Work WhatsApp Group

arrianalexander

Hi

Recently Work has started using Whatsapp to forward work related information through WhatsApp groups

Initially it was a small group set up , saying they needed someone to cover a shift and who would be available

But over time everyone has been added to this group and more information is been passed onto us through this group and other smaller whatsapp groups, depending on your role.

Im conscience of having a work / life balance and leaving work at work as much as is possible

I've muted all these groups so I don't receive any notifications rather been the one to leave a group.

Are other companies doing this ? (Bear in mind these are personal phones )

I don't want to make a.big deal at work over it but at same time I'm conscience of where would I stand if I missed information in the group and was questioned about not knowing about xyz

Thanks in advance

Fann Linn

Ask for a workphone. Nice and polite like. I've only just switched mine on today since knocking it off on the 23rd.
Its great to be able to enjoy time off. I see it as 'if they're not prepared to pay me to look at while I'm off, why have it on.'

KildareP

Don’t have an issue in my place as it has been determined as a GDPR minefield and is thus not to be used for work purposes.

However an easy way to handle it is that you have it on mute at all times because you find it very noisy with lots of different groups. Likely not a lie either, I’m fed up with being added to every group under the sun posting absolute rubbish or questionable clips.

You could add in that you are especially worried about it being a distraction during work hours and so you don’t check it at all in work which is why you might have missed xyz.

We have one but they pay for our phones, though I also keep it muted like I do with all groups.
Leave the group and if they question it then tell them you only have a personal phone. If they want you to use it then they can buy you one and get you a contract.

antix80

Don't bother going the "ask for a work phone" route unless you want a work phone.
Pick up a sim and dig out an old phone. Install WhatsApp on it and leave it at work.
Shift swaps etc.. Well, you'll miss out, but that's the price to pay for the work-life balance you're seeking

theteal

Yeah we use WhatsApp, bloody thing is on the go nonstop. It's a dual sim work phone and I have it set up for two profiles so I've actually got two separate WhatsApp instances. Work one gets muted out of hours.

Heres Johnny

It's just become an acceptable medium of communication these days but if you don't want to be in it you don't have to be with a personal phone you choose what to do.
We have one in work for our guys out on site that we never see and they don't have a work email. Christmas drinks were organised on it and the one guy (with a work phone) that refuses to be on it missed out on them and was fuming.
So there's the balance, you will miss some stuff

mr_edge_to_you

I'd ask for a work phone. I have a work phone and a personal phone.

I've removed myself from WhatsApp groups where I was added under my personal number. It's an important boundary for me.

I think you can set WhatsApp to not allow people to add you to groups automatically now too.

AndrewJRenko

Ask the boss for confirmation of how the WhatsApp group complies with GDPR.

Atlantic Dawn

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Ask the boss for confirmation of how the WhatsApp group complies with GDPR.

Especially seeing as the owners of it have a rather questionable history on personal data to put it mildly.

arrianalexander

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I think you can set WhatsApp to not allow people to add you to groups automatically now too.

I didn't realize that until now , I have now changed this in.my WhatsApp , thanks

Mrs OBumble

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Ask the boss for confirmation of how the WhatsApp group complies with GDPR.

And that it's acceptable for you to be checking your personal phone during working hours.

Strumms

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

I'd ask for a work phone. I have a work phone and a personal phone.

I've removed myself from WhatsApp groups where I was added under my personal number. It's an important boundary for me.

100 % correct. Just ‘another’ example whereby employers are seeking another ‘in’ into your personal and family space.

If you get asked... “well you didn’t see my request for overtime on Saturday on the WhatsApp group ?”.. answer should be.. “no, to be honest if you’d like to see if I can do OT just give me a ring or txt... I don’t involve myself in work groups on what are meant to be social apps and especially outside of working hours, so please, a text in future, thanks.”

It will start with the OT requests then at 7pm having finished at 5...”guys does any know the password to abc database?”.. “ guys who again is taking a half day tomorrow?”

A ‘team’ WhatsApp, then a ‘team’ Twitter.... all of a sudden you turn on your your iPad and you are scrolling through work **** at 8.30pm... “sorry guys, anybody fancy an early start tomorrow?”...

Know the boundary, if your employer doesn’t don’t blur the line for them.

Be right back

I have our work group muted and usually don't reply to the group. Our managers usually send messages out of hours which is very annoying.

LeBash

I dont see that as a big deal. You'll benefit from it some day when you want to skip a shift. If everyone had the attitude you have, then maybe you'll end up working a shift that you really could have done with off.

It's not like you need to be glued to it, check it when your checking other messages. Just make it clear, you dont want jokes, pics etc on it because it can get out of hand and people will miss information.

Weve got 2 groups. One for everyone to mess about on (small company), where funny pics get shared around, jokes or videos, and 1 where they are told to keep everything they need to say in 1 message for work purposes only. I dont participate in the messing about one myself, I just find it distracting.

Strumms

LeBash wrote: »

I dont see that as a big deal. You'll benefit from it some day when you want to skip a shift. If everyone had the attitude you have, then maybe you'll end up working a shift that you really could have done with off.

It's not like you need to be glued to it.

Glued to it no, but you are enabling your employer to hold you ‘captive audience’ outside of your working hours and maintain a regular line of communication between management and employee(s).... next at a meeting.. “well you’ll have all seen the WhatsApp messages about the issues last night and...” ... “no, I’ll just stop you there.. I was for dinner with the other half and after I met friends.. so please start from the beginning, what happened I wasn’t here, nor was I checking the work WhatsApp”..

As for benefiting...I want to skip a shift it’s a call... “ hey boss got last minute tix to a game any chance of tomorrow half day ?” ... that’s not asking for a ‘favor’ that’s requesting to take a half day from your holiday allowance... last minute it might be but unless a valid reason to deny if given... ie. Someone already off, training course booked... approved !

_Brian

Yea WhatsApp is a gdpr problem, all personal numbers available to everyone and data shared may not need to be seen by everyone in the group.

Most companies have Office365 accounts and should be using kaizala

Kaizala meets GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC1, HIPAA compliance requirements.

Using Facebook in the business is just wrong..

tedpan

I stopped using Whatsapp for this reason. I feel so much better without that crap..

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

As for benefiting...I want to skip a shift it’s a call... “ hey boss got last minute tix to a game any chance of tomorrow half day ?” ... that’s not asking for a ‘favor’ that’s requesting to take a half day from your holiday allowance... last minute it might be but unless a valid reason to deny if given... ie. Someone already off, training course booked... approved !

Actually it is asking for a favour as annual leave times are at the discretion of your employer and they are not required to give you leave whenever you want, particularly at short notice. They do not need a valid reason to deny a request like that.

While I have no experience to work WhatsApp groups, I certainly can see the benefit of colleagues being able to swop shifts using this method rather than doing what Strumms advocates above.

_Brian

OP can just leave the group and not rejoin.

If it’s a personal phone they can’t insist you use it for work purposes.

Jim2007

arrianalexander wrote: »

Recently Work has started using Whatsapp to forward work related information through WhatsApp groups

Has the company officially started to use it, or has it evolved among the staff as a thing?

arrianalexander wrote: »

I've muted all these groups so I don't receive any notifications rather been the one to leave a group.

This is not the way to go, it is not a good idea do this to your colleagues, pretending to get their messages while ignoring them will not go down well. Either leave the group or tell them that you only check it at certain times.

Jim2007

Jim2007 wrote: »

Has the company officially started to use it, or has it evolved among the staff as a thing?



This is not the way to go, it is not a good idea do this to your colleagues, pretending to get their messages while ignoring them will not go down well. Either leave the group or tell them that you only check it at certain times.

It’s their personal phone. Whatever they like is fair.

Strumms

Dav010 wrote: »

Actually it is asking for a favour as annual leave times are at the discretion of your employer and they are not required to give you leave whenever you want, particularly at short notice. They do not need a valid reason to deny a request like that.

While I have no experience to work WhatsApp groups, I certainly can see the benefit of colleagues being able to swop shifts using this method rather than doing what Strumms advocates above.

It’s not a favor, you are requesting a days annual leave, that’s your entitlement, as per your contract and your contract is a legal document ... unless a valid reason is given for denial, a valid and ‘specific’ business reason, the company and manager are out of line, pure and simple... ‘a favor’... right, annual leave isn’t a favor it’s an entitlement and employers should be very careful around when and what reasons they give for denial... two people already off...sure, a mandatory training course happening, a one off... sure... say an airline around Christmas week, needing all hands to the pump... sure.... but to deny on a whim, without reason etc is grossly unsat, if any crowd starts that with me there are repercussions......

Boss: “Hey Strumms, we need you for an extra shift on Saturday, we are down to the bones here”.

Strumms : “well I’d like to help but I can’t”

Boss : “how come ?, we really need...”

Strumms : “I have plans that cannot be amended at this stage”

They make the relationship difficult for you, you do the same for them, nicely of course and within the boundaries of you contract and therefore legislation.

AndrewJRenko

NoDrama wrote: »

Most companies have Office365 accounts and should be using kaizala

Kaizala meets GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC1, HIPAA compliance requirements.

Using Facebook in the business is just wrong..

Good to know, hadn't heard of that one before.


Do you know if it integrates to on-prem versions of MS Office for Active Directory synch?

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

It’s not a favor, you are requesting a days annual leave, that’s your entitlement, as per your contract and your contract is a legal document ... unless a valid reason is given for denial, a valid and ‘specific’ business reason, the company and manager are out of line, pure and simple... ‘a favor’... right, annual leave isn’t a favor it’s an entitlement and employers should be very careful around when and what reasons they give for denial... two people already off...sure, a mandatory training course happening, a one off... sure... say an airline around Christmas week, needing all hands to the pump... sure.... but to deny on a whim, without reason etc is grossly unsat, if any crowd starts that with me there are repercussions......

Boss: “Hey Strumms, we need you for an extra shift on Saturday, we are down to the bones here”.

Strumms : “well I’d like to help but I can’t”

Boss : “how come ?, we really need...”

Strumms : “I have plans that cannot be amended at this stage”

They make the relationship difficult for you, you do the same for them, nicely of course and within the boundaries of you contract and therefore legislation.

There you go making up your own rules again.

Accrued annual leave is a statutory entitlement, when you take it most certainly is not, despite what you may think or want to believe. If you want AL tomorrow afternoon, then your employer is under no obligation to either give you it, nor to give you a valid reason as to why it is being refused. When AL is taken is at the discretion of your employer. That is why I would have thought the WhatsApp group may be useful, so that if you need time off on a particular day, a colleague can cover your shift.


Before this turns into 3 pages of back’n forth rubbish, please read this.


https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/annual_leave_public_holidays.html

AndrewJRenko

Dav010 wrote: »

There you go making up your own rules again.

Accrued annual leave is a statutory entitlement, when you take it most certainly is not, despite what you may think or want to believe. If you want AL tomorrow afternoon, then your employer is under no obligation to either give you it, nor to give you a valid reason as to why it is being refused. When AL is taken is at the discretion of your employer. That is why I would have thought the WhatsApp group may be useful, so that if you need time off on a particular day, a colleague can cover your shift.


Before this turns into 3 pages of back’n forth rubbish, please read this.


https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/annual_leave_public_holidays.html

You shouldn't be obliged to expose your personal phone number to a large bunch of colleagues to request annual leave.

Dav010

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You shouldn't be obliged to expose your personal phone number to a large bunch of colleagues to request annual leave.

No you shouldn’t, the op should leave the group. Just saying though, it can have its uses.

lfen

Think you are overthinking things OP. If you don't want to be in the group, just leave it. If you feel uncomfortable doing that, tell them you deleted WhatsApp because it was taking up too much space on your phone. Personally though, I'd just be honest.

BoldReason

Personally I would just leave the group and if a reason is required I would simply say that I only have a personal phone and have no available work number compatible for WhatsApp and I can be reached via email for any matters.

This is hardly unreasonable. If work expects you to have a requirement to answer WhatsApp messages they should provide you with a means to do so.