How do I stop my colleagues contacting me on my personal phone?

[didntyou]

I'm after some advice. A few years ago my line manager and I had to travel somewhere for a meeting. She gave me her phone number and I made the mistake of texting her from my own phone when I was on my way to meet her. I wouldn't class her as a friend, we are most definitely colleagues.

Since then she occasionally sends me work related messages on WhatsApp, and has since shared my phone number without permission to another manager, who has phoned me at home about a work related incident.

Am I being unreasonable to not want to use my own phone for work communications? I don't particularly like my job, and don't want to be reminded of work by seeing their profile pictures whilst scrolling through WhatsApp (I saved their phone numbers so that I know when they are calling before I answer).

I have a work laptop, and they can contact me on that by email or Skype/Zoom, but as soon as the laptop is off I want to be left alone.

How do I fix this? I don't feel like I can tell them to delete my phone number as it's been going on for so long, and don't really want to change my number because of the hassle involved. Any ideas?

I would answer it if it wasn't very late at night or if I was abroad.

@didntyou If you don’t want confrontation - then separate your contact into favourites (family and friends for instance) and non favourites (everyone else) . Put phone on silent, then favourites can will still ring/message through and you can answer them. Just block work contacts in WhatsApp and delete them. Job done and no explanations needed. I’ve assumed you have an iPhone. I think you can do the same on an android?
m.youtube.com/watch?v=UjqYJvnlaYI

I'd definitely go with the ignoring WhatsApp messages, they will eventually stop sending them. Or knave it a few days and say sorry you missed them, the best way to contact me is.......

It is normal however to have someone's personal number in case of emergency, maybe just let the phone ring and eventually message back if needed but check about emergency call procedures. And then make sure you answer your emails as soon as you get them. Hopefully they will soon get the hint.

Just tell them to stop

Just don't answer. My personal phone is my only contact and all the appropriate staff have it. However, I set a limit to what time I answer work calls unless I'm specifically the point of contact for any emergency. Any calls from colleagues after 6 dont get answered. If it's important they will leave a voicemail and I can pick it up and then decide if I need to call back.
Just because they call on your mobile doesn't automatically mean you are available. And that goes for anyone, work, friends or family.

Isn’t it a breach of gdpr if they give out your personal number without consent?

That was my first thought too.

This, aside from the self employed, what jobs are it that people have where they are contacted on their personal phone out of hours a lot.

I just wouldn’t accept it or have a job like this. Not unless I was earning BIG BUCKS- in fact even then I’d expect work devices.

I had this but it was work colleagues. I was inundated with what's apps, phone calls, texts daily. To be fair to my line manager she manage to out a stop to it but it took a while for the message to get through to all. Maybe go above to her manager and explain. Just say you are happy for what's apps in emergencies or she needs to let you know she is off sick / vice versa but work related messages need to be sent on email or teams chat etc