To not want to be expected to give my personal number to my team for work purposes

[swimdog]

I have recently started my first line management role. I manage a team of about half a dozen people in the Civil Service. Part of my job involves managing annual leave requests, sickness, one to one meetings with my team etc.

This week I have been told that I will not receive a work mobile and need to give my team my personal number for use if they need to phone in sick. I was advised to tell my team not to use my personal phone number for any other reason. Other equivalent grade managers in my office do have a work mobile, but policy has changed between their start date and mine, and work phones are no longer provided to new managers.

AIBU to be unhappy with this arrangement? It's not that I don't trust my team; I honestly don't think they would abuse having access to my personal number. It's the principle of it that bothers me - I don't want to be expected to mix work and personal life on my own phone. I don't need a smartphone like the other managers have, literally just a basic 'brick' phone with call functionality would be perfectly fine. Surely it's not fair that other managers don't have to give out their personal number to their teams while I do? I also don't want to be in the situation where a member of my team forgets I'm off on annual leave and phones me to tell me they're sick while I'm sunning myself in the south of France! (I wish!)

AIBU?

[ExcitingRicotta]

YANBU.
Either they change the policy for your team so they can email in or they stick with the same policy and provide you with the equipment you need to do your job.

[Malarandras]

We just have to make contact in our department, we don’t have to ‘phone in’ sick anymore. Unheard of in my department to force someone to give out their personal number. I’d contact HR about that to find a solution.

[Dacadactyl]

I've never worked anywhere where I've not had my manager's personal phone number as the contact for ringing in sick etc.

[Noyesnoyes]

@ExcitingRicotta

YANBU.
Either they change the policy for your team so they can email in or they stick with the same policy and provide you with the equipment you need to do your job.

Nailed it, first post!

[AhBiscuits]

Get a burner phone and only turn it on in work hours.

[Fulshaw]

I don’t think they should be asking this of you.

[KTheGrey]

Off to HR. No way you can be expected to use your own phone, especially when nobody else is - tell them it's broken.

[theeyeofdoe]

I’ve always provided my number in a managerial capacity. But, I don’t reply when I’m on leave.
if they’re happy with you doing that then that’s okay. If not, they need to provide you with a phone.

[TheSnowyOwl]

Can’t you just tell your team that your expectation of them is to email you at work instead if they will be off sick and if they get your out of office because you aren’t in that day, they need to do whatever the normal process is?

[SharedAccountWithMySister]

@AhBiscuits

Get a burner phone and only turn it on in work hours.

Why should the OP pay for something when her peers get the same for free?

[Bubblegummies]

Shame you don’t have a mobile phone

what do they suggest you do in that instance?

[BreakfastAtMimis]

Is this really the hill you want to die on? Say all 6 people are off sick twice a year (which would be a lot) that's 12 messages/calls. You would be disturbed once a month on average, if that. I would suck it up personally. And I am also public sector.

[Wendyweathergirl]

I would get a very basic phone just for this purpose and only switch it on during work time. I agree you shouldn’t have to buy your own but it looks like you will have to.

[Mum2jenny]

I only give out my mobile number to colleagues who will never abuse it. I think around 4 work colleagues know my personal mobile number. And it’s my choice if I give out the number.

[SqueezedMiddleTummy]

Why can’t they phone your work number ?

[110APiccadilly]

Do they have to phone in? I just email my manager if I'm sick. I guess it depends whether you need to know asap to arrange cover, but unless that's the case then I don't see the issue with an email.

[mondaynightfore]

It's the principal and I would raise it especially as it's not established practice and other managers have a work phone

[Nevermindtheteacaps]

Why on earth can't they email? My team just use slack!

[Tilllly]

@AhBiscuits

Get a burner phone and only turn it on in work hours.

Or for drug deals

[Tagyoureit]

Precious much?

Don't people just text their managers to say they won't be in these days?

No idea why people are so weird about this, you don't need a work phone for this, your colleagues don't need one either, complete waste of money!

You also don't need to engage with any outside of work stuff that you may, possibly, maybe be sent to your oh so precious phone!

[bettingpencil]

I work in the civil service and I have never heard of this. To be honest I don’t phone in sick/phone anyone on my team. I just send a message on the instant messaging system at work when I’m off sick and leave it at that.

[Maryamlouise]

I have some colleagues who have my phone number and I don't mind but it was my choice and I wouldn't like to have to give it out. I also resent the apps we are supposed to download for travel as I think they shouldn't be planning based on everyone having a smartphone and also I have a super old basic model and have very little capacity to add any extra items that require storage space. Why can't people just email in sick?

[Coldrains]

Yanbu

[IDoLikeToBeByTheSea]

Sounds pretty standard in the department of civil service I work in (not that I agree it’s right!). You are expected to call by 9am and keep calling until you speak to your manager. Your manager will note down you’re not in and they will call you back the same day to do a day 1 sickness form. Emails are not allowed. Technically texts are not allowed either but depends on your manager (but this isn’t an ‘approved’ policy)

[Mumofoneandone]

Refuse - not a lawful instruction for them to make of you.