I often use the phone at work to call places like my bank and expedia. Usually its 1 or 2 calls a day. My question is: Is this a sackable offence? I have been doing it for a couple of months now and no one has said anything to me.
We are allowed to use the phone as long as we put 10p or so into an honesty box. You will need to check with your HR department to see what the policy is at your place.
They have maybe not said anything to you as they were not aware that you were making a personal call. I'd check though. Better safe than sorry.
It will depend entirely on the policy of your employer.
My employer allows us to make "essential" personal calls but has never specified what counts as essential. They had a clamp down last month when they checked the bill and found someone had been phoning Australia on a weekly basis.
My office has a phone but I dont use it much. I do use it to make some personal calls but I dont use it too much and I dont get paid much so lets call it compensation!!
In my department of 60 staff, we each have our own phone, but it is not a necessary to the job.
Every quarter we are shown our 'bill' and if it is too much, we then get a warning to cut out the phone calls.
Most staff here now use their mobiles and when they all start ringing, everyone is diving into their bag/desk.
It is when the office is quiet and a mobile rings with it's funny ringtone, we all start laughing.
I got reprimanded for ringing my mortgage lender by my boss earlier on this year. I very rarely make personal calls, however my colleagues make and receive more a lot calls than me. Is this fair?
Gosh, you are all lucky. I my last (ever) job, there simply was no time to make personal phone calls, got on the interweb or even go to the loo on occasions!!
Of course it depends on your boss, and there is more often an element of reasonable tolerance towards personal use of office equipment, providing:
- It is limited in duration and regularity
- It is limited to lunch times
- It is not to Auntie Mavis in Australia
- It is done privately and not loud in so affecting other staff
- Your work is not compromised by personal calls (incoming or outgoing)
- The company is not compromised by the numbers you are calling (0898 etc)
- General abuse of trust
There are other constraints but generally it will depend upon company policy and your boss and your bosses boss. The bottom line: don�t take the pee, and when anyone says anything to you it probably means you have stepped over the acceptable line.