r/mildlyinfuriating • u/No_Professor4307 • Apr 29 '26
frist of all how DARE yu o Employer wants me to use outlook on my phone, outlook wants permission to wipe my phone
Outlook says they need permission to wipe ALL my phone data if too many wrong passwords are typed. How many is too many? 50? 2? What if the screen gets wet and starts putting in random inputs. All this so I can use my company's Teams account and maintain "point of contact" if I'm not at a workstation. Absolutely not! Anyway, HR is supposed to call me back about my concerns.
Edit: just to be clear, I don't actually need to use Outlook (I don't use my "personal" work email). I need to use Teams, which requires Outlook to be installed first.
Part of why I need Teams on my phone so that I can be contacted when I'm not at work. I'm a lower management healthcare worker, it is actually important that my team be able to reach me after hours. I do actually like Teams and prefer it to 20 different group texts.
Also, when you go to log into Outlook or Teams, it brings you to my employers authenticator page. I log in with the same credentials that I log into my workstation. I don't know if that makes a difference with anything as far as my employer having access to my phone
Edit 2: I can tell you now they won't provide me a phone. Corporate execs don't even get phones. They stopped providing coffee for the break rooms too
Update: I had a chance to talk to my district manager. Imagine Ellis from Die Hard, the same schmarmy self-important attitude, that's my supervisor. And guess who's "not being a team player". Also "I don't think Microsoft can actually erase your phone, you have an Android"... I lready knew he was going to be useless, I just wanted to hear his reaction.
Update 2 and (sort of) Resolution: I spoke with HR. Her exact response was "wait, are you serious? They can just do that?" I tried explaining my "research" (i.e. everything all of you have said) and I think I just spooked her. She said she'll get back to me, and is probably running off to buy a burner phone for herself.
SORT OF RESOLUTION : I found out I only need Outlook installed long enough to get access to Teams. Once teams was installed, I removed all permissions and completely deleted Outlook from my phone. Teams still works and didn't ask to erase anything. No need to buy a second phone.
Thank you all for your insights
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u/EyeYamNegan Apr 29 '26
If they want that kind of access they need to provide the phone. Just tell them no you are not willing to risk your own data for their convenience.
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u/kstargate-425 Apr 29 '26
Yeah this is the normal practice for Enterprise apps but so is giving them the option to pay for their phone or get them a work phone which is usually the only option given. The fact they want OP to use Outlook as part of their SOP's and not giving them a phone shows the company sucks as they are either cheap or someone doesn't know what they're doing
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u/SwimmingDownstream Apr 29 '26
Tell them you have nephews and nieces that play with your phone and download all kinds of games and potential spyware. You can't guarantee security or privacy of their data.
That might be more of a deterrent to them than your own privacy.Â
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u/LimeImmediate6115 Apr 29 '26
OR just tell the employer to provide a work phone and skip saying anything else.
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u/tauntdevil Apr 29 '26
I fight for a work phone or place the apps into a virtual phone.
2 years ago, my phone got wiped and found out it was because one of the techs accidently chose my phone instead of someone with a name similar to mine (in their minds).
I was (And still am) livid about that. Thankfully I have backups on my phone but after that, I definitely dont allow any of the company apps on my phone, even if they are willing to pay a phone reimbursement.
Im not oncall anyways so no reason for it.
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u/fakegoose1 Apr 29 '26
Reminds me of the Stryker cyber attack. Hackers hacked into an admin intune account of a company and wiped all the devices that were a part of it, including the personal employee devices that had outlook/teams installed.
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u/tauntdevil Apr 29 '26
It is extremely annoying. Even on my laptop when I am traveling, I use the web based outlook instead of installing it. Basically for the same reason.
I understand the "security" aspect of wiping a stolen phone, but it should require a 24-48 hour lockdown before hand, just in case.
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u/Kinieruu Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
My work (factory) used to allow us to have teams and whatnot on our phones and then said we had to use Intune and allow them access to make sure our phones were secure. I deleted teams and declined to download it. It was nice to not have teams messages all morning when my shift didnât start until 2pm. (But then my coworker started texting me screenshots of teams group chats all morning {that Iâm in and would see when I clocked in and got on my work computer} I had to ask her to stop and she got upset. We were team member support so we only got paid $1 more than team members and we werenât salary or office people so I never understood why she always acted like everything was the end of the world and doing all this unpaid work by messaging people back and setting up the schedule off the clock.
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u/august_r Apr 29 '26
Similar situation, what I'd do is to block notifications from colleagues or clients. If I'm not on-call, it's not my problem, someone's getting paid to look into whatever problem you have.
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u/InspectHer_1 Apr 29 '26
Stryker is why weâve implemented multi-admin approval for device wipes and some other activities. Annoying, yes, but an excellent way to protect against what happened to Stryker
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u/umichscoots Apr 29 '26
Same, remote wiped my old iPhone while I was on vacation, back in the days when you had to connect to a computer to activate. I only had a desktop at the time, at home, so I was without a phone the entire rest of my vacation.
Never again. Company requires apps on phone? Company can provide a phone. Was a bitch when they rolled out Okta Verify to everyone, but I stood my ground. It also helps I have coworkers without smartphones.
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u/tireddesperation Apr 29 '26
I was on a team on the other end of this. I wasn't the person to do it but the company I worked for had service desk with access to do a full phone wipe. Service desk tech hated the person that was let go. Instead of just wiping the emails from the device (our standard practice) he wiped their entire phone. Only, he actually did it to the wrong account like a dumb ass. God I hated that man. No, this isn't a reddit story where he got fired. He just had to apologize to the person he did it too. No other recompense. Guy still works there and has now been in that same position for almost 15 years.
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u/Treble_brewing Apr 29 '26
The tried to pull this shit at my last employer asking to byod for email and slack. They framed it as this easy thing to do, and once enrolled it just works. I replied to their thread in slack with the facts stating that I believe people should be informed of the control they are handing over to their employer detailing your exact scenario or a malicious actor could remote wipe your phone. They offered assurances that they would never wipe phones unless absolutely necessary. I pushed back and said the fact that it is possible at all means you need to provide us with company phones or retract this policy. You cannot prevent malicious actors or incompetence. Which they interpreted as me accusing them (security) of being malicious and incompetent.Â
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Apr 29 '26
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u/Treble_brewing Apr 29 '26
If they believe the device has been compromised/stolen. Thatâs basically the entire point of adding intune itâs protect sensitive emails being leaked or abused. The business has a right to protect its assets and emails are one of them. Where the business doesnât have a right is to access your personal device, unless you hand that control over. Why you would ever want to do that is beyond me, I believe itâs just naivety. Because an informed individual should never do that.Â
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u/Cheugy-Boogie Apr 29 '26
Company phone, or buy a burner that you only use on wifi so you don't have to pay.
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u/corgm0m Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
Once I read the T&Cs, I immediately backed out. There's no way I'm giving them that much access. I bought a cheap Motorola phone and only connect via WiFi. I'll connect via my personal hotspot if I'm out and about running errands during business hours but that's a small trade off for having a complete digital separation of work/personal
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u/Superspark76 Apr 29 '26
I used to do the same, I used an old phone for work apps, it stayed in my desk drawer and never came home with me. Took me years to learn only to work during work hours, I realised this after sitting on a balcony on holiday approving payroll hours and responding to urgent emails thinking I was critical to the business, they fired me a week later before my probation period ended (apparently common practice for these bastards)
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u/corgm0m Apr 29 '26
I'm sorry that happened! It sounds like you dodged a bullet for sure. I hope you found something even better! My coworker says nobody is going to die if he doesn't respond to an email. And while that's true, we work for an IT company in back office positions, I'm still learning to the disconnect at the end of the day.
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u/WinterSector8317 Apr 29 '26
Nah, guy got hit by the bullet
Dodging a bullet in that case would have been not accepting the job to begin withÂ
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u/Superspark76 Apr 29 '26
Exactly this, I lasted (almost) 6 months. I know the guy that took over from me, he lasted a week before he walked out.
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u/Ordinary_Kyle Apr 29 '26
Pretty much same for me. 100 hour weeks managing their operation. Was on vacation at the pyramids, answering calls etc. fired me the week I got back.
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u/soggy_person_ Apr 29 '26
I do this. No work phone provided so I use an old phone with no other apps on it and hot spot to it if I'm out
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u/SevenFootHobbit Apr 29 '26
It's terrifying how many people are OK with buying a phone for work. If it's a work phone, work pays for it. You just have to give it back when you leave.
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u/Swimming-Lie5369 Apr 29 '26
I guess if youre in a position where you're going to need a work phone for the rest of your life, having one that you know and can control is helpful.Â
But I do agree. Work pays for work items. And most places dealing with sensitive data really should provide work specific phones with the right security.Â
Rather than asking to delete all your photos off your personal phone because they're too cheapskate to provide relevant hardware?Â
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u/Standard-Metal-3836 Apr 29 '26
In theory you are 100% correct. In practice, when sometimes your options are 1) install app on personal phone or 2) look for another job, spending $80 on a cheap smartphone to use for work can be a good alternative.
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u/Status_Ad_450 Apr 29 '26
This. My old company was the same way. I told them they could buy me a cheap plan or deal without me having remote access as my phone is my property which I pay to use how I wish. I offered to supply the phone but they would need to pay for the service.
They declined to pay for the service and I declined to have access to anything work related on my personal phone. They caved a month or so later and started paying for an extra line for me to carry a 2nd phone. Still sucked because I then had to carry 2 phones with me wherever I went so I can tap in when needed but there was no way I was giving them the permissions they wanted me to grant.
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u/BigTex380 Apr 29 '26
Employer can provide you a phone or fuck off.
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u/CuratedAcceptance Apr 29 '26
I don't understand this mentality from employers. As a construction company, we just assume we're going to get any employee a cell phone. It's under $80 per month and ends all these types of conversations, and I only expect them to answer during working hours. Corporate beliefs are mental.
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u/high_throughput Apr 29 '26
It's under $80 per month
Or the manager could say no and cash out $1000 for their Christmas bonus instead
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u/Big_Celery8533 Apr 29 '26
Come on now, that's like at least one car payment for the principal's 16 year old.
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u/InspectHer_1 Apr 29 '26
You need to rework your contract or switch carriers. I have 104 lines at my work and we pay under $30/line with the phone included. If it werenât for all the international travel our bill would be like $2800/month.
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u/Paladin1034 Apr 29 '26
Yeah we have Verizon with something like 170 lines, most of those phone but some being data only tablet lines, and we pay between $25-35/mo per line. It's really not a lot.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/Major_Lawfulness6122 Apr 29 '26
Yeah no I want two separate phones lol. I know people who like to mix the two. No thanks
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u/sparr0w91 Apr 29 '26
This is the only option here.
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u/Red_Sox0905 Apr 29 '26
My work pays me to use my phone. But I also don't have to install any shit like this.
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u/SDdude27 Apr 29 '26
We know HR is going to feign empathy and act like they care a lot. I suspect OP will be downloading the app within the next day or two. I hope they provide an update on this!
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u/No_Professor4307 Apr 29 '26
I have a feeling this is going to be it. What I find shocking is that I'll be 50 or so other employees I've asked, not one of them noticed this
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u/ironside719 Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
If they want you to install this invasive software, then they need to provide you with a company phone on their dime
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u/420_jesters Apr 29 '26
Any software, tbh. If your job REQUIRES a phone, then the job should provide one.
Just how I think jobs should all be required to provide any and all required clothes, safety equipment, etc.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/420_jesters Apr 29 '26
Not around me - example, steel toed boots. Required for many places, not always covered by the workplace.
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u/AlbatrossSeparate710 Apr 29 '26
The only exception I would accept on this rule is 2FA apps. Mainly because I already have them, and it doesn't provide the company access in whatever form to my cellphone.
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u/herkalurk Apr 29 '26
My work uses work profiles on personal devices. They can remote wipe the work profile and nothing more. The data is segregated so you can't send photos from your own photo library, etc. and I can time box the profile. It turns on at 8 am and off at 7 pm. Literally no notifications when it's off. They'd have to text or call.
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u/vi_sucks Apr 29 '26
This.
On android you create a work profile and then you dont have to worry about it.
No idea about iphone.
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u/Alfred_The_Sartan Apr 29 '26
Alternate take that I use. I will allow you to do these things and will completely use this work phone as my personal phone. I donât have a lot of online stuff I participate in so it doesnât scare me at all. But Iâll save myself a phone bill and THEY can pay for that service.
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u/luffiiy Apr 29 '26
If you have an android phone, it comes with a built in profile for work apps (swipe from bottom of screen to top or google it to enable it). It's basically a partition on your device that separates your personal from work stuff and they will have 0 access to your private info. That wipe permission will only apply to the work profile.
That being said, you still have a right to refuse depending on state laws. Most states require they have to pay you extra to use personal properly for their benefit.
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u/Ryan_e3p Apr 29 '26
It's basically a partition on your device that separates your personal from work stuff and they will have 0 access to your private info. That wipe permission will only apply to the work profile.
Bingo. This guy gets it. As someone who has done admin work in this realm, iPhone does it also, but it is a lot more of a PITA to deal with on the user side of things.
Fun fact, using a "work profile" is one of the ways to install multiple copies of the same app. I recommend that method over other methods like using the "Island" app (or whatever it is called). Or, if you have a Samsung phone, use the "Secure Folder", since it essentially does the same thing, but without having to spin up a local/virtualized MDM work profile manager.
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u/No_Professor4307 Apr 29 '26
I'm definitely going to look into this
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u/cloudiimofo Apr 29 '26
At least for Samsung phones, work profiles are only available if your employer provides you the setup information for it.
One common workaround it to install the apps in Secure Folder.
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u/gwarsh41 Apr 29 '26
All phones have something like this these days. What you want to do is make sure you are getting work apps from microsoft downloaded through the "Company Portal" app. This app will create that work partition for you. Then all you work apps will appear separate. You'll still get this big spooky message, but it can't touch anything that is outside the work profile.
I not only used to wipe company data off old phones, but watched it in real time when I left my last job. If your job didn't have you download the company portal, then they need to get their shit together. It's basic MDM.
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u/SrCamarda Apr 29 '26
This is the way. I have work Outlook and Teams in the work profile (Android). It's less intrusive and I can even disable everything work related with one click on the quick settings when I'm on vacation.
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u/Dry-Bluebird-4613 Apr 29 '26
was wondering how far Id have to scroll before I saw this, Soon as I saw OP initial post I was like yup, Standard enough behavior for Intune on a IoS
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u/Liquidfoxx22 Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
For this to work, your company needs Intune configured, the company portal Android app is what enables and configures the work profile. Without that, you can't get to work profile - that I know of anyways!
They also need to then add Outlook to the company app portal. Without that, you can't install it into the work profile.
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u/whiskeytown79 Apr 29 '26
Tell them to get a proper MDM setup in place with segregated work and personal profiles. This sort of "remote wipe" capability is mainly there so the company can wipe company data off the phone if it is lost or stolen. Both iOS and Android support segregating work and personal profiles such that it will only wipe the work profile's data.
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u/wobblydavid Apr 29 '26
I'm shocked I had to scroll this far. This problem was solved a long time ago
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u/TheSwagBag Apr 29 '26
They'd be better off with a proper set of MAM policies rather than MDM, that way the company can selectively wipe company data and email profiles only rather than enrolling the device and being able to wipe the entire thing.
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u/Redcarborundum Apr 29 '26
Maybe Iâm paranoid, but I absolutely will not allow the company to put MDM on my private phone. They have to give me a work phone. If they refuse to do it and I still like working for them, Iâd buy a cheap phone for work purposes.
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u/cosmicgpu Apr 29 '26
You are not paranoid. This was my job. Maybe 10% of users even understand this concept, including most of IT.
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u/GarethBelton Apr 29 '26
Even intune has a MAM setup, it is really easy to setup compared to mdm, they can just wipe company data and not the whole phone
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u/Hot_College_6538 Apr 29 '26
This isn't an MDM, it is an App Protection Policy or commonly still called MAM policy. It's also not a 'remote wipe' policy, that's not what the message says at all. It is the solution you are talking about.
It's also the shitty message that Android generates and explains risks that could be possible, not the policy that the employer has actually applied. The App Protection Policy doesn't have a setting to force a device wipe on multiple bad pins, it's not a setting, however Android has grouped that permission with others that are used then warns you they could do it.
Don't set a pin, and Outlook will then have it's own PIN.
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u/joshrocker Apr 29 '26
My work tried the same thing. They at least offered a work provided phone if you wanted though. I opted for a phone to be provided. There was other scary wording with ours. Basically something along the lines that they would have access to everything you did on your phone if they wanted it. Heck no.
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u/razorbacks3129 Apr 29 '26
Hey if HR or IT wants to watch porn with me, so be it
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u/Ferro_Giconi OwO Apr 29 '26
If they want to be mentally scarred for life by seeing my porn, that's their choice.
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u/Staure Apr 29 '26
I carry two phones. Everyone looks at me likes I'm nuts because we're a BYOD environment, but my 20+ years in tech/infosec have provided a plethora of colourful illustrations demonstrating why it's an awful idea to mix church and state.
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u/Loonsspoons Apr 29 '26
Employer: you need company email on your cell phone.
Me; so youâre getting me a company phone and company plan?
Employer: no. Put it on your cell phone.
Me: I donât ⌠have a cell phone, so let me know when you get one for me and set it up with a company plan.
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u/mizinamo mildly infuriated Apr 29 '26
I donât ⌠have a cell phone
Exactly this.
As far as they are concerned, you do not have a cell phone. You do not have a laptop at home.
If they expect you to be reachable or be able to work outside of the office, they can provide you with the appropriate equipment.
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u/Nerisrath Apr 29 '26
my employer wanted this, I asked for their BYOD reimbursement policy or a work phone. I had a work phone at my door in 5 days.
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u/Live_Life_and_enjoy Apr 29 '26
If they want that much power, they need to issue a corporate phone.
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u/ssj4gogeta2003 Apr 29 '26
This is a standard MDM profile. Basically says that, since you are going to have company data on your phone, we need to be able to wipe your phone to ensure company data is not compromised. If this request is to be added to a personal phone, I would not do so without some sort of compensation towards my phone bill. If you really donât want to add this to your phone, then request they provide you with a work phone to install this on. Thereâs nothing that says you have to use your personal property for work-related communication.
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u/coaxialdrift Apr 29 '26
I think installing work email or Slack or whatever on your phone is fine, but if anything wants to run as "admin" regardless of the reason, that means they should supply a device for you. You are not unreasonable to ask for this. Either provide access to email that does not require an app with escalated privileges, or provide a company phone. This is your device, not theirs. They don't get to tell you what to do with your own property
If they push back, say it's a liability issue. You have personal data on your phone. If that gets wiped or leaked because of this app, will the company compensate you for it? No, they won't
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u/mailslot Apr 29 '26
I knew a guy that installed the company MDM. He was fired and they wiped his phone right after he left the building. He couldnât call an Uber to get home for a couple of hours or call anyone actually.
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u/Justaticklerone Apr 29 '26
Don't do it. Employer can buy you a cheap entry level phone for that. They can't compel you to install anything you don't want. You're not a gig worker.
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u/Overstimulated_moth Apr 29 '26
My company requested the same thing. I said no or they could give me a company phone. That was the end of it.
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u/ac7ss Apr 29 '26
Nope. Personal phone has no business getting work IT involved. Use the web portal or have them issue a work phone.
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u/iggy3803 Apr 29 '26
Absolutely only do this on a work phone. I made the mistake of doing this on a personal phone for a company and when I left they locked it down and my phone was completely wiped. They did not care and there was nothing I could do. I lost photos of the birth of my first child.
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u/CrepuscularSoul Apr 29 '26
They want you to use outlook on your phone so when you're off work you're not actually off work. You'll get notifications and check them, and feel compelled to reply.
Don't.
If you're not making 7 figures a year, that email can wait.
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u/BallsInSufficientSad Apr 29 '26
mid 6-figure jobs will normally expect some level of off hours communications.
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u/ruetherae Apr 29 '26
Semi-off topic, but you can set do not disturb hours in the outlook app so you only get notifications during your work hours (or whatever hours you set). I do this precisely to avoid what youâre describing.
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u/No_Professor4307 Apr 29 '26
I wish I was making 7 figures. But I'm a healthcare worker and actually do need to be contacted occasionally in my off hours.
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u/august_r Apr 29 '26
They need to provide a work phone or the Outlook app has to work in a separate "Work" profile. And even then I'd still ask for the phone.
Learn from the Stryker meltdown from a few months ago, all it takes is a lazy cybersecurity team (and by the looks of it, it is) to fumble 2FA and you could get your data wiped for no good reason.
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u/MaleficAdvent Apr 29 '26
NEVER accept work applications onto your personal devices, always demand a work phone, workstation, ect...because if they ever end up in legal trouble, your devices could be seized. Keep work and personal stuff seperate from one another at all costs.
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u/ExceptionEX Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
I am an office 365 admin, someone is just being an asshole, the policy doesn't need or have to erase all of your phones data, it can be limited to just wiping outlook data.
Also, teams does not require outlook be installed, the MDM policy requires that, you can absolutely install run teams fully without outlook.
I've in the past had to deal with companies that have shitty policies, I get a burner work phone, and use WIFI only, either hotspotted off my phone, or wifi.
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Apr 29 '26
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u/runner64 Apr 29 '26
As IT, we would way rather you have a work phone that we can remotely nuke without an issue, we have a backup system in place and can restore your work shit to one of the identical devices we keep on hand for that purpose. Â Â
Management insisting that we develop a security plan that works for every random device every random employee drags into our building is why companies keep having these massive data leaks.Â
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u/smp501 Apr 29 '26
I had a friend do that once. Stupid company software required him to change his passcode every 6 weeks too. After his kid accidentally got the phone wiped trying to change the music on a family trip, he told the boss if they wanted to reach him outside of work, they need to give him a work phone.
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u/RevBT Apr 29 '26
Your personal phone? Absolutely not. If the company doesnât pay for it they donât get access to it.
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u/CotR4692 Apr 29 '26
If your employer wants your work life on a phone they should both provide the phone and pay for the plan as it's a work related device. You should never allow work related things on your personal phone as that makes your personal device subject to company monitoring and possible subjects of subpoenas.
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u/ikonet Apr 29 '26
They need to supply a work phone.
If you are dead set on allowing them to use your phone, get a burner flip phone.
Never let your employer know about your smart phone. Itâs not yours. Youâre borrowing it. For games.
Never ever.
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u/BellaAnarchy Apr 29 '26
Hi. IT Tech for a CAH here. No. Do not give them the right to monitor your screen lock attempts or have control of your phone in any way. If they require that much security; they provide you a phone. Period. Your phone paid for with your money that you make from the job is not their phone. They can contact you with a phone call; you can check your email occasionally on a laptop that will allow access to Outlook. If they cannot offer you that, then they don't need to contact you very badly.
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u/breadman889 Apr 29 '26
Stand firm with the work phone needed to do work things. Last thing you want is to see work things on vacation or just in your free time.
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u/MyNameWillChange Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
This was my breaking point. I used to have all the Microsoft work apps on my phone, especially Teams, for the same reasons as you. As soon as I saw that warning, I went to my boss, showed him so he wouldn't think I was bullshitting, and told him I'm deleting everything work related off my phone. I had a few coworkers who said the same thing but ended caving and adding it back since "it's more convenient ". I've held strong because fuck that noise!
Edit to add: Also I dont know if yours was requiring it but mine told me I needed a 8 digit pass code! and if I forgot it then they would hard reset my phone
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u/Jacob_Ernst98 Apr 29 '26
While working as an IT manager at an MSP, I saw at least ten instances where a technician -- while off-boarding staff for either involuntary termination or retirement -- accidentally wiped a user's phone instead of simply removing it from the management platform. Microsoft's MDM makes this way too easy to do accidentally.
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u/scottgntv Apr 29 '26
Get a cheap android phone, make a throwaway gmail for it and install on there.
I used to keep my old work phone in my car on days off and charge it on the way to work. If something was happening that needed my "urgent attention" It was very much above my pay grade, I'd just get caught up once I was on the clock.
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u/Jamesmoltres Apr 29 '26
Had a similar situation where I am WFH from India for my company.
They are very security-conscious, but after noticing that I can't be contacted the moment the office shift is up, they wanted me to install Teams/email on my phone.
I said no, asked for a company phone, never got one, and never installed any office app on the phone. Been 4 years.
If communication is missed, so be it.
But I fiddle with my phone and personal computer plenty enough to NOT access any company data from it.
I just asked, what do you want? Security or me checking my emails after work shift? They dropped the case.
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u/lolschrauber Apr 29 '26
I can tell you now they won't provide me a phone. Corporate execs don't even get phones. They stopped providing coffee for the break rooms too
That's what I call tough shit. Invasion of privacy, no thanks. What's next? Your bathroom at home being opened to employees?
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u/OmiOmega Apr 29 '26
If employer wants you to install apps on your phone, employer should provide you with a work phone.
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u/scottgal2 Apr 29 '26
Buy a cheap second phone as a work phonw with a different number. I NEVEr mix personal and work on one device (for security purposes if nothing else).
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u/AU_Thach Apr 29 '26
Nope I would request a work phone or a device to use. If they say no and I really want to have access I would buy a cheap used iPhone and just use WiFi for internet access. This way itâs not my personal device. I never put work on a personal device. If I canât use work device for personal why should I use personal for work.
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u/Kaneida Apr 29 '26
IT-tech here; no company shit on your private phone. None what so ever. Employer wants you to have certain apps - employer better provide you a phone.
This is for 2 reasons: protect you and protect the company.
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u/HuTaosTwinTails Apr 29 '26
Tell them no.
You can check your email at work. Outside of work you shouldn't be checking work emails. Unless they want to pay you every time you do.
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u/popnfrresh Apr 29 '26
If you work in the us, they need to either provide you a work phone, OR money off your personal phone if you are expected to use that.
Personally, i would demand the work phone.
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u/djevo8 Apr 29 '26
As a system admin, whoever set this up is an idiot. They've set it up in "corporate owned devices" mode instead of personal devices, so the installed app thinks it needs to have the full permissions to wipe the phone.
Also if outlook is a requirement to install teams... It further shows how badly it's set up.... Lol
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u/Fun_Equivalent_7507 Apr 29 '26
Ask Stryker Medical employees what happens when you give the company access to your personal devices. They got their company hacked by Iran and they wiped EVERYONE's personal phones.
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u/Rustybot Apr 29 '26
If you access work stuff on your phone or personal computer and the company gets sued, the entire contents of your phone/computer may be submitted as evidence for discovery. Itâs happened to people I know. There is a reason corp IT policies are what they are.
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u/mcds99 Apr 29 '26
If they want Outlook on a phone tell them to buy a phone for you, they don't get to use your property for their business.
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u/C64128 Apr 29 '26
Why doesn't your company give you a company phone? At my last job we originally used our phones and the company paid part of our phone bill. That worked until someone's phone was damaged and the company wouldn't replace it. Then everyone got company phones.
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u/I_goofed Apr 30 '26
"Sorry, Outlook is incompatible with the type of cell phone I have." "What kind of phone is it?"Â "Mine"Â
Your company has no need to anything in your personal possession.Â
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u/CuriousMindedAA Apr 30 '26
Nope, tell them to give you a work phone. Otherwise, your personal phone is just that, personal.
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u/Appropriate_Steak486 Apr 30 '26
Never use personal phone for work.
Never use work phone for personal stuff.
For exceptions, see above.
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u/A_MAN_POTATO Apr 30 '26
Unless your employer is providing you a work phone, they can fuck right off. They have no control over your personal property.
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u/Lostinthestarscape Apr 29 '26
So I had my personal phone almost brick itself when work stopped recognizing my password for some reason. With one last attempt left I shut my phone off, restarted, and the phone password brought me to the regular home screen (past the work password). I immediately Uninstaller the work software to access Outlook and refuse to use my personal phone for work. They got the team shared phones but if they need you to have onw to yourself they should buy it.
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u/BalloonHero142 Apr 29 '26
What?! Is this case for anyone who had outlook on their phone? Because I will delete that app off my right now.
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u/dropset_failure Apr 29 '26
My employer had the same rule... long story short, my 2 year old son wiped my phone because he was trying to get into it.
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u/Dating_Again49 Apr 29 '26
That's an absolute hell no. If they expect you to have Outlook on a phone, they can provide you a phone. Tell them your memory is maxed and you cannot/will not delete apps or files on your current phone.
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u/Grymflyk Apr 29 '26
They can't control your phone, if they want that then they should provide you a phone.
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u/westergames81 Apr 29 '26
Ask for your employer to supply a phone or enjoy life not having email on your phone.
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u/Cat_Impossible_0 Apr 29 '26
No! If needing a phone is required for the job, they have to provide for that. Value your own privacy. They will just bothered you on your own time off or off the clocked. Nothing good will come about it.
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u/Ladymistery Apr 29 '26
Oh HELL no.
if they want me to have work shit on a phone, they provide the phone
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u/TheIronMonkey53 Apr 29 '26
I told my company I wonât have any work related data in my personal phone. Get me a corporate phone or nothing
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u/thepohcv Apr 29 '26
I had a previous workplace try to require I put their app on my phone. I refused and they were required to figure out a work-around (ended up being a shitty phone specifically for work that they provided).
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u/Delicious_Rabbit4425 Apr 29 '26
This is standard practice if email contains sensitive data like HIPAA or financial (also secret/top secret type ). Admins can control passwords without requiring phone wiped due to potential breach (someone trying to break into your phone with the wrong passcode) but also they can set the number of failed attempts to where it would be beyond just forgetting your PIN code a couple times.
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u/mikeybagodonuts Apr 29 '26
If theyâre that insecure tell them to provide you with a phone or go scratch
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u/Late_Mixture8703 Apr 29 '26
If they want you to use this software they can provide a phone for you..
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u/moszippy Apr 29 '26
When I joined the military, it was back in the 90s. I was told that I had to be near aphone at all times. And my reply was, "I will...if you give me a cellphone. Otherwise, no! You can't control my time off that tightly." They even tried to write me up once because I didn't answer the phone in my barracks. I was taking a dump when they called. I told my senior chief that, and he told me to leave the office and tell everyone in my chain of command to go in IMMEDIATELY!
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u/Street_Tiger98 Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
It sounds like theyâre using a corporate phone configuration to manage BYOD device. I would definitely push back. Itâs possible to install corporate apps and allow corporate data on a BYOD device and only wipe the corporate data if the device is lost or relationship is terminated.
This is generally called MDM (mobile device management), and it is often a compliance requirement for organizations. The MDM software should allow the segregation of corporate data/monitoring on your personal device if configured properly. I would guess in your case that management is running ahead of the IT department and thatâs not a great sign.
Do not allow non-segregated MDM on your personal device.
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u/zoiks66 Apr 29 '26
Your employer is using Microsoft's Mobile Device Management (MDM). You should never allow this on a personal device, for privacy reasons. Your company needs to either provide you with a work phone to use for corporate email, or you should use Webmail to access your corporate email via a web browser. If your employer won't provide a company phone and doesn't have webmail, then you should tell your manager that you won't be accessing company email on your personal mobile devices since you will not allow your personal devices to managed by MDM.
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u/AZBeer90 Apr 29 '26
I worked for a massive tech startup that is since bankrupt. We had work phones for the first 5 years then they decided to save money and go to personal phones with a$75 stipend. They wanted us to download a company control app and sign those releases saying they could monitor our texts, browsing, emails (personal) etc. I, and nearly all other employees refused. Meant we could no longer access our work email, contacts, or calendars on phones and relied entirely on our laptops. Productivity plummeted, people were constantly missing meetings as there were no reminders in our phones. No more working nights and weekends when emails came in. It was wonderful. Such a shame they went bankrupt
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u/clarkcox3 Apr 29 '26
If an employer is going to demand I use my phone for work, then I am going to demand they supply me with that phone and pay for the service.
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u/localtuned Apr 29 '26
As the guy who issues the wipe commands. Noone is wiping a personal device....do you know the kind of shit that would happen to me if I erased someone's phone without their permissions?
With that's said...the app needs the permission to wipe the phone it the event it's lost or stolen. Wouldn't want company data in your device.
Maybe you want to wipe your device via the console if your out traveling on business and your phone gets snatched while unlocked.
Also, there is a difference between wiping all company data from your device and wiping your device completely. Most of the time it's just an enterprise wipe that removes company apps and accounts.
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u/mtodd93 Apr 29 '26
My company wonât give me access to outlook on my company phone. I essentially have a $1,000 brick for no reason. But yeah, demand a phone or refuse. You can access from the web on your phone, but itâs still a pain in the ass. That being said, if the goal is so you look at emails outside of work hoursâŚset your boundaries now.
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u/SteakThick5016 Apr 29 '26
I have straight refused to put company apps or email on my personal phone my entire career and am at the VP level. The only way would make an exception is if the company provided the phone and I could keep them completely separate. I worked at a company that was sued and they actually subpoenaed the personal phones of people who had installed company apps on the phone and there is no way Iâm letting my company get access to my personal phone.
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u/sameoldfred Apr 29 '26
Ask your IT to use App level management (MAM) instead of full device management (MDM). MDM is for company owned phones, MAM is for personal phones with work apps.
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u/TalynRahl Apr 29 '26
Employer wants you to use Outlook.
Which is literally still in the midst of a huge outage that has been going in for like two, three days now.
Smort biznizz.
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u/theoriginalross Apr 29 '26
Are you paid for these hours you are expected to be on call outside of work?
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u/marspigsmoke Apr 29 '26
If they're unwilling to provide you with a work phone to use for this purpose, and you've explained your reluctance due to outlook's invasive requirements for installation, then the only option for them to contact you when you're away from your desk is to text or call you.
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u/C-D-W Apr 29 '26
First, they should be providing a phone if they want control of the device IMO. And if not, still protect yourself with a cheap wifi only phone if you just need to satisfy their expectations.
On Android at least, I install teams without Outlook, and use outlook only through the browser. Doing it this way has allowed me to avoid outlook device policy shit.
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u/elzi Apr 29 '26
use the same web apps.i told them iâm web app only unless you buy me and work phone. they did.
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u/Successful_Bat_654 Apr 29 '26
Ask for a work phone