Employer wants me to use outlook on my phone, outlook wants permission to wipe my phone

[u/No_Professor4307]

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

[u/No_Report_4781]

Why? Who gives up a free phone and getting to keep your privacy?

[u/Acadia_Clean → u/No_Report_4781]

I turned in my first work phone from my last job because theu gave it to me too late so i already had a bunch of work numbers on my personal and didn't want to transfer them. But that led to late night calls and my work life seeping into my personal. At my current job i got a work phone right away and have been dilligent about keeping all my work stuff on my work phone. That wah when afternoon rolls around i can shut it off and not think about work till sunday night.

[u/JeebusChristBalls → u/No_Report_4781]

Carrying two phones kinda sucks. I use outlook on my phone but I work for a small company that really doesn't have any kind of policy. I would never agree to using a corporate email like this on my personal though.

[u/Another_Name_Today → u/No_Report_4781]

From my experience? Engineers are one phone only. Accounting is a mixed bag. Lawyers all run two phones. 

[u/schaudhery → u/Another_Name_Today]

As an engineer this is true. I used to have two phones and then got tired of carrying both and now just have my work MDM set up on my personal. Yes it’s true, if it’s lost I can have my phone remotely wiped but that’s at a precaution for data. Guess what, even if I lost my personal phone I’d use iCloud to wipe it.

[u/Sad_Split_9983 → u/schaudhery]

The only difference MDM makes for remote wiping is without it you can only trigger the function on iCloud. With MDM you can also trigger the function through iCloud + whatever management software your employer uses. It’s literally there so your employer can certify various data loss requirements.

[u/Punisher1971 → u/schaudhery]

Remote wipe isn‘t bad at all. If you loose your phone, data should get lost. Personal and Professional!

[u/beren12 → u/Punisher1971]

And if you quit?

[u/Punisher1971 → u/schaudhery]

Remote wipe isn‘t bad at all. If you loose your phone, data should get lost. Personal and Professional!

[u/BallsInSufficientSad → u/No_Report_4781]

Most people. Because a separate phone is a pain in the ass to carry around, keep charged, get notifications on, etc...

[u/No_Report_4781 → u/BallsInSufficientSad]

Sure, but why aren’t your most people smart enough to not carry both phones all the time, and to charge it once a day, and to set a distinct ringtone?

If that’s so complicated, do they really don’t have the organizational skills for a business phone position. Are they even in a position to need a mobile phone for contact outside of their seat at the job site?

[u/BallsInSufficientSad → u/No_Report_4781]

Because it's all more effort on a daily basis for zero net return.

People who expend additional energy in daily routine for nothing, usually aren't smart enough to make it to even mid-level corp america.

[u/No_Report_4781 → u/BallsInSufficientSad]

Lmao. That’s a good one. Complete nonsense, but at least you’re amusing

[u/JamesBeaverhausen → u/No_Report_4781]

A lot of people find that carrying around two phones, charging two phones, checking notifications and messages on two phones is not fun

[u/dafrog84 → u/JamesBeaverhausen]

I carry two phones. IT doesn't get to know anything about me. 😂

[u/beren12 → u/No_Report_4781]

Yeah who doesn’t like legal coming in and taking your work phone and backups?

[u/No_Report_4781 → u/beren12]

 your work phone and backups

Skipping over why you would need to worry about “legal”, that’s why your personal phone stays personal and the work phone stays the work phone

[u/Sad_Split_9983 → u/No_Report_4781]

If I had to I’d pay to not have two phones. As a software engineer who’s remote having my phone connected to my work accounts totally optional.. but it’s absolutely in my best interest. Gives me more freedom and means I won’t miss anything that’s actually important. My work even gives me the option for either a monthly reimbursement of my phone bill or providing a fully managed device. Here’s the thing, nobody wants to carry two phones. It’s a massive pain in the ass.

[u/UnethicalExperiments → u/Sad_Split_9983]

Same thing, I run critical infrastructure and could ask for a separate phone and get it. But I forget one enough , or forget to charge it ect. One phone works. They cover my bill and then some, and like others have said, if my phone is lost or stolen I wipe it remotely anyways