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?

I have my managers number because the internet system phone doesn’t work quite often or when she is covering another manager annual leave and so with the public. I’d prefer she had a work phone as I would know I definitely wasn’t disturbing her. She works part time and I need to remember that day and any annual leave.

We have to call in to the office to report sickness who then passes the message on.

Tbh I also see it is as totally standard to have personal contact details of my manager and give mine to my team.

I am also a civil servant. I have no issue with people emailing or messaging in sick. Anyone who insists on a phone call is being needlessly officious and unreasonable.

I would however have an issue with someone buying phone credit and expecting to expense it without prior approval. That’s not a thing.

This is NOT about flexibility, reasonableness or proportionate
and off course right now it’s not onerous- unless she got a bunch of dickies on her hands
it’s about data protection, which she is entitled to by law. And people like me need. I have abusive ex. He does not have my number and I am very restricted who I give it to. I certainly would not give out to team members. HR have it as part of their legitimate data under data protection act. In any company they are ONLY people to need it - not even managers

, people like you who do this to be “helpful” set precedents that others are emotionally manipulated into doing even when they choose not to

i worked massive over hours (50 hour weeks vs 37.5 contracted without overtime, and more at times when needed)travelled about 40% of my time when my contract said 25%. I banked huge goodwill which I used at times. BUT this is not about good will. It is merely organisations putting pressure on people to relinquish their protected data and privacy to save money . It is most certainly not about give and take

And yes I’m crap at spelling and typing on a teeny phone keyboard

@Dartwarbler

Sorry you have an abusive ex. That's hard. But your reaction in this instance is disproportionate. There is no logical reason why sharing a number with colleagues in a controlled way would be an issue.

i’d probably just get a google voice number and give them that…do you have that in the UK or similar?