Workplace group texting

Syrinx9

Hi, a friend of mine who works in education was added to a school staff WhatsApp group. When the lockdown began the amounts of texting increased tenfold and she found it difficult to cope with the constant text alerts, often late at night. We went through all the temporary blocking procedures that we could find online but she ended up temporarily deleting the app. She now feels obliged to reinstall but has mixed feelings about this. Does anyone have any views on this? Or any examples of ways this sort of communication is dealt with in Ireland?

Gemancy

Why doesn’t she just mute notifications and check in on it daily/weekly or whatever? Or clarify with principal that she would rather any work assigned to her be communicated via email or some other formally agreed manner? Not sure from your post if it’s the actual messages just landing or the content of the messages are the problem. Or just do what she did and exit the group and that’s the end of that. I doubt there is a requirement to be part of a whats app group.

Limpy

I block my messages and auto download ect. Unless it's an old phone it should be easy to hide messages. Just Google the model and how to hide WhatsApps messages.

Dav010

Syrinx9 wrote: »

Hi, a friend of mine who works in education was added to a school staff WhatsApp group. When the lockdown began the amounts of texting increased tenfold and, as she is a naturally nervous person, she found it difficult to cope with the constant text alerts, often late at night. We went through all the temporary blocking procedures that we could find online but she ended up temporarily deleting the app. She now feels obliged to reinstall but has mixed feelings about this. Does anyone have any views on this? Or any examples of ways this sort of communication is dealt with in Ireland?

I presume it is dealt with in Ireland the same way it is dealt with everywhere else in the World, if you don’t want to be in a WhatsApp group, you leave the group.

Parsnips

I would have no hesitation in dropping out of that group. not only is it stressful enough in work but having to think about it even when your off is not on IMO. Very unproffessional and I would hazard a guess that it was setup by someone that is a social media addict and sufferes with severe FOMO.
My Compnay wanted us to link our Email to our own smart phones. NO WAY Hosé.
She should not worry about it at all.

antix80

When work asked for my number for a group chat I set up whatsapp on my work phone and gave them that number. My work phone enters do not disturb at 5.30pm weekdays and leaves do not disturb at 9am work days.

Sim cards are pretty much free and most people have an old android phone with a cracked screen lying around.

Strumms

Not in a million years would I use my personal phone for work, especially in the manner as described.

In my last job, they took all our work mobile phones from us when the recession hit.

I knew exactly how things were going to run. The phones were imperative to the running of the department as we spent about 35% of each shift away out of the office...

As expected calls started coming into our personal mobile phones. “Sorry, just a quick one”... followed by them trying to set up a department WhatsApp group on our personal phones ..I warned the others but with fellas worrying about mortgages, car loans and one with a sick kid there was a hesitancy to think of doing the right thing..

It got old when you’d be at home eating lunch or dinner and you’d get a WhatsApp from the manager or supervisor “guys, just a quick one, did anyone remember if the end of day reports included the damage estimates ?” Looking at the fûcking report (you’ve been sent it) it will tell you... it was a ruse for the manager to instigate an after hours discussion so he'd be ready for his 9.30 with senior managers the following day and rather than the report he preferred getting all the nuances from us directly.

It all ended when a senior team member getting out of the car in his driveway, dropped his phone and smashed the screen on receiving a message...he and WE dropped the app... an investigation ensued but ended as we informed them we’d be collectively escalating via hr and senior management ANY attempt to coerce us into using personal devices for intra work / department communications.

Parsnips

Fairplay.
Companies are really pushing the boundaries now.
Last year it was.. " Oh we have to wait to see how Brexit works out, need to protect the company" etc
Now its ..."your lucky to have a job with corona" . Its like employers are doing the lad on Min wage a favour for getting the Government top pay half his wages while he is working as hard as he ever has. Bloody Irritating to say the least.

I had to work very hard to stop being the clown that spoke out on everyones behalf. Nobody knows what solidarity is anymore.

Im not on Min wage BTW

Kia_Kaha

antix80 wrote: »

When work asked for my number for a group chat I set up whatsapp on my work phone and gave them that number. My work phone enters do not disturb at 5.30pm weekdays and leaves do not disturb at 9am work days.

Sim cards are pretty much free and most people have an old android phone with a cracked screen lying around.

100% agree with this, she should use a separate work phone, turn it off / do not disturb mode at 5:30 pm.

Tell me how

Whats App is literally a 4 step process to stop notifications coming through. (Android Version 2.20.197.20)

1 - Open the relevant chat
2 - Click on 3 dots on Top right of screen
3 - Click on Mute Notification
4 - Select 1 Year

That's it.

I'm a bit perplexed how someone managed to delete the App when trying to do the above.

sweet_trip

Tell me how wrote: »

Whats App is literally a 4 step process to stop notifications coming through. (Android Version 2.20.197.20)

1 - Open the relevant chat
2 - Click on 3 dots on Top right of screen
3 - Click on Mute Notification
4 - Select 1 Year

That's it.

I'm a bit perplexed how someone managed to delete the App when trying to do the above.

This. Just mute all the chat groups.
Nothing worse than having to listen to stupid whatsapp notifications going non stop.

Especially when I'm not at work, I do not want to hear about whatever nonsense is discussed in them.

Phone notifications in general are such a nuisance. Beeping and vibrating every few minutes screaming for your attention.
I genuinely believe they're harmful to your health. People cannot put their phones down and have to jump to look at whatever nonsense it's beeping about.

They make people anxious.

Strumms

Tell me how wrote: »

Whats App is literally a 4 step process to stop notifications coming through. (Android Version 2.20.197.20)

1 - Open the relevant chat
2 - Click on 3 dots on Top right of screen
3 - Click on Mute Notification
4 - Select 1 Year

That's it.

I'm a bit perplexed how someone managed to delete the App when trying to do the above.

That’s a good one, fair play.

GalwayGrrrrrl

For my work we have three what’sapp groups - one for professional communication which is only used during daytime. One for jokes and chit chat (not all are in that) and one for Corona talk which was set up for those planning workload/policies (I’m not in that as it’s too stressful to be overloaded with corona chat all the time). All are on silent so I choose the time to look at it. Some people don’t use any of the groups and that’s okay.

I use my personal phone for work all the time, I use my personal laptop for work at times (and I use my work laptop for personal things a lot too) and I am in the work WhatsApp group with all my team at work which we use for certain work related things and also some fun and banter etc. I’d hate having to me messing around with two phones also.

None of this bothers me in the least, some of the effort people put in to get bothered about this stuff is something I’ll never understand.

OMM 0000

She needs some self control to only look at the texts during her work time.

Story time:

I have a team of programmers. When bugs are logged, an e-mail is sent to the programmer. Also, we use slack (chat app) to discuss issues.

One of the programmers went on holiday. I discover he's working on his holiday. I tell him to stop. He says he can't, he can see a bug has been logged against his code. I tell him to stop looking at the bug reports, stop programming, and enjoy your holiday. He says he can't. He then starts replying to the messages on Slack. He says this is disturbing his holiday. I tell him to stop looking at the slack messages. He says but he's getting notifications. I tell him to turn them off. He says he doesn't want to, as he wants to see the messages.

I tell him again, he's on holiday, stop working, stop looking at emails and messages, turn off notifications or ignore them. He says he can't.

That was three years ago. To this day he still tells people I forced him to work during his holiday.

So, my message to you OP, is stop looking at messages outside your work hours. If you continue to do so, you shouldn't blame your employer.

Treppen

OMM 0000 wrote: »

She needs some self control to only look at the texts during her work time.

Story time:

I have a team of programmers. When bugs are logged, an e-mail is sent to the programmer. Also, we use slack (chat app) to discuss issues.

One of the programmers went on holiday. I discover he's working on his holiday. I tell him to stop. He says he can't, he can see a bug has been logged against his code. I tell him to stop looking at the bug reports, stop programming, and enjoy your holiday. He says he can't. He then starts replying to the messages on Slack. He says this is disturbing his holiday. I tell him to stop looking at the slack messages. He says but he's getting notifications. I tell him to turn them off. He says he doesn't want to, as he wants to see the messages.

I tell him again, he's on holiday, stop working, stop looking at emails and messages, turn off notifications or ignore them. He says he can't.

That was three years ago. To this day he still tells people I forced him to work during his holiday.

So, my message to you OP, is stop looking at messages outside your work hours. If you continue to do so, you shouldn't blame your employer.

That's all well and good but some principals and schools are very unprofessional, also contracts starting out in teaching are mostly temporary low hours. So if they say jump you have to say how high. So in a similar vein if you feck up and say you didn't get the notification then that's your fault for not 'being part of the team'. Our school the principal is very good and has requested there be zero whatsapp for work related issues. Also once school bell is over then that's it, it can wait till tomorrow. You'll get a gentle reminder if you send emails out of hours although if it is urgent then that's instantly forgiven. We've a timed email function so you can send the email to come in at 8am next morning.

Simple solution OP... Get throwaway SIM and get registered on the group... Then have some fun with the pictures you post.

Also GDPR Yadda Yadda , print off a screen shot of some of the best conversations and post them on the teachers doors outside their classrooms, they'll get the message pretty quick :pac:

I think there was a few cases with GAA teams where parents got other parents numbers from the WhatsApp group and started acting the maggot etc.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-the-gaa-has-a-big-problem-with-whatsapp-1.4165494

Show this to the principal and they'll stop pretty quick once there's mention of legality or GDPR.

irelandrover

Gael Round Against wrote: »

I use my personal phone for work all the time, I use my personal laptop for work at times (and I use my work laptop for personal things a lot too) and I am in the work WhatsApp group with all my team at work which we use for certain work related things and also some fun and banter etc. I’d hate having to me messing around with two phones also.

None of this bothers me in the least, some of the effort people put in to get bothered about this stuff is something I’ll never understand.

There's no way i'd use my personal number for work. A lot of people would have no issues calling you on your days off. Being able to turn off the work phone is fantastic.

I don't mess around with two phones either as I just use a dual sim phone.

lalababa

Tis a slippery slope to what it's like in yankyland. Live to work, Mammon's call. Or in this case ping.

irelandrover

irelandrover wrote: »

There's no way i'd use my personal number for work. A lot of people would have no issues calling you on your days off. Being able to turn off the work phone is fantastic.

I don't mess around with two phones either as I just use a dual sim phone.

If I get a call or text when I'm off then its important and I have no issue answering. In fact I always specifically say to give me a call/text if something urgent comes up when I'm away. Its vastly less hassle to sort something quickly when needed than arrive back to some sh*t show on a project.

I always keep an eye on emails when off also, I might stop them being pushed automatically to the phone and notifying me but I will flick though them most evenings on the phone or laptop if I have it out to see what has been going on.

Strumms

OMM 0000 wrote: »

She needs some self control to only look at the texts during her work time.

Story time:

I have a team of programmers. When bugs are logged, an e-mail is sent to the programmer. Also, we use slack (chat app) to discuss issues.

One of the programmers went on holiday. I discover he's working on his holiday. I tell him to stop. He says he can't, he can see a bug has been logged against his code. I tell him to stop looking at the bug reports, stop programming, and enjoy your holiday. He says he can't. He then starts replying to the messages on Slack. He says this is disturbing his holiday. I tell him to stop looking at the slack messages. He says but he's getting notifications. I tell him to turn them off. He says he doesn't want to, as

So, my message to you OP, is stop looking at messages outside your work hours. If you continue to do so, you shouldn't blame your employer.

They should blame the employer. The employer needs self control and step back from trying to obtain an ‘in’ to the employees personal time / life..

The employer set up the group with the mind to establish a communications pathway to and between staff via their PERSONAL devices when they are NOT at work and NOT on shift. There is no debate about this.

Otherwise the employer is satisfied using the work email ie. programmingteamA@myjob.ie and each member of staff pick up and deal with the work communications and commitments when they are working, at work, not when they are making lunch, not when they are taking kids to basketball, not when they are fixing their table in the garage or just chatting on the phone with a sibling or enjoy a glass of wine with their OH and Netflix.

OMM 0000

Strumms wrote: »

They should blame the employer. The employer needs self control and step back from trying to obtain an ‘in’ to the employees personal time / life..

The employer set up the group with the mind to establish a communications pathway to and between staff via their PERSONAL devices when they are NOT at work and NOT on shift. There is no debate about this.

Otherwise the employer is satisfied using the work email ie. programmingteamA@myjob.ie and each member of staff pick up and deal with the work communications and commitments when they are working, at work, not when they are making lunch, not when they are taking kids to basketball, not when they are fixing their table in the garage or just chatting on the phone with a sibling or enjoy a glass of wine with their OH and Netflix.

I would like to agree with you but the world has changed. This sort of thing (WhatsApp groups) is fairly normal now. I think it would take legislation to stop it.

Strumms

OMM 0000 wrote: »

I would like to agree with you but the world has changed. This sort of thing (WhatsApp groups) is fairly normal now. I think it would take legislation to stop it.

It could take legislative action to stop it but I think employees need to be proactive and loyal to one another and FOR one another. If a team stick together and say at a meeting... “ we are deleting ourselves from the WhatsApp group, we feel it is unnecessary and intrusive and is having a distractingly negative impact on our personal and family lives away from the office “

Then again, if my experience is anything to go by, to get all team members to ‘row in’ behind a tactic like this isn’t always possible... Enda is thinking about promotion down the line and not willing to rock the boat, Sarah has been lobbying for a shîft change so she can get back to football in the evening, not willing to rock the boat, Stephen is on a final written, he doesn’t want to be seen making a stand and risking just even incurring any negative publicity in his managers thinking...

But if there is a leadership voice amongst the employee group... get it vocalizing and get your employers and work out of your personal lives, devices, thinking and space... when you clock IN.. you are IN work.... clock OUT... OUT and away, OUT from the building, OUT from your thinking.

Strumms

Mr.S wrote: »

Two sides usually to this:

1 - A WhatsApp group with staff for casual things, after work drinks / events / news etc. If the notifications annoy you, just mute the group and drop in and out when you want to. Or just leave the group.

2 - A group for Work related messages. Should only be used in a work setting and not for casual chat. If someone is chatting about non-operational work related things, tell them to stop. When you're not working, mute this group unless you need to be on call.

If you use your personal phone for work related things, 100% turn off all work app notifications when you finish. Come 5:30 my MS Teams and Outlook notifications turn off, and won't start till 9am the next day. Bliss. Same WhatsApp, I just mute the conversations permanently.

You need to be on call, let them give you a work phone, roster you and pay you.. I’m not bothering trying to remember what’s muted, what’s not muted, can they see I’ve seen a message when I go to look at another one ?... also if you go to txt a friend and just ‘see’.... “lads, problem with the numbers in the report, can you give me a quick call”. You eventually see the group lighting up, worrying as you compiled some of the info yourself, you get dragged into a 40 minute back and forth that you could do without... somebody screwed up yes, not you, but it’s you trouble shooting, your other half sat in front of the tv, Netflix on pause, Nachos cold, atmosphere colder...you stupider for bothering your hole .... and thanks to WhatsApp, sorry, WORK WhatsApp you are on call, never wanted to be, agreed to be and not getting a red cent and you are fûcking over your OH who just wanted to relax with YOU , Netflix and a plate of nachos and some wine.

Delete work from your personal life. All avenues to them / for them closed off....

Strumms

Strumms wrote: »

You need to be on call, let them give you a work phone, roster you and pay you.. I’m not bothering trying to remember what’s muted, what’s not muted, can they see I’ve seen a message when I go to look at another one ?... also if you go to txt a friend and just ‘see’.... “lads, problem with the numbers in the report, can you give me a quick call”. You eventually see the group lighting up, worrying as you compiled some of the info yourself, you get dragged into a 40 minute back and forth that you could do without... somebody screwed up yes, not you, but it’s you trouble shooting, your other half sat in front of the tv, Netflix on pause, Nachos cold, atmosphere colder...you stupider for bothering your hole .... and thanks to WhatsApp, sorry, WORK WhatsApp you are on call, never wanted to be, agreed to be and not getting a red cent and you are fûcking over your OH who just wanted to relax with YOU , Netflix and a plate of nachos and some wine.

Delete work from your personal life. All avenues to them / for them closed off....

I think this is totally over the top to be honest. There needs to be give and take and this whole “forget work from 5:30” just doesn’t work in many modern jobs with deadlines, cross time zones etc etc. On the other hand I am happy to have flexibility in my direction too and that generally goes hand in hand with being willing to be flexible back.

The whole clock in clock out idea is totally outdated.

If I was offered a work phone I’d take the device (once it was a better iPhone than the one I have) but I’d refuse a work sim as I’d rather just have one phone/phone number for everything.

antix80

Gael Round Against wrote: »

If I was offered a work phone I’d take the device (once it was a better iPhone than the one I have) but I’d refuse a work sim as I’d rather just have one phone/phone number for everything.

More fool you.

Strumms

Gael Round Against wrote: »

I think this is totally over the top to be honest. There needs to be give and take and this whole “forget work from 5:30” just doesn’t work in many modern jobs with deadlines, cross time zones etc etc. On the other hand I am happy to have flexibility in my direction too and that generally goes hand in hand with being willing to be flexible back.

The whole clock in clock out idea is totally outdated.

If I was offered a work phone I’d take the device (once it was a better iPhone than the one I have) but I’d refuse a work sim as I’d rather just have one phone/phone number for everything.

Nope. Give and take works when it is a two way street... what employers will want in this situation as regards flexibility and give and take is a one way street... a whole team on call on to them on an app, outside of their working hours, them from time to time contributing and working by giving input on work issues via the app while not getting paid to do so... and the invasiveness of their phone with regularity receiving messages, muted or otherwise... go to check a message from friends or family you can see the fûcking thing lit up.

I’ve no interest as to who is on what time zone. Not my problem. If I’m paid to be working Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 18.00...I’m ready to commence work at 10.00 and I’m walking out the door at 18.00, work phone off.

I’m flexible to a point when I’m at work, flexible to NO point when I leave. Time is mine, all mine, for my family, friends , and the enjoyment of life, exclusively. Without disturbances, distractions or invasions....

frozenfrozen

dot

irelandrover

Gael Round Against wrote: »

I think this is totally over the top to be honest. There needs to be give and take and this whole “forget work from 5:30” just doesn’t work in many modern jobs with deadlines, cross time zones etc etc. On the other hand I am happy to have flexibility in my direction too and that generally goes hand in hand with being willing to be flexible back.

The whole clock in clock out idea is totally outdated.

If I was offered a work phone I’d take the device (once it was a better iPhone than the one I have) but I’d refuse a work sim as I’d rather just have one phone/phone number for everything.

I'm very flexible in work. If i know there is going to be an issue or a chance of an issue then i will leave my work phone on or work longer hours. But that's a choice i get to make. If work had my personal number then it removes my flexibility as i cant turn off my phone.

You say you don't see the issue but you clearly have never had a project lead ring you with stupid questions when you are on your holiday. Staying connected to work all the time is not be healthy for you, so checking work emails every day when you are off means you have no chance to disconnect.

Clocking in/ out is not an outdated system. Id state only workaholics and dossers think so. id state that an 8 hour work day no matter what is outdated but clocking in and out with flexi time is a very good way of ensuring you dont work too much.

mr_edge_to_you

Its a tricky one. I've never ever used my personal phone for work - if the company want me to be contactable, they can provide me with a phone and dedicated number. I'm more than happy to have 2 phones. At night, my work phone stays in the kitchen next to my car keys. At weekends or holidays, my work phone stays at home or is left in the car - I do check it periodically.

From a company perspective, in the era of GDPR I don't know why any company would want staff using their own phone and number. Its a recipe for disaster, I've seen it first hand.

In the OPs case, I'd be advising the employer that you really don't like using WhatsApp for work purposes. Acknowledge that from time to time you may need to be contacted but compromise by saying "my phone is always on and more than happy to take a call if there's something urgent".

In the last few years, I've been working at very senior positions and accept a certain level of calls outside of regular hours is required. I have always told my managers that if they need to get in touch urgently, just call me on my personal phone (*not text*). To date, that has always been respected.

Strumms

frozenfrozen wrote: »

OP finding it difficult to bring herself to reinstall whatsapp because of being in a work group chat isn't a work issue it's a mental health issue. There are plenty of other threads to talk about only working during work hours. This one is about being upset by being in a group chat

Unless you are a qualified psychologist or somebody with an equivalent qualification you have no place accusing somebody of having a mental health issue.

Also the thread is very much on topic, until you started to throw in your amateur diagnosis. Not helpful. Disgraceful actually,

antix80

Strumms wrote: »

Disgraceful actually,

oh pipe down

Honestly, no need for shaming.. someone just has an opinion is all.