Technology=stress (another thing I don't miss)

[Midpack]

And it is getting worse. A few years ago, the company would issue a phone for you and pay the bill. Today, it is getting more and more common that they just assume you'll bring your own.

This is called "BYOD" (Bring Your Own Device) and is a hot topic of discussion on both sides regarding privacy, security and expense.

As someone who once administered same, I can see both sides. Being on call was a necessary condition of employment for many.

We were happy to issue company phones in the pre-smartphone days and later smartish BlackBerry's, but eventually more and more (especially younger) employees had their own smartphones. They (understandably) considered it a real "hassle" to have two phones (one personal, one work) - and did NOT want to give up their iPhones or the like. THEY told us they would rather use their own phones for work too (hated "clunky" BlackBerry's anyway), provided we put them on speed dial vs publishing their actual personal phone numbers (perfectly reasonable IMO). [Some actually chose to disclose their personal phone numbers to select co-workers, but not all.]

If anyone who outside the facility (away from speed dial) needed to contact them in a legit emergency, if they called me or another Manager/Supervisor, we would get the callers number and have the away employee call back (again, legit emergency only) vs ever giving out anyone's phone number.

We gladly reimbursed them for the talk/text/data plan we needed them to have for work alone, and they paid anything above that. We didn't have to buy phones anymore, and employees saved a lot on phone plans - win-win? Everyone seemed amenable to that...may be different now, I've been gone for almost 4 years.

 

[JoeWras]

Midpack. Yes, this transition is still going on. That's what I mean by a topic of discussion from both sides. It is evolving.

I'm not a fan of BYOD, but the kids love it. They don't give a flip about privacy either.

Different world coming.

 

[Al in Ohio]

I just refuse to do it. I saw it coming the moment texting and smartphone email became available. I held the line to not use either after hours or weekends since the start and refused to ever since. Its not that hard.

Willpower and boundaries. Stay true to your beliefs. Its empowering yourself.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Midpack]

I just refuse to do it. I saw it coming the moment texting and smartphone email became available. I held the line to not use either after hours or weekends since the start and refused to ever since. Its not that hard in some jobs, though I realize it's impossible to refuse in many other careers.

Willpower and boundaries. Stay true to your beliefs. Its empowering yourself.

FIFY.

It can be beneficial to employees and employers both, many professionals fully appreciate that. With a simple policy and written employee acknowledgement, an employer can legally require salaried (FLSA exempt) employees to accept and use a smartphone (or other devices) "off hours" without added compensation. It can also be required of non-exempt employees as well, but that time is compensable for non-exempt employees. However, employers who abuse the practice with frivolous calls/emails may come to regret that abuse, it needs to be a two-way street (like most anything in the employer-employee world) to be accepted.

One of many legal discussions anyone can find online...Google will yield as many as you'd like. http://cspalaw.com/pdf/Smartphones.pdf

More power to you that you were able to refuse, but "willpower" and "beliefs" often have nothing to do with it. And again, smartphones/mobile devices can be empowering to employees too...

 

[ERD50]

I just refuse to do it. I saw it coming the moment texting and smartphone email became available. I held the line to not use either after hours or weekends since the start and refused to ever since. Its not that hard. ...

Depends on the employer and the job. I suspect there are many employees who, if they decided to stand their ground on the issue, would find themselves standing in the unemployment line. And the job offers might have the same requirement.


oppps, cross -posted with Midpack!

-ERD50

 

[Andre1969]

Here at w*rk, they've been trying to get me a company laptop for several years now, but so far I've been able to dodge it. Hopefully I can keep it that way!