Anyone else assigned work phones (as part of your job, obviously)? Three years ago my construction job assigned us all smartphones, which is the first smartphone I’ve had. Suspicious of carrying around internet capability all day, and thus running up the data on their “unlimited” plan, I’ve never liked it. What took me longer to figure out is that by assigning me a phone with applications linked to our email servers, my employer is tricking me into 24/7 email accessibility. “Did you see my email?” My mangers will text me - at 6AM, before asking again at 7AM when I arrive to the office – about an email sent at 8PM, that they wanted answered at 9PM. I’ve tried strategically failing expectations so that hopefully those I answer to will slowly come around to understanding I’ll answer when I’m back on the clock. I’m accustomed to taking calls into the evenings during crunch time, but for email I find it worth spending the time it takes to come up with a thoughtful, properly researched answer that those on the CC line can find helpful as well. (Sending email doesn’t translate as well by phone, especially if attachments with photos need to be created and sent.) But anyway, about 1 to 2 times/year (about a half-dozen total times now) someone higher in management will really lose it when an email goes unanswered long enough during my off hours.
Am I right to see this as a new reality of professional salary job? We’re just all expected to be mindful of work email until bedtime? Shared work phone experiences are appreciated. Really gets me guessing back to the days (the 90s?) when our employers had no way to contact us 9-to-5, non-emergency employees. When there was such a time as “off the clock.”
