Boss told me to get off my personal phone in a meeting

[Onetwobuckeroo]

I work in a corporate role. I do my job, deliver and go above and beyond. In a team meeting today, a message appeared on my phone from my kids school. I was still listening to the conversation but opened the message instinctively. Suddenly my boss snaps my name to get my attention, then proceeds to ask whether I’m in the meeting or on the phone?! I then instantly put my phone down, confused at their outburst but did say, it was to do with my children. (They don’t have kids).

I was really taken a back but I did pull my boss up on it. I said ok, I was on my phone but everyone picks up / types / gets distracted with technology, albeit emails on laptops, work phones, personal phones during lengthy meetings. Boss said yes but now I’ve been called out on it, it should remind others how to conduct themselves in a meeting.

AIBU - You’re in the wrong. Accept it, you got caught, when in the boss’s eyes you weren’t concentrating
YANBU - Boss was out of order. You’re not a child.

Who are you referring to that thinks that? Do you mean the op looking at the school message?

I think YABU for pulling your boss up on it!

I don't actually think most people consciously think this way actually. I think phones, and our phone habits, have become so ingrained, that the behaviour is often autopilot. I had to work quite hard with some people in my team to help them understand that "family friendly" doesn't mean you can ignore or interrupt your colleagues or customers in a meeting for every little bit of family trivia that comes through your phone.

Ever heard of smart watches? Turn it face up on the inside of your wrist and it is much less noticeble.

Sorry, you're in the wrong. If I were your boss I'd have handled it differently, afterwards, but that doesn't mean you were in the right.

I agree that you shouldn’t be on your personal phone during a meeting so you are in the wrong for that. However, I also make sure not to use my work phone during my own personal life, which is a boundary that some companies don’t like as some expect you to answer calls or emails in your own time, in my opinion if a company expects that then they can expect me to do some personal stuff on work time

That's the whole point!!

It's not as easy as just finding another job, hence why she has to follow the rules.

hmmm perhaps OP is more peeved off about the way her boss addressed her. I think being pulled aside rather than snapped at in front of everyone is a more professional way to handle things. If they want to set an example of professionalism. That could give OP the chance to explain and assure boss it won’t happen again and they meant no disrespect?

What you should have done when you realised it was a message from the school is excuse yourself & leave the meeting & see if it was an emergency that you needed to deal with. If it wasn't return to the meeting quietly & explain to your Boss afterwards that you had to leave to check there wasn't an emergency with one of your kids. Being on your phone during a work meeting is rude & your Boss reprimanding you was right in calling you out as you should be concentrating on the meeting not your phone.