Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that workplaces should give you a phone if they want you to use it for work purposes?

54 replies

Keke94LND · 12/10/2021 15:07

So this is actually almost 4 years too late, and there's nothing I can do about it now, but I was 23 when I started my job and at the time I wasn't confident enough to say no, but.. AIBU unreasonable to think work places should give you a phone if they want you to use yours for work purposes?

I'm a PA for reference:
On my first day at my job, my boss asked the IT guy to put my emails onto my phone... I just went along with it, but in hindsight now I think.. what if I don't want them on MY phone?

My boss frequently WhatsApp's me or calls me on my mobile (mainly when she is abroad or needs something out of hours). Occasionally I have to check my boss in for flights etc on weekends so I use my phone for this, although I don't mind that so much.

When covid hit and we started working from home, there was one day where my phone started playing up, and my boss told me I must get it fixed and it's very important I have a working phone especially at that time because of working from home! This was when I started to think 'it's my fucking phone'!

Is this normal for work places? Do most of you have your own work phones or are you expected to use your phones that you pay for? What if I decided I just wanted a bog standard Nokia flip phone? Lol

OP posts:
NailsNeedDoing · 12/10/2021 16:10

Of course they should give you a phone if you need it for work purposes.

I don’t see why you can’t put in a request for one, even four years down the line. Tell them it’s affecting your work life balance or that you’re concerned about GDPR because you let your (or someone else’s) children play on it, there must be loads of valid reasons why this could be considered inappropriate that you could use.

Pinkstegosaurus · 12/10/2021 16:12

In my previous role as a PA I had this exact issue, it was just expected that my phone would also be a work phone. My boss had absolutely no boundaries and would get very stroppy if I didn’t respond instantly to work related items - this naturally became worse when I was working from home as she was an utter control freak. I wish I had put boundaries in place early on…instead it became quite easy for her to quickly start dictating how I did everything whether in or out of work…can you tell I’m still not quite over the experience 😅

SpeckledlyHen · 12/10/2021 16:13

I have had a work phone for about 20 odd years. I still remember the excitement of getting my first one (it was a nokia). Personally, I do not want work emails on my own phone as it is difficult to ever leave work at work. I would insist on them giving me a phone to use for work related stuff to be honest.

Tee20x · 12/10/2021 16:14

Yes. I have a work phone, for clients to contact me on (would be gross misconduct if they had my personal one). But also allows me to check work emails etc. Switch it off at 5pm on the dot and it doesn't go back on again until 9am the next day.

Having boundaries like that stops the whole "oh let me just have a quick read of my emails to prep for xyz" - nope. When I finish work, I need to forget it exists and live my own personal life!!

That being said, my manager obviously has my personal number and will contact me in an absolute emergency if she can't get hold of me on the work one. Not out of hours though.

BeastOfBODMAS · 12/10/2021 16:15

Definitely approach it from a confidentiality angle, perhaps you stumbled across (or googled) a relevant article in a trade publication and can raise it from a best practice/ management of risk/liability POV?

Hardybloodyhar · 12/10/2021 16:18

Absolutely shit. They should pay for your phone if it's for work, and you should be able to have down time away from being a work. You're an employee not an indentured slave!
Be assertive, this isn't working for you and she needs to provide a work phone.
It helps her, because if you leave she takes the phone back and gives it to your replacement to facilitate the transition.

Original poster
Keke94LND · 12/10/2021 16:22

@Pinkstegosaurus

In my previous role as a PA I had this exact issue, it was just expected that my phone would also be a work phone. My boss had absolutely no boundaries and would get very stroppy if I didn’t respond instantly to work related items - this naturally became worse when I was working from home as she was an utter control freak. I wish I had put boundaries in place early on…instead it became quite easy for her to quickly start dictating how I did everything whether in or out of work…can you tell I’m still not quite over the experience 😅
Think we might be the same person and have had the same boss 🤣🤣🤣
OP posts:
BreakfastOfWaffles · 12/10/2021 16:23

My work gives us the choice of either using our own phone or having a separate work one. Personally I chose to use my own because I don't like lugging two phones around, but I am not customer facing so hardly ever get calls on it. Calls during the workday come via our laptops anyway.

Original poster
Keke94LND · 12/10/2021 16:25

@Hardybloodyhar

Absolutely shit. They should pay for your phone if it's for work, and you should be able to have down time away from being a work. You're an employee not an indentured slave! Be assertive, this isn't working for you and she needs to provide a work phone. It helps her, because if you leave she takes the phone back and gives it to your replacement to facilitate the transition.
Yeah it would be a lot better and make transitioning a lot easier, there are zero policies or processes at this company, it's a very small company but still... I'd actually love there to be processes that I could moan about 🤣 I'm gonna look for a new job in the new year anyway
OP posts:
Pinkstegosaurus · 12/10/2021 16:26

@Keke94LND 😂😂

Original poster
Keke94LND · 12/10/2021 16:26

Also to mention.. because I have to use my personal phone as a work phone, I also just mentally don't care about using my phone for non work related things whilst at work (which is what I'm doing right now 🤣 ) I may have set myself some boundaries on this had I been given an actual work phone

OP posts:
fedup078 · 12/10/2021 16:27

When we first started working from home they weren't going to give me a work phone but I refused to use my personal phone for work calls . I'm not answering work call on my days off ffs.

BrilliantBetty · 12/10/2021 16:29

It is not too late to bring it up and you absolutely should!

'I will need a work phone for work related use going forward as mine is not the best and I would prefer to have something separate anyway. I use my personal phone often at work but won't be able to much longer, please let me know how I can arrange to get a work phone so I can sync everything needed for work.

Nearlytheretrees · 12/10/2021 16:51

I insisted on a work phone when they wanted me to make calls during wfh in lockdown, had a landline in the office. I do not want clients to have my personal number nd I have to be available to receive calls as well. Next review mention it

Leftbutcameback · 12/10/2021 16:58

YANBU at all! I've always had a work phone and when I started at my new employer I didn't need a smart phone, but they gave me a basic Nokia for calls which I appreciated. I turn mine off when I'm not working or on duty and it helps my wellbeing.

NothingIsWrong · 12/10/2021 17:02

Wow, that's really crap. We are not allowed any access to work stuff on a personal phone for security reasons. It's a pain having to remember to charge two phones etc, but when I'm off, it gets turned off and that's that. I have a couple of colleagues that I'm close to on Facebook, but no contact with colleagues outside of work apart from that

Bloodymess · 12/10/2021 17:05

Yanbu
I’m just sorting this out now. I’ve been using my personal phone but now can’t upgrade as my work headset won’t work with anything more modern. Work are fine with that.

SisforSoppy · 12/10/2021 17:09

I’ve been a dr in the nhs for 20 years. I’ve never once been given a phone. I can’t do my job without one.

TheKeatingFive · 12/10/2021 17:11

Absolutely OP. Tell them you are no longer comfortable using your personal phone and if they want you accessing emails, they need to give you one.

butterflyze · 12/10/2021 17:23

As others have already mentioned, this is a monumental GDPR issue. Is there someone who deals with all that stuff as part of their role - IT bod perhaps?

HireStarter · 12/10/2021 17:35

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is common. My partner's work emails are on his phone. In my last job I had a work phone. His set up is easier as he doesn't have to remember two phones.

Pros and cons really but both fine options.

Orangejuicemarathoner · 12/10/2021 17:38

I think you can being it up now, and block and delete everything work related on your phone, and say you need a work phone

Couldhavebeenme3 · 12/10/2021 17:45

Isn't your contract up soon op? Don't you want to downgrade to SIM only with limited data and calls for your personal use only? Now is a great time to open this up with your boss.

Fraine · 12/10/2021 17:49

Yep, has to be a company phone. We have iPhone 11s with unlimited data in the UK and free calls to mobiles and landlines around the world.

B1rdinthebush · 12/10/2021 17:51

@GiantCrab If it costs too much for the company to supply everyone with a phone, then surely they need to find another way of communicating with staff? It's all very well that they've chosen WhatsApp as a means of communication because it's fast and efficient but they're taking the piss out of employees by insisting they use their own devices and data to do so.