided. I don't really mind not having a phone, however I do mind using my personal phone for work. This is because I've always worked in the public sector and have been subject to a number of FOIs (it's not really because of me, just quite common in the role I do). Also the roles are very external facing so I've always had a strict boundary about giving out my number because contacts have called at unsocial times. Also I was once harassed by someone and had to change my number. Hence the need for a non personal phone previously and it does apply now, but they don't want to provide a phone so fine.

That's less of an issue in this job, they don't expect me to hand out my number to anyone, by AIBU that if they want me to use a phone for work, they should provide it? Or am I being weird?

Incidentally, perfectly happy to use it to message my boss to say my computer won't boot up on a WFH day or whatever, just not for the actual doing of work. (name change as about work)

OP posts:
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Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 20:59

HouseChainDrama · 12/11/2023 20:54

@Changeymcchangechange

Well yes. But you might note it's those that actually take it upon themselves to solve problems instead of complaining that get promoted and get the elusive iPads!

Your choice.

I'm quite happy not to be promoted, been there done that, I just don't want to use my personal phone for entirely valid reasons.

Also, that is absolutely not why those people have been promoted. And in my old organisation, this wouldn't have got you promoted, it would have got you a warning for misuse of data.

OP posts:
HouseChainDrama · 12/11/2023 20:54

@Changeymcchangechange

Well yes. But you might note it's those that actually take it upon themselves to solve problems instead of complaining that get promoted and get the elusive iPads!

Your choice.

Ponderingwindow · 12/11/2023 20:53

So company information ends up passing through your personal email address? That is absolutely forbidden where I work. So would taking a screenshot on a personal device. Company material can only be on the company network or it is a security violation.

Original poster
ChangeyMcChangeChange · 12/11/2023 20:49

JaninaDuszejko · 12/11/2023 20:31

I think some companies take advantage of employees having their own smart phone. My work refuses to give me a phone but I've had to give customers my personal number and have incurred costs because I've had to call customers with US numbers. I regularly get called by workmates on my personal number. I've complained to both my dept head and his boss and they are apparently going to set up pool phones for people to use when they need a phone (it tends to be concentrated during certain parts of a project) but it hasn't happened yet.

I do think there is an element of this for me. Don't want to give me a phone? No problem, and they are very happy for me to only make phone calls using teams (we don't have desk phones either) but if you're not going to to provide a phone then don't expect activity that needs a smart phone. I'm very happy to work 100% paperless only on my laptop.

OP posts:
Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 20:45

Daffidale · 12/11/2023 20:41

If you want to raise it, focus on the security issue. Say you don’t think it’s appropriate to be sending things from a personal phone?

Places I’ve worked you def have got into trouble for photographing official stuff on a personal phone and emailing the photos from a personal email account. Do the senior people know you don’t have a secure work phone for the photos?

also them not taking the photo themselves is a*hole behaviour

I'm fairly certain they do, I think it just falls under admin detail they don't care about.

I don't necessarily want to raise it but am mindful that my avoidance of being the one to do it may come to a head, at which point I'll say why I won't do it (and it won't be 'because you should give me a phone' am actually quite happy to not have one but it will be because it's insecure, use of data, if it came up in an FOI etc etc)

OP posts:
Daffidale · 12/11/2023 20:41

If you want to raise it, focus on the security issue. Say you don’t think it’s appropriate to be sending things from a personal phone?

Places I’ve worked you def have got into trouble for photographing official stuff on a personal phone and emailing the photos from a personal email account. Do the senior people know you don’t have a secure work phone for the photos?

also them not taking the photo themselves is a*hole behaviour

Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 20:37

HouseChainDrama · 12/11/2023 20:30

Can your laptop take photos? Use that?

Or have the senior person take a photo and email you.

Or take the flip chart paper!

You're not being very solution focused

Laptop doesn't take pictures, and as I indicated in previous comments senior people (who do have phones) see this as the admin and not their job (so I've seen them say something about the pictures need to be taken and then they'll go off and leave the meeting/room/building). And yes we could take the flip chart paper, but we all hot desk and dont always work from the same office. sometimes I've been 100s of miles from home and don't want to be carrying flipcharts paper across the country.

I'm not being deliberately unsolutions focussed, but why's it up to me to come up with the solution? Surely it's up to my employer to provide the tools to do the job

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Wolfpa · 12/11/2023 20:34

Do you have a camera on your laptop you can use instead?

JaninaDuszejko · 12/11/2023 20:31

I think some companies take advantage of employees having their own smart phone. My work refuses to give me a phone but I've had to give customers my personal number and have incurred costs because I've had to call customers with US numbers. I regularly get called by workmates on my personal number. I've complained to both my dept head and his boss and they are apparently going to set up pool phones for people to use when they need a phone (it tends to be concentrated during certain parts of a project) but it hasn't happened yet.

HouseChainDrama · 12/11/2023 20:30

Can your laptop take photos? Use that?

Or have the senior person take a photo and email you.

Or take the flip chart paper!

You're not being very solution focused

Rewis · 12/11/2023 20:20

I don't think it's fiar to expect you to use your own photo even for pics. They should provide an alternative way of getting the notes. Like someone with work phone shares it in teams etc.I also think not providing work phones is a bit shitty

Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 15:43

SmudgeButt · 12/11/2023 15:14

I'd be pointing out how it breaches data protection rules and also leaves them open to trojans if you are emailing things in that are then used at work.

Maybe you could borrow someone's old not very smart phone and point out that it doesn't have a camera so someone else will need to take photos and email you???

I've managed to swerve it so far, but am well into 'oh my camera is not very good' territory.

I've seen a few (now ex) colleagues get into trouble because of what's come out in an FOI (and nothing malicious they were just very naive and didn't get it and said silly things) and I've been fastidious about that over the years it just seems extremely counter intuitive to start emailing around stuff from my personal phone. Also the other way around would be a disciplinary offence.

Aside from which I've been around long enough to see when senior people get given iPads / phones etc and seem to think that's a perk, not part of the job. My senior iPad possessing person can take photos of flipcharts, not me.

OP posts:
Whowhatwherewhenwhy1 · 12/11/2023 15:42

Put your concerns in writing and ask them to circumvent this by supplying a basic tablet with a camera.

SmudgeButt · 12/11/2023 15:14

I'd be pointing out how it breaches data protection rules and also leaves them open to trojans if you are emailing things in that are then used at work.

Maybe you could borrow someone's old not very smart phone and point out that it doesn't have a camera so someone else will need to take photos and email you???

xyz111 · 12/11/2023 15:12

It's taking a few pictures for goodness sake. I don't understand the fuss??

NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/11/2023 15:10

As far as I'm concerned, if it's required to use a mobile phone or other technology for work, work provides it.

I'm not subsidising them to the tune of fifty quid plus for a phone (as it'll be for emails/photos/apps) or several hundred quid for a laptop.

Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 15:08

Zanatdy · 12/11/2023 15:04

That’s why our work (government) would have to provide one, but they wouldn’t expect staff without a phone to do that. All managers have one, I do have one and I’d use it to take photos etc, but all my team have my personal number as I cba having two phones constantly charged and monitoring. If it means I get early morning messages (hardly any staff call now) then that’s my fault for not using work phone.

Show quote history

I think part of the issue is I am surprised my also government employer don't feel the same.

I've come from somewhere which is most analogous to local government to the civil service. I'm amazed they are ok with this. I'm very happy not to have a phone, I'm not happy using my personal mobile to be emailing stuff around.

OP posts:
Ohmylovejune · 12/11/2023 15:07

I think it's such little use, but regular so can be anticipated, that an office tablet should therefore be used for it. Sounds like it will get quite a bit of use if this brainstorming is a common way of working.

Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 15:05

Startingagainandagain · 12/11/2023 14:59

I assume you then email these pics to yourself using your private address?

I think they are being daft because the above means company info is being shared through devices and emails that are not protected by the company ani-virus software and if you were to lose your private phone someone could also access that info.

Not to mention that if you have clients and their data appears in this content you company is breaching GDPR rules by allowing to be transferred into a private phone.

They should provide you with a work phone.

Yes, this is exactly it. They don't do being your own device or similar so we have to email via personal email accounts. To be fair I've not seen client data within images, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.

If this was a once a year thing, I'd maybe just overlook it, but it's actually pretty regular.

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 12/11/2023 15:04

Startingagainandagain · 12/11/2023 14:59

I assume you then email these pics to yourself using your private address?

I think they are being daft because the above means company info is being shared through devices and emails that are not protected by the company ani-virus software and if you were to lose your private phone someone could also access that info.

Not to mention that if you have clients and their data appears in this content you company is breaching GDPR rules by allowing to be transferred into a private phone.

They should provide you with a work phone.

That’s why our work (government) would have to provide one, but they wouldn’t expect staff without a phone to do that. All managers have one, I do have one and I’d use it to take photos etc, but all my team have my personal number as I cba having two phones constantly charged and monitoring. If it means I get early morning messages (hardly any staff call now) then that’s my fault for not using work phone.

Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 15:03

Ohmylovejune · 12/11/2023 14:58

Sounds like the office needs a tablet to take these photos and email them to.everyone who is in the meeting.

However, some of your reluctance I think.comes.from having been a.public sector employee. In normal.work situations a small.use of your mobile is to be expected. I suspect you also use a little office time to .occasionally to reply to private messages as your mobiles aren't banned at work. These little things swing in roundabouts.

No, still work in public sector. But in my private sector experience any use of personal phone is reimbursed. Which it isn't here.

It stems from being uncomfortable holding work data on my personal phone having been the subject of several foi requests, which could still apply as still in public sector.

OP posts:
Startingagainandagain · 12/11/2023 14:59

I assume you then email these pics to yourself using your private address?

I think they are being daft because the above means company info is being shared through devices and emails that are not protected by the company ani-virus software and if you were to lose your private phone someone could also access that info.

Not to mention that if you have clients and their data appears in this content you company is breaching GDPR rules by allowing to be transferred into a private phone.

They should provide you with a work phone.

Original poster
Changeymcchangechange · 12/11/2023 14:59

Doggymummar · 12/11/2023 14:57

I've not had a work phone in about a decade, usually just an app to charge calls to but in my current role I connect my phone to Microsoft phone link and that takes care of it

We're not allowed to do anything like that. V strict rules around not accessing teams or emails on personal phones. They don't provide phones, they also don't provide any way to use personal phones for work purposes, other than things like this.

OP posts:
Ohmylovejune · 12/11/2023 14:58

Sounds like the office needs a tablet to take these photos and email them to.everyone who is in the meeting.

However, some of your reluctance I think.comes.from having been a.public sector employee. In normal.work situations a small.use of your mobile is to be expected. I suspect you also use a little office time to .occasionally to reply to private messages as your mobiles aren't banned at work. These little things swing in roundabouts.

Doggymummar · 12/11/2023 14:58

Why are you posting under different names, it's confusing!

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