Work phone dilemma!

[Doodleboodle]

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!

I do 2 phones. We do have the option of having one phone with separate numbers for personal and work. Not sure how it works but the 12 year old (okay, they’re in their early 20’s 😁) in IT sorts it out for you. But I prefer the idea of turning work phone off when not needed and putting away in laptop bag.

2 phones and always keep my work phone separate. It's switched on during working hours only and only my team and my manager have my personal number.

I think it's really important to have a clear line between work and personal.

I have two phones. That way when I'm on leave I don't have to have my work phone/see emails come in/see someone calling me etc.
I have some apps on both - I think you should be fine to have kindle on both. I have my kindle app on my personal phone and on my tablet, so I assume you could have it on two phones.

I start a new job Monday, hurrah. I declined the work phone and laptop as I prefer to use my own. I offered them to add an extra SIM to mine if they wanted but they were fine with it. I've always don't this and I get maybe one or two calls a month out of hours so it's no big deal. I switch it off on holidays as my family will WhatsApp messenger call me anyway

You can have WhatsApp on multiple devices. I dipo. It's on my phone which I use for work and personal. My desktop, laptop and iPad. You scan aqr code to do it.

Sorry for spelling 🤣

I have two phones. I can switch one of them off over the weekend and when I'm on holiday. Suits me fine, it's really no hassle to carry a second one around during the work day.

I use both so switch work phone on only during work hours, keeps things seperate.

I do exactly this. Your employer will be able to see all your phone info, etc. and you will not have privacy.

I have work phone . I use it during the day then leave it on charge at work. I don't bring it home in the evening and I definitely don't have it at the weekends. I usually just carry 2 phones if I need my personal one.

i have a work phone and personal phone, i put my work phone onto silent when i finish work and dont bother with it
when i need to go to the office i carry 2 phones, not a big deal

Two phones.

work policies forbid the downloading of any apps other than corporate approved ones - so kindle for the commute would be an absolute no.

Work phone is for work calls/texts, picking up emails/messages remotely and for hotspotting on my laptop if I’m out on visits.

I only need to carry two phones during work time so its not to onerous.

It also depends on your new company's phone policy, and whether they have MDM on their devices. Having a separate work phone means you can turn it off when your not working, to keep work/personal boundaries.

I have 2 separate phones. Its no problem carrying 2 phones around. I only use the work phone when I'm at work or on call, otherwise it's switched off. Some colleagues have my personal number in case of emergency.

In my experience the people who not have one phone (i.e., the work one) are either of the generation where their first mobile came via work so they’ve never “needed” to buy their own personal one, or workaholics.

With the second set if they run into MH difficulties the first thing they do is to get a personal phone to try and re enforce boundaries between work and home. My boss was answering work emails whilst in hospital once, and in the queues at Disney World on a family holiday fgs. The temptation is just too great not to look. Terrible idea.

I have an ancient android for work that I hate with a passion. I frequently forget to charge it so I usually just leave it plugged into the USB in my laptop at my desk unless I’m on site visits which is once or twice a month at present. It’s basically an expensive desk phone for me and works fine that way.

Don't like having to carry two phones so have works line installed as an E-Sim on my own mobile. We can download apps from a portal for Teams/Email and then company can delete those if/when I leave or if I lose phone. Rest of my apps and data is inaccessible to them.

Can choose which line to use for calls/texts/data and can switch off the works line if I choose out of hours

Work and personal. Never the Twain shall meet !

Ah brilliant, thanks for all your experiences. I think I fall into the workaholic camp, be good to stop that! Really good point about not wanting to share photos etc! Interesting about kindle being a no-no for some. My home iPhone is about a year old and battery starting to lose power, so I was simply thinking easier to read on work phone, and easier to have everything in one place. But maybe not!! Certainly I am not using my new work laptop for ANYTHING but work!

I work in HR, and I would never not have two separate phones - one for work and one personal. Why?

• It's far too much hassle if you only have one,
• you can never switch off if your work phone is also your personal phone
• You probably won't be allowed personal calls etc on your work mobile
• when you leave you may not be able to port your number until the end of the work contract and you may be stuck in an expensive contract
• most importantly you'll find most tech policies allowing for the company to access anything on your work phone so unless you want to give them access to all your personal stuff, steer well clear!

I don't have a work phone... but DH has a normal work phone, his work laptop, his own phone, his own laptop and sometimes the On Call phone. (On occasion two On Call phones...)

He resembles a walking electronics shop!

I have 2 sim cards iny phone. Lots of phones have that available. Ask work if any of their phones have them.

I’m a HR Director.

Our Chief of People, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Operating Officer all use one handset with 2 numbers.

I did a year of 2 laptops and 2 handsets before handing theirs back. They were utterly shit and I’d rather use mine. I keep everything separate and there is no issue policy-wise.

Absolutely HAVE two phones and do not merge them

Work phones usually have every single thing monitored

I prefer 2 phones to keep work and personal separate.

I dont want the work phone applications on my personal phone, some colleagues whatsapp each other evenings and weekends, even if it is social only I dont want disturbed or even to think about work when I am not working. When I am not working my work phone is on silent and out of sight.

Or instant dismissal. Work phone would be taken off "you" so of it was also your personal phone, you'd be scuppered.