Aibu not to want to be in work WhatsApp chat

[Spaghettihair]

Our workplace uses Teams, Trello, Outlook, Viva Engage and Yammer. I’m on all these. I often know I’ve been asked to do something and go through my emails/notes, think I’m going mad and later find it in a teams chat etc.

I do not want to be on the work WhatsApp which is ostensibly social but occasionally people send work requests to move a meeting/running late etc. It got started when we all went to an off site and someone said it would help us meet up (why not just use Teams on our phones?)

Ive avoided it for the past year claiming not to use WhatsApp. Gave a colleague my number without thinking to meet for drinks and horrified to now be added. I left and my manager has over the last fortnight asked 3x for me to rejoin so he can share product images/get in touch if we’re off site/it’s easier.

Ive said WhatsApp crashes my phone but I just do not want another fucking comms channel tbh. Teams & 4G covers all he needs, (including endless gif chains) surely? AIBU, what sm I missing with WhatsApp work chat, is this career suicide

I would hate this - I don’t blame you at all! Is the phone paid for by your work? If not, I think you have a very strong case to refuse to join the group.

No it’s my personal phone. I’ve got teens so I can’t really put it on silent after 5 etc though I suppose I could archive the chat but then what’s the point being in the damn thing anyway…

I wouldn't like this either. Work related requests should come through work related channels, such as Teams or email. As you say, it's hard to keep track of where everything is coming from!

Plus, when you log out for the day, you don't want your phone going off at all times of the evening asking about work related things, that would drive me mad!

YANBU

My work team has two chats: one for personal life stuff (which I’m willingly not on) and a “work” one just for rota and major announcements.

Could you suggest something like that?

I guess I don’t want another channel for work. Why can’t they use Teams for work requests, you can have it as a phone app?

We have group chats/project groups on Teams too.

Do I just keep saying my phone has no storage for WhatsApp or be honest (which feels impossible now I’ve lied)

I get where you’re coming from but I think you are being a bit unreasonable.

Are you required to have Teams on your personal phone? Some of my colleagues do and some don’t (it’s more annoying than WhatsApp, so I don’t blame them!), so WhatsApp is the only way we can guarantee someone will pick up a message that someone’s running late, etc.

Alternatively, would you go on it, mute the channel, then make a point of checking it before you log on every day?

Important to separate work from home
You are under no obligation to join, I certainly wouldn't

I think it’s hard to insist on a work WhatsApp on your personal phone. I do have it but it’s used sparingly usually when we’re running an event and need a quick message passed to the team. I was asked to use LinkedIn for work posts but have simply said I like to keep work and personal stuff separate on social media, could you say something similar?

Mute the work chat

I have the work WhatsApp archived and look at it in works time. It doesn’t impact on my home life because I simply don’t look at it if I don’t want to.

NBU. Say “don’t worry, I will pick it up when you share it on teams”. Our work doesn’t actually let us use WhatsApp for work stuff as it’s not as secure - easy to add the wrong people to a chat, not verified communication.

If I do this I won’t see the last minute updates they can’t apparently Teams me. I did consider joining but not actively using it until people figure out if you need me urgently call me, email, teams, but I’m not responsive outside of work hours just for stupid queries

I’m an nhs nurse and we have WhatsApp and all have to be in it and we do get the notifications constantly on days off

I do a volunteer role on a secure site and they don’t let me have my phone on me so I’m not as available as perhaps they might like anyway, I did point this out. Just because I’m offline doesn’t mean I’ll pick up WhatsApp.

My role is in marketing- I value it greatly but I’m not a courier for donor organs or something super time sensitive and impactful where I routinely need to be contactable beyond 9-5

This is awful- why? Why can’t you use Teams, it’s got a mobile app?

is that not a breach of GDPR as everyone in that whatsapp chat now has access to your number?
i wouldn't give anyone at work my personal mobile number unless they were also a friend and I did stuff outside of work with them. If they want to contact me out of hours or when I'm not sitting at the computer they need to give me a work mobile.

Well yeah I guess but I won’t be pursuing that, I feel enough of a pariah not engaging with this group let alone making a fuss about my details being shared

It's a ridiculous and unprofessional way of working to have an informal WhatsApp that sometimes has work messages on. I'd stick to your guns that it crashes your phone.

It's blooming workplace harassment the levels of communication some places expect of you.

'I find it much faster and more efficient to keep messages separate from social ones; I don't have to try to remember where something was sent from and search for it.'

In part it is the principle. Teams is so clogged up everyone ignores the binging so let’s set up a different platform just for our team so you get a different bing and know we really mean it- ugh no thanks!

Thankyou this is a great response and completely honest

I’m a nurse, I definitely have it archived! If they need me urgently they can pick up the phone and call me.

We do sometimes use WhatsApp groups with work when people are travelling remotely and we have daily check-ins to make sure it’s all ok, on call access for emergencies etc. -but that’s for actual emergencies, never for work chatter and updates.

I’m worried if I join and archive now I’ll be harangued for not engaging with it.

but very glad this is not such a stupid idea!