To not join in the 24/7 365 days a year workplace whatsapp chat?

[Bebetterbetty]

We don't have work phones so the whatsapp work chat is on our home phones. I don't use my home phone for work as I don't need a phone for my work.

My colleagues chat on the whatsapp in evenings, on weekends, whilst they are on holiday - including when they are away on holiday in a different time zone on a different continent - and are chatting away over the Christmas break too. Including on Christmas day.

Messages from them are popping up right now as I write this and our workplace is still closed down so no-one is actually at work.

I do not want to do this. I like a clear line between work and home and I really don't want to be whatsapping with work people on Sunday morning when I am with my kids, or whilst opening presents on Christmas day! Or indeed ever when I am not at work.

AIBU?

( I don't think I am but is this 24/7 365 whatsapp work chat considered normal now?!)

That's what I did with ny union work.place whats app. It was driving me mad. Once I left I exited the group too. I understand what you.mean about the line bwn work and home. Think there is a way to archive the chat too

It’s nice to have work friends, I have numerous chats that I dip in and out of with colleagues and former colleagues. Perfectly normal time.

I don’t think anyone here can answer whether ignoring your work colleagues on WhatsApp will seem rude or antisocial to them. What matters is whether you care. If you’re so determined to keep work and home separate (which is completely understandable), I’m guessing you don’t want any interaction with them outside office hours, so just crack on. But you can’t really do this AND care what they think of you. You have to just not care. I know it’s not something I could be arsed with.

If you left ours we’d probably judge you. But it would be a private thing and you’d never know.

I think it’s pretty normal these days. I have a couple of work groups and there is a lot of chatter. I think it’s nice. I can dip in or mute when I want.

I think your reaction is pretty big to a small problem. But you’ll probably find people on your wavelength here!

Yes that's when you mute it.. if someone else sends you a WhatsApp you'll see the chat pop up but you won't get notifications. The best option is to archive it, you'll see a little number at the top but that's it.

See, I don't see these people as friends. They all absolutely refuse to ever go into the office. So they aren't real life friends at all. I'd rather see them in person in the office and get to know them than chat with people I don't really knowk and who have no interest in talking to me in real life, over whatsapp.

I don't really give much though to wither it's anti-social or not. When people ask me if they can add me to a chat (whether it's work or social) I say outright that it's OK but bare in mind that I will mute it so if it's anything important, I may not pick it up right away.
I have wonderful relationships with all my work colleagues so it has never been an issue.
Do what you need to do. I am sure nobody is expecting you to participate.

One girl on my work one posted 15 pictures of her nephew's dinner dance. Pretty sure none of us have ever met him and most have never even heard of him. Then all the rest of them commenting 'lovely', 'so handsome' etc etc. I'm sure it makes me a right misery guts but I just completely ignored it!

Mute it and lock it so you won’t get any notifications or even see the chat it will be hidden away but you don’t have to leave

We’re all mostly remote, as well. Very very rarely go into the office. But we do talk all day and occasionally meet up socially. For me, personally, it’s a great way to work.

Anyway, the way you feel is totally reasonable, as well. People are different. 😊

Mute it.

I definitely think it’s to do with whether you consider the people you work with to be ‘friends’ or not. I love my colleagues, I have enjoyed seeing how they have spent Christmas and what they’ve been up to. We obviously have limited time to just chat at work so the WhatsApp group is used as a catch up, and often to check in on people who are having a hard time for one reason or another.
But I can see that this would be weird if your colleagues were effectively a group of strangers that you just happen to work alongside.

If it’s a team chat for work to notify of something work related then thats fine but social chats are a no go for me.

YANBU but I have had this happen to be and thought about it a lot. There is a certain buzz that comes from posting things in a group chat - getting to share parts of your day with people, send the odd meme - it makes you feel part of something.

Most people have a family chat or a friend group chat they use this for. I find those who are over active in the work chat don’t have a whole lot going on in their real life.

Reminds me of some work colleagues who suggested the Saturday before Christmas as a good day for the Christmas party.

So not unreasonable at all but just mute and archive and feel a bit sorry for them that this is all they have.

Over the years we have had lots of chats with different people/teams. I found it too much. Work should be discussed in emails and social chat is for lunchtimes! Thankfully my current team don't have one and I'm very thankful. We have a whole organisation emergency one which is posted on very infrequently (like informing everyone of a fire drill, problem etc) and every now and again a certain staff member posts some utter gross and is quickly reminded it's for emergencies only!
Definitely the way to go.

Definitely not the norm and don't feel bad about leaving it just mute it. My limit would be wishing people a happy Christmas/new year but beyond that I wouldn't post.

Get a PAYG burner phone for work.

Let them add your on WhatsCrapp for that if necessary.

Your usual phone, never divulge that number to work or colleagues. Never be disturbed again.

Easy really.

I would just mute and ignore the chat.

They are colleagues, not friends and I think it is a bit sad that they feel the need to post on a work chat while on holiday...

Not sure why you are moaning so much - just leave the group, If you are late for work event message / call your manager. I think irs nice when work colleagues can get on as friends ? Doesn’t sound like they are messaging you about xyz project while you are on leave ?

If they are also friends then yes. I don't see chatting to most of my colleagues as any different to messaging my friends from outside of work

Why dont you leave it? Just post something like 'I'm doing a digital detox/reducing phone use this year folks. I'll be dropping out of this group.' And exit.

I have a 9-5 job and a work mobile phone, we are not allowed to work from home anymore but are expected to have the phone on us 24/7.

I refuse to look at my phone after 5, it stays in the car. I would either leave the group chat or mute it so you don't have notifications and just check it when you are at work

I have archived my work chat. I look at it, but never participate ever. If something significant happens for someone, I then can congratulate them at work in person as God intended...hoiks bosom

This, are you actually having messages directed AT you? Asking you a question? Or are they general info to all?

I think it maybe depends on whether you see your workmates as friends or not. I am part of such a group from my old workplace, we set it up to support each other through lockdown, it’s still running even though we are no longer all working together and I love that it has kept us connected. We don’t post on it as often now as we did when it was first set up, but it keeps that connection there and I’m grateful for it.

To add - not everyone from my old team joined it, it wasn’t compulsory. But having joined it, I would suggest you mute the chat rather than actually leaving the group at this point.

I don't see them as friends. I have had work colleagues who became friends who I socialised with out of work, but I don't even see these people in real life hardly ever. Because they don't want to meet in real life.