Making my mobile number available outside the company

[ormirian]

I have a mobile phone supplied by work. We were issued them about 3 years ago to enable us to pick up emails out of hours in case of emergencies. I work in IT so this might be vitally important in case of system problems - in fact it has been many times.

So far my email signature contains only my direct dial number in the office. If anyone external to the company calls that out of hours they will get a voicemail message directing them to our IT helpdesk number who have our home number and our mobile number. If the problem requires my attention the help desk will call me, or the other most appropriate person, themselves. It works pretty well.

We merged with a new company in the New Year. Today we have been issued a new email address template with the new company name AND our mobile number. I have so far avoided putting my mobile on it but I am wondering if they can force me to do so.

I am management grade so although I won't get paid overtime I am expected to work at the weekend and in the evening when essential. No problem with that. But I would have a problem with people calling me at all hours when they have a problem, particulalry when the problem may well not be my area to solve. I could ignore the phone of course but that would look fairly unprofessional and the fact that I have been forced to give out my number to all and sundry would lead to expectations that I AM available out of hours.

Any advice please?

[EBearhug]

I list my mobile number. I only guarantee to answer it when I'm actually on-call. And I won't answer it at all if the helpdesk call my landline and not my mobile, where oddly, I am not sat on the off-chance at 3am on a Sunday morning. From time to time, we do get misplaced calls, and these are dealt with by saying I can't help, but I will tell them who they need to contact if I know that - occasionally I don't. Calls are meant to come from the helpdesk or management only, and if it's not one of those numbers, I may not answer.

There always are times you will miss the phone - in the loo, out shopping when you can't hear it, things like that. I also put it on silent if I'm at the cinema or something (which I wouldn't choose to do while on-call anyway.) We're expected to respond within 20 minutes (I think, haven't checked guidelines for a while,) and they have to try calling us again before escalating. They can't expect you to answer your phone instantly at any time at all -it's why VM exists.

I don't know if they can force you to show your phone number. I've always had mine on my signature, but if I haven't included my signature, people can still find it through the work directory. I think mostly they don't bother, going by the number of calls I get (low).

[GrendelsMum]

DH does what Lonecatwithkitten suggests, and it seems to work fine.

[ormirian]

I did think of that. But isn't the same as not giving out me number in the first place. I guess i need to clarify what the intention is but it's a can of worms I'd rather not open.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

You could record an answer phone message saying 'I am currently unavailable if it is an emergency please call help desk number'.
Then you don't need to answer every call and still look professional etc.