New boss learns an important lesson during a major server outage after he banned the IT technician from using his cell phone during work hours, leading to 17 missed phone calls: '[Phones] must be left in your car or locker. This means 9-5, NO EXCEPTIONS'

What do you get when you cross a downed server, an IT tech who can't be reached, and a boss who is regretting their own directive as they leave 17 missed calls on the tech's phone?

From the dawn of the cell phone's invention, authoritarian figures have derided its existence, the distraction it offers their subordinates, and, above all, the freedom it affords outside their sphere of influence. The derision of the cell phone started with our teachers in school, who were ready to tear their hair out if they saw another Motorola Razer or Sony Ericson. Then, becoming something that we'd hear in the workplace from our bosses who were worried about losing productive time from distracted staff. Of course, they have a point. When you're bored with the banal existence that is doing your mundane job, a magic light-up pocket square that contains all the wonders of the world serves as a more than adequate distraction..

Still, the very concept of being an adult and still having this other adult who is in charge of you for doubtful reasons, who then gets to treat you like a teacher does a child, is just all very bizarre. And the fact that if you don't listen to them, and if you're very naughty, they might just write you a little note and send it home with you for your parents or someone to read, just makes the whole idea of being subordinate to a stranger just the strangest thing to endure over and over again.

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  • 01
    A man in a suit yells in despair at his phone
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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  • Anyways, this new boss got a bee in his bonnet about cellphones and suddenly decided that they were banned from even being kept at employees' desks. This, of course, raises all sorts of questions about how family members are supposed to reach you during an emergency or, heavens forbid, some sort of natural disaster. There's another problem with this as you're probably starting to figure out. How on earth are emergency support staff to be reached during if there is an emergency? Well, as this new boss was about to find out, you simply don't. That, my friends, is a sword of inflexible policy that cuts both ways.

  • 02

    "Manager said 'No phones during work hours, period.' So I stopped answering his calls."

    I work IT support for a medium-sized company. We've always been allowed to have our phones at our desks, sometimes family emergencies happen, doctors call back, whatever. As long as we weren't scrolling social media all day, nobody cared. New manager comes in last month, sees one person checking a text, and loses it. Sends out an email: "EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: NO personal phones during work hours. They must be left in your car or locker. This means 9-5, NO EXCEPTIONS. Anyone caught with a phone
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 03
    The thing is, our manager works from home three days a week. And when server issues pop up after hours or on weekends, guess how he contacts us? That's right, our personal phones. We don't have company phones. Friday afternoon, 4:45 pm. Major server issue. I see it, could fix it in 10 minutes, but my phone is in my car as per policy. I calmly finish my work at 5:00 and walk out.
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 04
    By the time I get to my car and check my phone at 5:15, I have 17 missed calls and a string of increasingly panicked texts from my manager. The server has been down for 30 minutes. Multiple departments cant do anything. I call him back: "Hey, just got to my car and saw your calls. Whats up?" He's furious (malding and seething), asking why I didnt answer. I remind him. about the no phones policy. He says that's different, this was an emergency. I point out his email said "NO EXCEPTIONS" and I was
    via Mother_Soraka
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  • 05
    Monday morning? New email: "Personal phones are permitted at desks for emergency purposes." Back to normal then.
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 06
    A dismayed man wearing glasses stares at his computer screen
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    Rodyland Awesome work, but I would have driven home first...
    via Mother_Soraka
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  • 08
    mizinamo And when server issues pop up after hours or on weekends, guess how he contacts us? That's right, our personal phones. We don't have company phones. This is the real problem. If he wants you reachable for company issues, he needs to give you company phones. If he wants you reachable outside office hours for company issues, he should pay you an on-call bonus during the periods where you have to be reachable, and extra for the times when you are actually called to action.
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 09
    RJack151 "Sorry boss, I do not use my personal phone for company business. If I am required to answer calls after business hours, then I need a company phone and on-call pay."
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 10
    PAUL_DNAP Well played, do you not have a desk phone, or did that get replaced by teams like mine, and it all goes down with server issues? You really could have held out for a personal/departmental mobile phone for emergencies - as the "you can use your phone at work, but only if it's me calling" is a bit of a thin win to be honest.
    via Mother_Soraka
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  • 11
    vossmanspal Left my phone in my locker and it went flat, my charger didn't work and that's why I'm calling you from home at 7pm, sorry boss but as per policy. These managers couldn't manage a without s ing themselves.
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 12
    onlyzuul007 So the company doesn't use Teams. or Slack or...? The boss can only reach the employees by personal cell phones?
    via Mother_Soraka
  • 13
    A man yells on his phone another looks concerned at some disconnected cables
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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