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 don't put anything for work on my personal phone. When ms authenticator came in I insisted on getting a work phone.

It's also a huge security/date protection risk if your personal phone is stolen or you let others use it such as children. Whereas a work phone then the security protocol is up to them.

If its a work number/device be in the chat. If its your personal number. Absolutely not

Hi,
I have restricted who can add me to a WhatsApp group. It helps reduce the number of requests I receive and I either decline or join then leave immediately after the task or event has passed.

I don't want to be contactable outwith working hours to maintain a work - life balance. Having too many communication platforms adds to workload as you mention needing to locate information that is not consistently stored in one place. This could be the line you take with work, explaining why one platform for all essential communication would be more beneficial to all staff.

I believe they have made this illegal where I live because it's essentially forcing people to work unpaid