New job - do I need to answer work calls outside of hours?

[tryingharder92]

Started a new job a few weeks ago and I'm really enjoying the actual work. I have had a lot of calls outside of my (part time) working hours. Not from colleagues but from customers and potential customers. My company phone is the number advertised on website etc. I have small kids at home so more often than not there's a baby crying or a toddler whinging. I a) don't think it's fair on me and b) don't think it's very professional.
I'm happy to answer a query from a colleague in a casual call or text but I'm just not comfortable with speaking to customers when I'm at home. I'm new and really do like and need this job. My contract doesn't mention this at all. Any ideas , hints or tips on this matter would be hugely appreciated!!

Switch your phone off when you are not working and set up voicemail.

Most of my PT colleagues advertise their working hours in their email footer too.

Are they calling your work phone? If so, set up a voicemail with your working days/hours and an out of office contact. Switch phone off. Jobs a good 'un

You need to ask your manager about how best to ensure you don't get client calls on your non working days e.g do you switch your phone off but have a voicemail saying to call a colleague instead or that you will return their call on your work day?

Ask that the company would prefer you to do so you are being consistent with other part time staff.

If they're advertising your number, then at times when the customer should reasonably expect to get a response, your phone should be redirected elsewhere or at the very least have a message directing them elsewhere.

I'm happy to take calls from colleagues where I can resolve something quickly that would take them longer to work out. People here will disagree with me but I always felt fortunate to be able to do a "good" job PT and felt obligated to make it work without inconvenience to colleagues due to the hours I wanted to work.

Record a really nice professional message on your voicemail...

"Hello, you're through to @tryingharder92 - please leave a message and I will get back to you in working hours. If you need to contact [company name] out of hours, please call [999 company number]. Thank you!" beeeeeep

Just because you have a job doesn't mean that some bastard owns your life. No calls outside work hours. Unless you want to of course...

Given My company phone is the number advertised on website etc you need to speak to your manager about this asap.

Ask them which number your phone should be diverted too when it is not your working hours. If they say there isnt one then play it a but confused and say "well, the phone will be switched off as I'm not at work so let me know where there is a number available to divert too"

Who your phone should be diverted to on your non-working days wouldn’t be covered in your contract. You’ll need to ask your manager. Obviously if it’s the main company phone number listed on the website it needs to be diverted all the time you’re not working to make sure it gets answered.

Giving the company mobile to a part time employee is just daft, and makes me think other people have refused and you've been gifted the hot potato.

Not every company mans their phone 24/7

Perhaps an approach is to ask for a scripted message and message for callers that phone outside of working hours.

You can identify that you're concerned called won't have their expectations set that the call won't be responded to until your next working day unless there is an appropriate out of hours message