Do you have to provide a personal mobile phone number if/when asked?

LightFlare

Virtually impossible to give a clear answer without more details on your role/industry etc.

I would give my number but along with the caveat that you won’t be answering it outside of working hours

YBR

I reiterate the opinion that if your company need you to be contactable by phone, they must provide you a phone, or a BYOD sim if agreeable. I would simply say that you do not agree for clients to have your personal phone number, or whatever, talk about safeguarding if necessary (shuts down most conversations).

As an aside, if someone were using personal contact details and left the company they could easily take the clients with them to a competitor, which would be detrimental to your company.

zagfles

Of course you can refuse to give your personal mobile number. It's yours. They might need a contact number, just give them your landline. Whether there'll be adverse consequences, how are we supposed to know, any more than if you refuse to work overtime, refuse to opt out of the WTD etc, some dodgy employers will treat you adversely if you refuse to do stuff you don't have to. 

But what's the big deal, I wouldn't have a problem, simply ignore calls/group chats you're not interested in until such time you are. I rarely answer my mobile when I'm at home whoever is calling, usually because it's in another room and I don't get to it before voicemail kicks in  If I want to return the call straight away I will, if not I won't and will do it when I'm ready. Same for group chats, I'm in loads of group chats (not work, just friends/family) but ignore them until such time I can be bothered to read them/reply. Same with email. I'm not sure why people think such things need an immediate response, I respond when I'm ready. 

LightFlare

zagfles said:

Of course you can refuse to give your personal mobile number. It's yours. They might need a contact number, just give them your landline. Whether there'll be adverse consequences, how are we supposed to know, any more than if you refuse to work overtime, refuse to opt out of the WTD etc, some dodgy employers will treat you adversely if you refuse to do stuff you don't have to. 

But what's the big deal, I wouldn't have a problem, simply ignore calls/group chats you're not interested in until such time you are. I rarely answer my mobile when I'm at home whoever is calling, usually because it's in another room and I don't get to it before voicemail kicks in  If I want to return the call straight away I will, if not I won't and will do it when I'm ready. Same for group chats, I'm in loads of group chats (not work, just friends/family) but ignore them until such time I can be bothered to read them/reply. Same with email. I'm not sure why people think such things need an immediate response, I respond when I'm ready. 

I’m with you on this - one of my pet hates is when people stop half way through a face to face conversation to answer the phone.

Devongardener

As others have said, just don’t answer the phone out of hours you are not working or being paid. If it’s something genuinely urgent  the caller can leave a message.
Maybe have a different ringtone for work and another for family.

Nothanks

Is it the hill you want to die on? 

B0bbyEwing

Emmia said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Emmia said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Now for the pedantic reading this, yes I'm aware you don't technically 'have' to do anything at work, you can say no to absolutely anything & everything, but then you wouldn't last very long & I think you know what I mean with the thread title.

It also wouldn't surprise me if you have to give some form of phone contact as part of your employment. I haven't paid too much attention to that - because I've actually supplied this without any grumble. They have my home phone and my OH's number for emergencies.

I'm asking this because I currently have a works mobile phone but I'm expecting that to change in the near future (I suspect they'll soon as for it back). This will leave me as uncontactable 'on the spot'. 
I should point out that it isn't a requirement as per my contract to be contactable on the spot.

I imagine they'll then ask for my personal mobile number (this isn't just a random feeling by the way, there's good reason for me to suspect this) which I don't wish to give out.

Why? I just don't want to be contactable on the spot. In my eyes if they want to reach me they can contact the department manager who's always within reach of all of us in the department and contact me that way. When I'm outside of work then I don't want to be reminded of work. I don't want work chat groups pinging away (yes I know you can mute them but I also don't want the faff of muting, unmuting, muting again) or being called when I'm off (there is no 'on call' so i wouldn't be avoiding that. The contract doesn't mention they can call you in on days off). When I'm off work I just want to forget work, not have it in my hand/pocket throughout the day.

And like I said, they would have means of contacting me at work (via manager) and at home (via home phone) so it's not as though I'd be blocking that off.

Just wondered if you can fairly say no to a personal number request?

When they wanted my email address I created one just for work purposes so nothing work related came to my main inbox. But that's free. I don't fancy going out & buying a cheap phone just to please work.

I think if they want you to be contactable, they need to provide the phone.

If you must have a second number, does your phone support dual SIMs? Get a cheap PAYG SIM or an Esim and give them that number, and set the ringtone/message alert to something distinctive you can ignore if you want.

There's a whole story & explanation to having the phone but I don't particularly want to go in to too much detail there since I know some of the upper folk there come on to this website. They won't need me naming them direct on here in order to start calling me in & grilling me on what I've said. 

Others in the dept just use their personal phones & are contacted that way. 

Thats one I've had thrown at me in the past. Called in to sign something & when I start reading it I get questioned why I'm doing so because "nobody else did". I'm the bad guy because I'm different. 

What's the situation with PAYG sims these days? Been many many many years since I've been on those. Can you just get a SIM, put no money on it & just have it in a phone & leave it as that - so you can be contacted but can't contact? 

If so and if my phone supports it then that MAY be something I could do to save the aggro but my preference is still just a no. 


As for the wrong number - that kind of thing would work like when someone asks you directions & you give them a bogus route and by the time they twig you're long gone never to be seen again.
Work would obviously twig on the first attempt & then if a second and third etc start throwing up issues then that's a quick way to cause a slanging match. 

Normally providers require you to top up a certain amount, on a periodic basis and that credit expires after a certain time - so not a "free" fit and forget.

Edit: Smarty has a rolling 1 month contract SIM only for £6 - not masses of data, but unlimited calls and texts https://smarty.co.uk/all-plans#classic

Alternatively it might be easier to find a very cheap monthly contract (If you have a current contract, perhaps a second number on that?)


Edit:this sounds like a really toxic place to work, are you looking for something/somewhere else?

Thanks for taking the time to look in to it but if I was to do that then it'd have to be totally free, not just kind of free but not really free. As I say though thanks for taking the time. At least I know now that I'm not willing to do that. 

As for your final edit, I know I should but no I'm not really. Again that's a whole other discussion. I should probably talk to someone about it on a professional level but wouldn't know where to start. The issue there is 100% with me (struggle with change & levels of anxiety which I've been unable to tackle but like I said that's a completely different discussion). 

B0bbyEwing

LightFlare said:

zagfles said:

Of course you can refuse to give your personal mobile number. It's yours. They might need a contact number, just give them your landline. Whether there'll be adverse consequences, how are we supposed to know, any more than if you refuse to work overtime, refuse to opt out of the WTD etc, some dodgy employers will treat you adversely if you refuse to do stuff you don't have to. 

But what's the big deal, I wouldn't have a problem, simply ignore calls/group chats you're not interested in until such time you are. I rarely answer my mobile when I'm at home whoever is calling, usually because it's in another room and I don't get to it before voicemail kicks in  If I want to return the call straight away I will, if not I won't and will do it when I'm ready. Same for group chats, I'm in loads of group chats (not work, just friends/family) but ignore them until such time I can be bothered to read them/reply. Same with email. I'm not sure why people think such things need an immediate response, I respond when I'm ready. 

I’m with you on this - one of my pet hates is when people stop half way through a face to face conversation to answer the phone.

Agree with you both also. I'm just responding to this to clear up any confusion there may be if someone is thinking I feel the need to respond instantly. I don't feel that pressure at all. I just don't want it. Not that I don't want to respond, I just don't want to receive. Simple. 

Emmia

B0bbyEwing said:

LightFlare said:

zagfles said:

Of course you can refuse to give your personal mobile number. It's yours. They might need a contact number, just give them your landline. Whether there'll be adverse consequences, how are we supposed to know, any more than if you refuse to work overtime, refuse to opt out of the WTD etc, some dodgy employers will treat you adversely if you refuse to do stuff you don't have to. 

But what's the big deal, I wouldn't have a problem, simply ignore calls/group chats you're not interested in until such time you are. I rarely answer my mobile when I'm at home whoever is calling, usually because it's in another room and I don't get to it before voicemail kicks in  If I want to return the call straight away I will, if not I won't and will do it when I'm ready. Same for group chats, I'm in loads of group chats (not work, just friends/family) but ignore them until such time I can be bothered to read them/reply. Same with email. I'm not sure why people think such things need an immediate response, I respond when I'm ready. 

I’m with you on this - one of my pet hates is when people stop half way through a face to face conversation to answer the phone.

Agree with you both also. I'm just responding to this to clear up any confusion there may be if someone is thinking I feel the need to respond instantly. I don't feel that pressure at all. I just don't want it. Not that I don't want to respond, I just don't want to receive. Simple. 

If you don't want to receive calls from them give them your number, and add the number(s) they'll call from to your blocked numbers list.

Alternatively you could set those numbers to go automatically to voicemail (which might be less of a nuclear option)

BikingBud

B0bbyEwing said:

Emmia said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Now for the pedantic reading this, yes I'm aware you don't technically 'have' to do anything at work, you can say no to absolutely anything & everything, but then you wouldn't last very long & I think you know what I mean with the thread title.

It also wouldn't surprise me if you have to give some form of phone contact as part of your employment. I haven't paid too much attention to that - because I've actually supplied this without any grumble. They have my home phone and my OH's number for emergencies.

I'm asking this because I currently have a works mobile phone but I'm expecting that to change in the near future (I suspect they'll soon as for it back). This will leave me as uncontactable 'on the spot'. 
I should point out that it isn't a requirement as per my contract to be contactable on the spot.

I imagine they'll then ask for my personal mobile number (this isn't just a random feeling by the way, there's good reason for me to suspect this) which I don't wish to give out.

Why? I just don't want to be contactable on the spot. In my eyes if they want to reach me they can contact the department manager who's always within reach of all of us in the department and contact me that way. When I'm outside of work then I don't want to be reminded of work. I don't want work chat groups pinging away (yes I know you can mute them but I also don't want the faff of muting, unmuting, muting again) or being called when I'm off (there is no 'on call' so i wouldn't be avoiding that. The contract doesn't mention they can call you in on days off). When I'm off work I just want to forget work, not have it in my hand/pocket throughout the day.

And like I said, they would have means of contacting me at work (via manager) and at home (via home phone) so it's not as though I'd be blocking that off.

Just wondered if you can fairly say no to a personal number request?

When they wanted my email address I created one just for work purposes so nothing work related came to my main inbox. But that's free. I don't fancy going out & buying a cheap phone just to please work.

I think if they want you to be contactable, they need to provide the phone.

If you must have a second number, does your phone support dual SIMs? Get a cheap PAYG SIM or an Esim and give them that number, and set the ringtone/message alert to something distinctive you can ignore if you want.

There's a whole story & explanation to having the phone but I don't particularly want to go in to too much detail there since I know some of the upper folk there come on to this website. They won't need me naming them direct on here in order to start calling me in & grilling me on what I've said. 

Others in the dept just use their personal phones & are contacted that way. 

Thats one I've had thrown at me in the past. Called in to sign something & when I start reading it I get questioned why I'm doing so because "nobody else did". I'm the bad guy because I'm different. 

What's the situation with PAYG sims these days? Been many many many years since I've been on those. Can you just get a SIM, put no money on it & just have it in a phone & leave it as that - so you can be contacted but can't contact? 

If so and if my phone supports it then that MAY be something I could do to save the aggro but my preference is still just a no. 


As for the wrong number - that kind of thing would work like when someone asks you directions & you give them a bogus route and by the time they twig you're long gone never to be seen again.
Work would obviously twig on the first attempt & then if a second and third etc start throwing up issues then that's a quick way to cause a slanging match. 

I  have dual SIM phone, they are becoming more common, with 2 providers that use different networks, your close friends and family know and use your  current phone. Work and other less important get your other number, it uses a different ringtone or can even be silent so you can legitimately claim you didn't hear it.

Many options to get second SIMS either PAYG, will depend on your utilisation rate, or small monthly fixed fee. Not sure about incoming calls if you have no credit but if you are asked to call work back you need to stay on the same number that you have "instructed" them to use.