How do you feel about using your personal phone number?

[Pizzaholic33]

I know people who will not share their personal phone number for anything work-related, for a reference, anything at all really.
A colleague created a WhatsApp group for our department but one man refused to be on it, saying it was work and he didn't want his personal phone number being used.
I've known people refuse to be referees for jobs, housing, passports etc. because they don't want their phone number being given.
It's not something that bothers me at all really but everyone's different. Just wondered what people think?

I don't mind things like that, but I really hate it that almost everything now demands your phone number. Online orders, things like that. I almost always put just 0s, but sometimes it doesn't accept it.

Ordered a takeaway through the restaurant website a while ago, gave them my number, ended up getting a promotional SMS from them a month late. I blocked them, submitted an ICO complaint as a misuse of my info, and wouldn't order from them again, although the curry was very good. I was also in the middle of a two-months-long struggle with my phone company at the time, because they seemed unable to implement the 'opt out' of their own marketing texts, so I was particularly riled.

This is mumsnet
people don’t answer the front door unless an appointment has been made 2 years in advance no way are people going to give their phone number out to anyone 😂😂😂😂

Work have it for emergency contact purposes only. I wouldn't join a WhatsApp group for any reason.

If you're generally bothered about giving out your number, you could have a 'burner phone' to use with companies who might want to spam you.

I pick and choose, so a group WhatsApp where I couldn’t control who gets access would be a no for me.

You don’t need to give a personal number to be a referee for a job.

It is not paid work but I look after the buildings for a local church. I arrange lets of the hall etc. My number is on every email that I send and on a notice in every room in the building.
I get contacted by phone, text and WhatsApp but not excessively and always for a proper reason.
I can’t see a problem sharing a number with people from work.

I also left a work WhatsApp group because it used my personal number. We had work mobiles but were added under our personal phones. I didn't want all of my colleagues having access to my personal number and what I hated the most actually was receiving work related messages on my personal phone. I don't think anyone should be obliged to use their personal phone for work purposes.

I don't mind giving it out to friends but like to keep work and personal separate.
I'm self employed and a few of my customers have my personal mobile number which was given to them by friends when they asked for a recommendation, they've then given it out to people who want to book in too so there are about 10 customers who have it and it's a pain.
I've had texts and calls on every day of the week ranging from 5.30am to 10.15pm, I've asked them to only call the landline but they don't.
People seem to think that because I work from home that I should be available 24/7 even though they know I only work a few days between 9 and 3.

Sorry I went on a bit of a rant there, it's a pet peeve.

I don’t like sharing it on WhatsApp groups for work and won’t join such groups again Purely because I’ve had a few instances of colleagues misusing it. For the rest of the op list I would be fine with as those are much more closely controlled.

If there is a business need for someone to have my phone number, then the business can give me a phone.

I have had separate work/personal phones for 15+ years. Work life balance is hard enough without giving out my personal phone number ! A handful of very trusted colleagues have my personal number fur very specific reasons. I've been known to block people who abuse that..

You don’t need to give a personal number to be a referee for a job

Good point.

I myself am considering getting a second phone just for work purposes and so that I can switch off when not at work. I think a lot of people would prefer this.

The NHS exists because almost everyone is expected to use their personal phone for work. Obv we don’t give our numbers to patients, but there are a number of systems used that require a mobile number and save for the managers and a few senior clinicians, everyone has to use their personal mobile. In my team of 10 consultants 2 have work mobiles for specific tasks.

I knew the shitty and demeaning 'ha ha ha ha ha mumsnet don't even answer the door' type of comment would come up. Second post in and that came up. How predictable. 🙄SHOCKER, not everyone is the fucking same! People don't deserve to be mocked, and people have the right to not answer the door when they are not expecting anyone. I am so sick of this attitude on here!

@Pizzaholic33 Most people have my mobile phone number and I don't mind coz I can block numbers. Work has it because I don't mind them having it. Never been an issue.

My DH never hands out his number at work though, as he gets contacted to do overtime, even though he tells them REPEATEDLY that he doesn't want it. Also, he is nearly 60, has sciatica, has worked for nearly 45 years, and does nearly 30 hours a week (shift work) as it is ... Also, the overtime is always Fridays and Saturdays too - evening and nights. He does those shitty shifts half the time anyway, he is not going in when he's got them off!

I have facebook - and as DH doesn't give his phone number out, his colleagues/manager used to contact me through there, and tell me to ask him to come in on Saturday night (6pm to midnight,) and come back to them and confirm if he was definitely coming!!! I don't know why they bothered because the answer was always no!

I don't even have them as 'friends' and they just private message me. Started getting on my tits, and I changed my settings so no-one could see anything unless they were on my friends list, so I could pretend I hadn't been on there! And no-one could message me unless they were on my friends list.

/

I have a work mobile that I'm available on during work hours. Right now it's switched off and twenty miles away

My private phone is, private

One of my colleagues has given her mobile number to a few clients. Couldn't think of anything worse myself. It's annoying as sometimes they call the main reception to find out why she's not replied, and it's when she's on annual leave or simply her day off. Must be awful for her don't know why she'd want people calling her personal number.

I’ve always had that policy for my phone and work. If work want me to use a phone for work related purposes they’ll need to pay for a second sim.

We have a works WhatsApp group set up over covid however more often used for work purposes and recently by our manager one evening to call us into office the next day - team routinely work from home .
So there's advantages and disadvantages!
We've just been told by work install an authentication app on our personal mobiles for new software at work.
I've done it but tbh not impressed I need to use my personal mobile for work.
Senior colleagues all have work mobiles so i don't think they see the imposition.

People who have work mobiles... what phone (spec, cost) is it?

What are the terms of use? Are you required to have it turned on all your hours at work but then you can turn it off & ignore until your next actual shift starts? Is there an expectation how quickly you must answer or reply to a message on it?

For work mobiles, who keeps track of paying for it, keeping software on it, keeping it insured, paying a data contract, and authorising apps that can be installed on it? How does that work. Are you allowed to put it in a back pocket or must the phone be kept in some other kind of bag (or how are you allowed to carry it). Do you have a screen protector and bumper to protect it... or what stops the screen getting smashed? Presumably someone monitors that you haven't watched 6 movies on it a day to use all the data allowance.

I obviously don't know a single soul with a work mobile.

Personal mobile phone is just that. It's for personal (and medical ) reasons and it's why I have a landline as well, so I can give that out instead. Unfortunately more and more online businesses don't want your landline number they want a mobile so they can text you despite them also insisting on an email (and address, and bank account - everything except landline 🙄). I think a burner phone is the way forward.

I wouldn't give out my personal number either. If WhatsApp was required at work, I'd get a cheap pay and go SIM.

It’s surprising how many employers expect you to use your own mobile.

I work with work colleagues, volunteers and service users.

My colleagues have my number, we have a group WhatsApp which is used during office hours to check in with each other (we do home visits), and occasionally after hours we'll send random stuff to each other - not often though.

Volunteers - I give out my number, as sometimes they need to cancel work last minute and we're not allowed our work phones on outside of work hours and it can't always wait. We use WhatsApp groups that I set up, but I always get prior agreement.

Service users - no chance would I give out my number...!

Fair enough. Why should a colleague have my phone number?

Doesn’t bother me. I have a work and a personal phone - lots of people have both and use both for work tbh

i work in an operational role so not 9-5 but there’s never been any piss taking with contacting on the personal no

I don’t mind because I work for a non profit and I understand that we all have a hand in keeping costs low. I might be more bothered in a private company that could afford work phones. At the moment we have a what’s app group for urgent things or letting us know where people are ( we all work hybrid)

I have muted the works WhatsApp (nhs) as they constantly send out begging messages for you to work. Sometimes you need to switch off.