Working from home using own mobile

[ouch321]

I am working from home due to corona virus. Those who are doing the same, how are you dealing with having to use your own phone? I don't have a work phone.

I've just been added to a WhatsApp group by my boss and had 11 msgs in the space of 10 minutes just now.

I'm kind quite annoyed as I dont want my personal number used like this and now shared with colleagues I don't really know. There is no reason for them not to use email which I can look at in working hours.

Just use Teams and remove yourself from the WhatsApp group. It almost sounds as though he's just heard of it and thinks it's a good idea. I'd have a chat with him and GDPR and giving people separation of work and home, which is really important especially at the moment.

Just mute any work Whatsapps and only unmute then during working hours.
This, or switch off the notifications. I agree that being contactable 24/7 is unhealthy. Can you use the “do not disturb” function on your phone overnight?

The team I’m in has a WhatsApp solely for informal chat, it’s to help us feel connected. I dip in and out when I feel like it. I’d be unhappy if I was expected to follow it for work communication.

I doubt OP can tell her boss which collaboration software to use. Life doesn't work like that.

I am so grateful to colleague who said I should bring my entire desktop system home. Couldn't manage without it. I have no webcam, though. No way to buy one that isn't expense out of my own pocket. Amusing on telecons.

Just mute the WhatsApp notifications and ignore the group out of working hours. Just because other people are chatting/working, doesn't compel you to be involved too.

You could also get a cheap sim only/PAYG sim if you don't want to use your personal number. Many people have spare phones lurking in drawers so you could even borrow a phone if you want to keep things really separate.

There are many simple, cost free or very low cost problems that make it a bit of a non issue, especially in the circumstances. Employers will notice who was flexible, accommodating and co-operative and who made a big deal out of not very much.

We use Teams for banter as well as work. It keeps morale up.

OP check what is agreed in your contract of employment and handbook as you may have given permission for them to do this in certain situations.

Then mute the group as a PP has said. If you stop responding at all to WhatsApp messages but respond within an hour to emails then people will realise that it's not worth WhatsApping you.

If colleagues start SMS or phoning you out of hours block their individual number and make a complaint to your manager about them.

I should add in all my workplaces we have always used our own mobiles and nobody has abused other colleagues personal contact details by contacting them out of their individual working hours. This is because it is gross misconduct to do so.

I’ve been added to several groups too, I just put on mute and reply in office hours.

I didn’t see it as a big deal given the circumstances and the fact we are lucky that we can a lot of things from home therefore limiting the time in the workplace for us all which helps keep us and our families safe. I’d rather our boss did WhatsApp than us have to do far more on site.

Why aren't people using Teams?

Or Zoom.

Lots are but WhatsApp is quicker and easy for small things rather than having to send out a meeting request for everything and anything.

We use Teams for messaging. It's just as instant as sending a text or a WhatsApp message. If we need to make a call to an individual we use Teams for that. Again it's just as quick as making a telephone call.

We are asked to diverted our office phone to our mobile but it isn’t used a lot, Aubert once a week i get a call.

Our team of 4 already uses a WhatsApp group, more for emergencies like can’t get online.

For everything internal we use Skype for business, we have teach chats, 121 chats and conference calls. If people agree they can even video call.

My mobile is used more for dealing with DD’s school twitter account.

@Ginfordinner Zoom is banned for security reasons in my line of business.

Just remove your number from the WhatsApp group and tell your boss you don't want to use it.

Everyone in my organisation works remotely as standard, and we don't use WhatsApp at all. we use Slack and then Google hangouts for video meetings.

I think you're right....
Except that these are difficult and unprecedented times, plans and working practices had to be put in place at very short notice, some companies were better at getting the infrastructure in place but does it really matter? Do you really want to be the person who makes things more difficult.

The same with the cost of the calls, it's not wrong that offsetting against the saved commuting costs isn't "correct" but really, if you're better off amd it's only occasional calls why not just accept it for the sake of making someone's life a bit easier?

Also, if you're hoping to continue to wfh at all after this, don't be the one who told them why it was so difficult to deliver!

Unprecedented or not, not being able to avoid work at 10pm on your personal phone for a normal 9-5 office job is not acceptable.

I'd leave the WhatsApp group if that were the case.

I'm in about 3 WhatsApp groups for work and we don't talk work outside of office hours. As it should be.

I have a work whatapp group, I never look at it outside working hours though.

not being able to avoid work at 10pm on your personal phone for a normal 9-5 office job is not acceptable.

I agree. Muting WhatsApp until the next day is an option.