using phone at work

[filthiestfis]

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.

[squarebear]

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.

[mrs_overall]

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.

[SKA]

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!!

[funnygirl]

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.

[tiggerblue10]

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?

[banjobabe]

Just about everyone in our office uses the office phones for personal calls, or if their mobiles ring they disappear out the back to take the call.

This is all very well but some people have to make up the time they spent on their personal call, others do not.

How annoying is that?

BB xx

[LoftyLottie]

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!!

[banjobabe]

How I wish I had a job where I was that busy.

I hate having nothing to do.

Only 1 hours 45 mins to go.......................

and counting....


BB xx

[LoftyLottie]

Try working in some call centres! Horrible, horrible, horrible

[filthiestfis]

why are there so many office jobs where people do nothing all or most of the day?

[funnygirl]

Because they have useless managers who cannot keep an eye on the staff, have no idea of managing and don't give a sh*t themselves!!

[Octavius]

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.

[dot.hawkes]

It canb certainly lead to disciplinary action if you have been neglecting your work to make these calls,