If it's urgent phone me!

[BecomeStronger]

I've been criticised for not responding to a message on a work WhatsApp group on a Sunday. The employer is decent and wouldn't send anything that wasn't urgent out of hours, but I don't have my work phone in my hand all weekend.

It was an urgent matter, which I could have dealt with very quickly and would have been happy to do so, had I known. But I didn't see the message until I next picked up my work phone on Monday morning.

AIBU to think if they want my urgent attention at the weekend they should phone, probably on my personal number, or is it normal to monitor a work phone all weekend, even when it's very rare that anything is needed?

YANBU, work phones are for when you are at work...

if they wanted you urgently, they should have phoned you!
I had a similar situation recently with our new Interim boss as our usual boss is off sick. She phoned me Monday morning saying that she had been trying to phone me the night before to ask me to change work locations to cover absences... She sounded surprised that my work phone was off.... OVER THE WEEKEND !!!!

our usual boss would normally phone my personal phone if advice was needed urgently and apologize profusely that she is disturbing me.... She wouldn't expect me to have my Work phone on!

Not unreasonable at all.

YANBU. It's ridiculous to expect anyone to keep an eye on a work phone at the weekend in case there's a rare emergency and email, WhatsApp, texting is not the appropriate method of contacting an individual in an emergency unless you've tried to phone and got no answer.

If they want that kind of attention they need to put you on call and compensate you accordingly

My work phone is only ever on during working hours (unless an issue arises before I finish when I will keep it on in case) if they need me urgently they have my personal number...I know some people have their work phone as their main phone so it is always on but I deliberately keep them separate

My work phone would be off all weekend unless I was specifically asked to remain contactable in case of emergencies. If an emergency arose I'd expect a call.

Not unless you’re the prime minister. Or you work in a zoo and you’re the only person who knows how to coax the escape-artist lion back into his enclosure. Or you’re paid to be on call.

YADNBU

You can't be on call 24/7... work phone is for work!

Not normal to monitor a work phone unless you are on call. TBH not normal for your employer to ring your personal number OOO either, unless you have agreed in advance that this is acceptable when urgent. Sounds like your company needs to review some of its procedures.

Work phone is switched of when i finish, if its an emergency they have permission to call or text my personal phone but not if it can wait until working day

Yanbu. My dh has a work phone. The company policy is, if you are not working ie; days off or holiday then you will not be contacted. It’s also frowned up to contact someone late on a Friday as it can wait til Monday.

My DP has a work phone, it's switched on but in his coat pocket on weekends and evenings. He doesn't check it/check messages or emails when he's off but it means that work can theoretically ring him if there was an emergency or last min change of plan for monday morning on Sunday night etc. It means that his personal phone stays personal which is what he prefers.

TBH they're pretty good about not messaging when he's off work and it's very rare that they do call.