Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Work phone dilemma!

97 replies

Doodleboodle · 14/01/2023 09:12

Hello, I’ve started at a new company. As part of my work, I get an iphone (as I think is the norm, it’s the property of company, so if I left, it would Obvs be returned). I also have my own iPhone with its own number.

qu: do you have a work phone?

If so, what did you do? do you just have one phone (and port your home number into work phone, abandon home phone), or do you have two phones?

I’m new to this malarkey and think I should probably only have one phone, since I now realise I don’t really want to cart two phones around, have contacts in different places, my kindle on my home phone and not my work phone, but I stupidly ordered a second one via work without specify the wish to port my number.

I have no idea how long I’ll work for this company, but hoping it’s a long term prospect. Also, if I do stick with two phones, anyone know if there maybe a way to mirror home phone contacts and kindle etc onto work phone (while keeping home phone)? Ug, I really don’t know what is best, and it’s driving me mad. I could still cancel the work phone and start again!

Thank you! And sorry this is quite a boring qu, I did wonder if I should make the headline more interesting in the hope that some kind person might reply!

OP posts:

Original poster

Doodleboodle · 14/01/2023 09:35

@OOAOML hah! You’re right. A lot of this is fretting is also about me wanting to read kindle on work phone during my commutes to work… I didn’t realise one could put kindle onto multiple phones! Is it quite straightforward? Thank you!! Luddite emoji.

OP posts:

Original poster

Doodleboodle · 14/01/2023 09:37

Oh and also the audible app, anyone know if that can be installed on a work phone, while keeping it on one’s home phone too?

OP posts:

LIZS · 14/01/2023 09:38

There should be a work policy about use if equipment for non work related purposes.

Dumpstertruck · 14/01/2023 09:38

Two phones here as well. I would never mix the two, both for work life balance reasons and for privacy reasons. What happens if there's a regulator investigation and everyone needs to give in their phones? Then you'd be without a phone and all your private messages etc would be read. Maybe unlikely but I've known it happen in my industry.
Definitely keep separate.

DashingWhiteSergeant · 14/01/2023 09:39

I run two phones

AlisonDonut · 14/01/2023 09:39

The other good thing about having a work phone is being able to make a hotspot with the work phone that you can use for work laptops and for your own phone.

I used to only have my own phone, in fact I gave a work phone back, when I worked for a charity but when I worked for corporate roles, always had a work phone and it got switched off at the end of every day.

Redblanky · 14/01/2023 09:39

Doodleboodle · 14/01/2023 09:29

can you explain this a bit more? Do you have two SIM cards in the same phone? If so, how is this done?

thanks so much to everyone for their feedback. The nature of my past work has been such that I’ve had terrible work/home boundaries (I had my own business) so it’s v v v good to be reminded that this is my healthy!!

Show quote history

The phone has slots.for 2 SIMs and yiu can choose which one has priority for each of outward calls, texts and data, but you can also switch manually for each call.

E.g. I have mine set for work calls and personal texts because I don't use text for work much, but if I'm making a personal call it's easy to switch - the prompt comes up for all calls and texts.

The only downside I can see, is as far as I can work out, you can only have WhatsApp for one number on one device, so I have to use my work number for all WhatsApp groups. We do use WhatsApp at work, if we didn't I could just use the personal number. Love to know if anyone has a solution to this!

OOAOML · 14/01/2023 09:40

It was several years ago I did it but I think I just installed the app and logged into my kindle account. I used to do short trips away quite a lot so it was good to have kindle access on both phones. I also had relevant local apps on my work phone - usually it was Dublin or London I went to so I had an Irish weather app, local travel apps etc. Stopped my personal phone getting (more) cluttered.

whatsagoodusername · 14/01/2023 09:40

Doodleboodle · 14/01/2023 09:37

Oh and also the audible app, anyone know if that can be installed on a work phone, while keeping it on one’s home phone too?

I've got my audible account logged in on my phone, DH's, and both kids' iPads. No problems!

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 14/01/2023 09:44

Apart from the fact I would be in big trouble at work using my work phone for personal and you can't download apps etc to it. Work is work and the work phone goes off at the end of the day. If you use the same one surely you end up with people phoning you about work when you are on leave or days off?

You certainly need to look at policy anyway even if intending to keep them separate as there may all be rules about what you can download and use to your work phone.

Nicecow · 14/01/2023 09:46

I'd just keep them separate, turn work phone of when you "log off"

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 14/01/2023 09:47

I got given an android phone as my work phone. I’m a long term apple user. Couldn’t get on with it so have switched to an e-sim on my personal handset for the work number.

Have had my private number for about 25 years and want to limit who has it.

Upside is I don’t have to carry 2 phones around (I travel a lot). Downside is I l’ve always got the work phone with me.

theyoungishman · 14/01/2023 09:49

I just have a dual sim phone and turn the work line off when I'm not working

gratedhalloumi · 14/01/2023 09:50

My work phone is the property of my work and also anything on it they are able to access at any time. I definitely would not want my photos, etc on there.

Why is it necessary to use it for your kindle app, etc. would you just not carry both phones when you worked and use your personal phone for personal use and your work phone for work use?

Unless I’m just not getting the problem?

LlynTegid · 14/01/2023 09:51

I have only a work mobile phone. Have had one for a long time because of on call responsibilities and never had a personal one for that reason.

Switched off at weekends and overnight except when on call. Carry it about sometimes when out in case I need to find something out (directions perhaps) or in extremis call for a taxi or minicab (only ever needed it once for that).

Don't think I could manage with two.

keepareaclean · 14/01/2023 09:51

DD keeps them separate and she never looks at her work phone unless she is on the way to, or at work. She likes to have a clear boundary.

FixTheBone · 14/01/2023 09:57

Redblanky · 14/01/2023 09:39

The phone has slots.for 2 SIMs and yiu can choose which one has priority for each of outward calls, texts and data, but you can also switch manually for each call.

E.g. I have mine set for work calls and personal texts because I don't use text for work much, but if I'm making a personal call it's easy to switch - the prompt comes up for all calls and texts.

Show quote history

Increasing numbers of android phones allow multiple versions of the same app, so you can have 2 copies of WhatsApp installed, or two copies of your email, or Web browser....

giveadogabeer · 14/01/2023 09:57

I’d ask for the company policy on using your phone for personal use
my is blocked from downloading anything but the work apps we need and I’m not allowed to use the phone for personal use.

I wouldn’t want to use my work phone for that anyway and similar to other posters switch the phone off when I’m not working

20viona · 14/01/2023 09:58

You use them as two separate devices

TeeHeeQuodSheAndClaptTheWindowTo · 14/01/2023 09:59

Jellycatspyjamas · 14/01/2023 09:18

I always keep my work phone separate. I turn it on when I’m working and put it away when I’m not, I don’t want to be available to my workplace 24/7.

This exactly. Plus most workplaces, if you access work email or other data, have control over your work phone so it can be disabled if it’s lost or stolen, to protect their data. You don’t want a remote wipe of your personal phone when you leave!

I’ve had a work phone alongside my own for 20 years, and I’ve never found it a big deal to carry both when I’m out for work. When I’m home (permanent homeworker) it’s either on my desk so work contacts can call me, or switched off in the drawer when I’m not working.

Do you really want all your work contacts having access to your WhatsApp etc?

Not to mention that they may not agree to your using airtime and data on their dime. You need to read the conditions for having a work phone in your employee handbook.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 14/01/2023 10:00

Two phones here and I control my companies telecommunications. Some individuals have the one phone, provide by work, as both their personal and work. They do have to give it back if they leave, as with everyone. Its a very small amount that do that though. Most have a work phone and personal, as it allows them to separate. I have no care as to what they use their data on for the work phone, however, they must show a business need. One of the things we do monitor is going over their allowance, if it happens often, their manager needs to have a meeting as to why.

Fudgemaker · 14/01/2023 10:00

Dumpstertruck · 14/01/2023 09:38

THIS! There is potentially so much tracking, monitoring possible. Company policies normally state that your emails etc aren't private and can be viewed by the organisation, imagine them being able to go all over your phone messages, photos etc

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 14/01/2023 10:08

I have separate WhatsApp and email apps for the work stuff. And I don’t use Teams for anything personal.

It’s common to do it this way where I work (because the handsets they give out are crap).

Oblomov22 · 14/01/2023 10:12

Work phone and personal phone separate.

mrstea301 · 14/01/2023 10:19

I have two phones and keep them separate. I don't mix work and personal and it means that I'm not 'on call' all the time. If people in my team need me, they can call or text my phone but I'll check it when i want to, so for example if I'm off work on holiday that day, I may check my texts and emails to see if anything is kicking off, but I don't have to and if I don't, it's ok - I'm not expected to be always available.

This is the first time I've had a work phone and I wasn't quite sure at first, but it works out well tbh!

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread