Boss told me to get off my personal phone in a meeting

Unprofessional

Ps I would also be annoyed if people I was in a meeting with were browsing their phone.

I think it’s rude and unprofessional but find it happens so much at work. People sat on personal phones while in meetings so I don’t judge you as it’s so normalised to be rude with phones now

I was once told off about same. I was annoyed. Apparently it’s not on.

You truly deserved a clip round the ear. I am sure you won't make the same mistake again.
Either you are in the meeting or not. It is irrelevant it was your kids school. You can't choose to only get distracted by messages coming from one person and not others the same way you can't put a cart in front of the horse. First you got distracted, then you found out who it was.

Being distracted by your phone is not respectful to the people you are I. A meeting with.

Them not having kids is a irrelevant. Why didn’t you you go off camera, either get y or turn the camera off.

I get that teenagers and children can't stay off their phones, but adults, and in the workplace?! That's terrible. Put your phone away!

The teenagers are now adults and they can’t understand a life without instant access to their phones. Constantly turning their backs on what they’re presently doing, mindlessly following the next notification. It’s horrific. It’s unproductive. It’s destroying relationships (work and personal). But they’ll justify it to the death and call anyone who knew life before this shit ‘dinosaurs’. It’s unbelievably sad.

I also expected something like 'my child is on a life support machine and due to cost cutting measure (or environmental sustainabilty as that's always popular these days) they were messaging to say they were switching it off.'

My Boss drives a Volvo.

You can tell OP isn't carrying.

I would never dream of calling out a brief lapse of concentration from anyone in my team in a meeting to look at a phone, especially if they had children. I treat them like the adults they are…

Seems more disruptive to have to leave room to read a msg . Plus Op would then miss more of the meeting. Corporate culture can lack common sense, be stifling and negate our humanity. We aren’t robots. And op has brought life into the world. Wtf has that man ever really dohe?!
i personally think as long as ppl don’t make habit of it it’s fine . does OP do it regularly in meetings ? Why has she been made example of .

You should not take your phone into a meeting.

How many bosses do you have who had a go at you? At first it sounded like one, then it was 'their' and 'they'.

It depends on the message. In a situation where you've seen a message or a missed call from your kids' school the correct way to deal with it is to excuse yourself from the meeting.

If you were lolling around scrolling through the message in the middle of a discussion with colleagues and just read it by default then yes that's rude and unprofessional.

The same places where they have to take a half day for a Drs appointment; are monitored as to whether they are online; they are required to ask permission for anything; have to make their calendar visible

etc etc

@HollieBolly I'm 50 and have spent a lot of wasted time in meetings with no real purpose!

Maybe you’re now in a different position to the OP, who needs to keep her job because she has kids? Did/ do you take personal texts in meetings (calls, it’s the same thing in that it diverts attention)?

Clearly I am a shit parent as I have chosen to work in an environment where I am not allowed my mobile phone on the premises

I also have some times where work has to come first, even before my children when I am there in certain circumstances

Of course I ensure there are 3 other people that school can contact in an emergency with my kids

Not being able to drop everything at any given second because a text message flashes up on your phone does not make you a shit parent and you are ridiculous for thinking it does

@Fiftyandme you can still excuse yourself out of courtesy to the OTHER colleagues in the room and still respond to the school message about your daughter promptly.

I employ adults who I respect.

If they get a message from school during a meeting then it’s important and I encourage them to answer it.

or they might be a carer for an elderly relative and need to respond to something there.

it’s about trust and respect, treating people as humans and adults. In return our wellbeing is excellent, sickness rates very low and retention is brilliant.

Wait...what? You've asked if you were being unreasonable, you've been told yes you definitely were, and you're taking that on board? That's not how it's done! You're supposed to come up with a series of increasingly ludicrous excuses as to why everybody else is wrong, and drip feed a load of stuff about you, your boss and the company in general that doesn't really make any difference.

@Onetwobuckeroo @Notmyreality

“Briefly checking” is a quick glance when the message comes in-

You see it is from your DC’s school as opposed to DPD saying your parcel is delayed.

DC = important, so then you excuse yourself from the meeting. Step outside, deal with the text and return to the meeting room fully engaged.

@Onetwobuckeroo you mentioned that “boss doesnt have kids”. That is not relevant and I would be careful with that attitude. Boss may have elderly or sick relatives or other personal commitments. Just because you have kids doesnt mean that childfree people should not expect professionalism in a work setting.

That would be a very petty boss, with too much time on their hands!😂 - the matter has been dealt with.

Totally agree. My area has had school lockdowns. Even before that i always respond to the school when they message or phone. Nothing is more important.

@Greenmouldycheese Ignoring the school who are messaging or calling about your child is shit parenting. It’s the school, not a friend or some random person. Messaging and calls from them shoukd always be answered

This was a message, not a call. Shit parenting would be losing your job and putting your family’s financial security at risk, but are you saying schools now only message, even in an emergency? That must be incredibly stressful! Do you work? If so, how do you deal with being constantly on call?

This sums up the entire thing perfectly

This is a reverse. Surely