Should I leave the company whatsapp group?

Janet Cooper · 17-03-2025 09:27PM #1

After I voiced my opinion about a change (albeit small) that management made at our expense a few weeks back, it resulted in a disagreement between me and 4 or 5 others, who ganged up on me on the group. It got a bit out of hand as I refused to pretend I was wrong. Some of it was hurtful but I did a good job showing humour in my remarks. The others in the group seemed to remain neutral, but any like reactions were in favour of them and not me. One or two said to me in person that they agreed with me, but I know they won't be taking my side if a disagreement were to arise on the group again. I've noticed one or two subtle digs against me on the group since then… it could be a use the a certain phrase that I used in a different context. I've been trying to avoid looking at it at certain times… like right before bed as it might mean I won't sleep as well. I looked at it again recently and to my horror, there was the union rep making a comment about out of the blue. Completely unprovoked. I tried to ring him but he wouldn't answer, so I messaged him privately to remove the comment. I got no response but I saw that the comment was removed the next day.

The guy who's admin seems like a bully to me when I meet him in person. He'll frequently post things in like "who left this door open in the yard yesterday?" acting as if he's management. The others seem to egg him on. I was out on AL for a week recently and he put up a post about where I had parked one of the company vans when I took my break. Thankfully my name wasn't mentioned but I'd say anyone who bothered to read it closely enough would cop it was me. He was saying management were giving out about the van being parked there, yet I haven't heard anything from management about it since.

I do think it would be better for my mental health to leave the group, but I don't want it to look like I'm scared of them. There can be some helpful info about the job posted there. I have become isolated at work and leaving the group might increase this.

suvigirl · 17-03-2025 09:30PM

A 'work' what's app group can be a place of bullying and if it's used for that reason, you can take a case.

Panthro · 17-03-2025 09:32PM

You could mute it OP. Pop in if and when you feel the need. Sounds a bit sheeite situation to be in though.

LambshankRedemption · 17-03-2025 10:09PM

Avoid whatsapp groups for work at all costs. You start work at 9am, finish at 5pm. Thats it. Be cautious of any chat groups where conversation happens outside of regular hours.

They are a minefield for headaches.

Purple Mountain · 17-03-2025 10:14PM

I agree that leaving it might seem like a F.U. moment so for now mute it and archive it. Don't be tempted to look in it.

road_high · 17-03-2025 10:23PM

these things are an absolute minefield and best keep it strictly to work related things and avoid all conflict or drama or being drawn into it. It’s utter nonsense and a waste of time and energy

Avatar in the Post · 17-03-2025 10:25PM

Nah, I’d leave if I were you in that situation. The bad far outweighs the good.

Flinty997 · 18-03-2025 12:15AM

People can't communicate properly on whatsapp, its gets misinterpreted all the time. Never use it for work other than the most basic communication.

Fann Linn · 18-03-2025 12:19AM

I leave my social life at home and with my friends. I get paid to work. A practice which has worked well for me up until now. And one which I will continue with.

Mrs OBumble · 18-03-2025 12:58AM

Are your management and HR aware of this group? What is their attitude to it?

Deeec · 18-03-2025 07:38AM

If it is a method of communicating work issues etc than you would be a fool to leave it as you will be out of the information loop.

My advice is never ever be tempted to post anything in these groups - you can't go wrong then.

Janet Cooper · 18-03-2025 08:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123274278#Comment_123274278

They wouldn't be aware of it. I always assumed that they'd try and relieve themselves of any responsibility concerning employee conflicts on social media.

18-03-2025 08:27PM

I don't get this in this day and age, if you don't want to be part of a whatsapp group just leave.

mazdamiatamx5 · 18-03-2025 08:29PM

Not only should you leave the company whatsapp group, but also there should not be any company whatsapp groups at any time, ever.

Janet Cooper · 18-03-2025 08:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123274232#Comment_123274232

I think there might be a more general company whatsapp group for the like of that instead. Must inquire. The one I'm in is for a more specific part of the company… only 17 in the group. I think there's only 2 or 3 in our area that aren't in the one I'm in.

Avatar in the Post · 18-03-2025 08:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123276741#Comment_123276741

Apparently an unofficial WhatsApp Group is a hotbed of company advancement. In reality, spoofers.

Janet Cooper · 18-03-2025 09:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123273772#Comment_123273772

I just might. How much do u know about this sort of thing? Wud the company not just avoid responsibility as it's an unofficial group?

Janet Cooper · 18-03-2025 09:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123273944#Comment_123273944

Any I were on previously were fine. We'd have a good laugh… sort of a place for us to vent our frustrations. And there was an understanding of where the line was. Not this place.

JIdontknow · 18-03-2025 09:37PM

if you didn’t want to be seen to leave the group you could just mute or archive it. Depending on the purpose of the work group it can be a place for banter and harmless fun but also can become a place of bullying or oneupmanship or drawing someone out to say something about someone else etc. I’ve seen this in non work groups! Personally I have all my WhatsApp groups muted but that’s just because the notifications annoy me!! If something important comes up I’ll hear it directly as well as in a group etc.

Trampas · 18-03-2025 09:50PM

Groups like that are put into archive or muted for ever. Never engage in chat unless it’s to do with work related tasks that are done outside hours that are require an update. General chat groups that just “banter” I treat them like social nights out with work. Just not worth it and best to ignore them and then eventually people won’t even ask if you’re going and why you’re not going

suvigirl · 18-03-2025 10:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123276892#Comment_123276892

You said the union rep is on it, that's fairly damning. Also, depends what is in it, you said it had work details, if these details are disseminated through this group, it could easily be seen as official.

cml387 · 19-03-2025 10:01AM

I would be appalled if any of the banter I had with my colleagues over the years was written down or recorded for posterity.

And yet here you are willingly doing it.

It never ceases to amaze me how we are using social media to damage ourselves.

pc7 · 19-03-2025 10:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123276907#Comment_123276907

I would not be venting work issues in a whatsapp group, I can't get my head around having one at all tbh.

Dual wheels · 19-03-2025 11:06AM

I really can’t understand why there is a work WhatsApp group, it’s just asking for trouble and very dangerous, leave it immediately if I were you

miamee · 19-03-2025 11:49AM

It's unfortunate that you cannot mute a Whatsapp group chat for specific hours - we also have one and would love to mute it outside of 9-5 but have settled for muting it always and remembering to check it occasionally. Ours is very work-focused though, I cannot imagine one like yours OP with chats and jokes and 'who left the van parked there'. If it is not an official work channel do as others have suggested and mute it permanently. You can still check in occasionally and scroll through the nonsense to see if there is anything worthwhile being said but I'd stop engaging in it at all.

Janet Cooper · 19-03-2025 09:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123278106#Comment_123278106

I've it muted of course. But what if I check it every 4 days and then see that someone made a subtle dig about me 4 days ago? If I saw it within a few hours of it being made I might address it, but if I saw it 3 days later I'll be wondering whether it's too late to address or not.

JIdontknow · 19-03-2025 11:39PM

I wouldn’t even get involved, if they see you aren’t active on it I’m sure the subtle digs etc will fade away. Typically people like that do it for a reaction and if you ignore it they’ll soon move on to someone else once they realise that you won’t get engaged in a back and forth with them and aren’t active in the group (they can see who saw and who didn’t see the message they sent).

The Royal Scam · 20-03-2025 11:43AM

Just wondering, who set-up this group and for what purpose was it set-up and the burning question for me is , is it on a work or personal phone? I have 2 groups set-up on my team. I set them up and gave clear instructions that they are only for work related communications with day to day operations only and works quite well.

Janet Cooper · 20-03-2025 02:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123281018#Comment_123281018

The guy who's admin… who posted about the van parked wrong. He's worked there a long time. It's a personal phone

F1ngers · 20-03-2025 02:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123280141#Comment_123280141

Leave the group and you won't have to react to any messages.

It's not sanctioned by management.

If you want, leave a message along the lines of: "Only contact me through official work channels.", then leave group.

It seems this doesn't suit you though and you want to be involved in the drama at work.

Dial Hard · 20-03-2025 02:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123279887#Comment_123279887

If you only check it every few days, but then go back through the entire few days' worth of messages every time, then there's absolutely zero point in having it muted.

The whole thing sounds really unprofessional and a recipe for a HR intervention. You shouldn't be doing anything work related on a personal phone bar ringing your boss if you're sick. If you need to do more than that, they should be giving you a work phone and all communications should go through official channels - Teams or Slack if it needs to be a group thing.

I'd be leaving this group pronto and tbh, I wouldn't even feel the need to give the group an explanation.

Should I leave the company whatsapp group?

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