Question you have a phone on your desk do you answer it ?

[gettingolderandgrumpier]

Even if you’ve not been told to answer the phone . But you haven’t been told to ignore either . If nobody on your team is available and it rings would you ignore or answer ?.
Sounds a daft question but people that can’t or won’t answer a phone on their desk and say’ sorry gettingolderandgrumpier is not available can I take a message ‘ is really baffling .

I don’t understand. A phone on their desk (so, their office phone) or a phone on your desk (your office phone), at which they happen to be sitting? Or your mobile, which you’ve left on their desk?

All very different scenarios.

If I answered all the phones on unmanned desks in my office, I wouldn’t get my work done, hence we all have voicemail

On my own deck ie my phone - obviously I answer it.

On someone else's desk in my team? That depends. Generally I wouldn't unless I knew they were going to be away from their desk for a while - eg meeting etc

I'd answer the phone if a proper phone not a mobile one.
If it is someone else's phone I'd answer 'Mr Jones' phone' and go from there.

Other people's desk phones? That would REALLY stress me out!! But it depends on the convention in your office - when I was an intern I couldn't move for fielding other people's desk phone calls!

I would be very confused if I heard a phone ring. I don't think I've had a landline number at work for about 5 years. We have phones on our desks but all the extensions belong to people who left years and years ago.

My workplace have moved on from desk phones lol but no I wouldn't have answered someone else's..why would I? The person can leave a message or email.

These days it goes to answerphone, which someone can pick up remotely. So no we wouldn't pick up as it's time consuming and you can't help. Apart from taking a message they would already get anyway.

God no. I answer my phone and my bosses phone. Unless it's a customer care center, nothing is gained by me answering a phone to say the person they want isn't there. They can work that out when said person doesn't answer

I'd also then have to go through the effort of letting someone know that so and so called for them, rather than just letting them view their own missed calls when they come back.

In the no land line offices, what do you use? Mobiles or irritating Skype stuff? I never answer anyone who attempts to call my PC. I have no headset and I'm not loud speakering my conversations.

Phone on your desk as in an office phone landline . It’s accounts so people do call and it’s the same number so all the phones on the team ring .
so most likely for me but if I’m on the other line not in , on the toilet so you wouldn’t answer it and take a message ?

Sorry to be clear not someone else’s phone not on another desk .
your desk phone that rings well they all ring but everyone else is otherwise engaged do you ignore or answer ?

Yes. In the days when we had desk phones this would have been expected.

I work in an NHS admin role. Yes we answer each others phones and take a message.

When we get an incoming call, it flashes on everyone's phone so anybody can answer it. My colleague behind me usually answers it, and if not, then there are two other members of staff in adjacent offices who will answer instead.

The only time I answer it is when nobody else is available.

Depends if I was busy or not.

Sorry, I'm less clear after this update. Are you asking if I ignore my own phone? No. Unless I'm genuinely unable to answer it

Yes, it is answered. Matter either dealt with immediately or a message taken and left for the appropriate person to deal with - and caller informed of that action. (Whichever course is taken).

Yes I’m asking if you ignore your own desk phone ? Sorry if it seems a strange question but I’m just a bit a bit baffled by colleagues who ignore the phone because they haven’t specifically been told it’s your job to answer the phone .
im not talking call centre either it’s just a office but if you know your colleagues are busy wouldn’t you answer take a message ? I would but it seems not everyone would .

No

I would ... but I see so many younger people who seem to think that they should only do specific tasks as listed in their job description and don't really appreciate what it is to be a "team player".

Anyway moot point, as where I work we only have one incoming line and anyone free just answers it.

Why would I ignore my own desk phone?

They don't pick up the phone because they 'haven't specifically been told to?'

Are they primary school children? Do they literally not do anything unless someone has outright told them to? Blimey. Wouldn't fly at our place. Even the AD will pick up someone's phone if they're not there and she's nearest to it.

No because it sounds like all the other people doing your job (ie accounts) are already on the phone to others so the hypothetical me in this situation doesn't work in accounts and therefore wouldn't be able to help the person ringing in any way.

The only thing I could do is take a message but it would be just as easy for the caller to leave their own message or ring back and wouldn't take me away from my work.

Saying that if you were in a meeting and your phone kept ringing I would answer it and take a message because I'd assume it was urgent. But if you were just in the loo and it rung once then no.

All hypothetical because I haven't worked anywhere with a physical phone I could answer for nearly a decade - it's all headsets and phone calls via PC now!

Agreed