Let’s Talk: Doing Proper Phone Calls in a Hybrid World

There’s something both wonderfully old-school and stubbornly annoying about the humble phone call.

In an age of Zoom, Slack huddles, and Teams meetings with 17 people who don’t really need to be there, the traditional phone call is quietly making a comeback — or maybe it never really left. Whether it’s a client who still likes to ring rather than email, or a colleague who’s driving and can’t stare at another screen, phone calls still remain a part of modern working life.

But here’s the catch: phone calls don’t sit neatly in the hybrid working toolkit. At the office, you had a desk phone. At home, you’ve got…what, exactly? Your mobile? A headset and a VoIP app? A random burner number you once set up for a side project?

So here’s my attempt to break down the modern phone call — the practical stuff no one tells you, the annoyances we all quietly suffer, and some solutions I’ve found along the way.

Should You Give Out Your Personal Number?

Let’s start with the obvious one. You’re working from home, a client wants to ring you, and the quickest thing is to just give them your mobile number.

But should you?

I’ve done it — we’ve all done it — but it’s not without downsides. For one, there’s the 8:30pm ‘quick question’ when you're trying to cook pasta and watch something mindless… There's also the general loss of separation between work and personal life.

The alternative is to keep your number private and find another route: a VoIP number, a redirect, or a business line. Try a VoIP service that gives you a proper local number for your town/city, which you can answer from your laptop or mobile. It will feel a bit more grown-up than handing out your personal number, and when you’re off, you’re off.

Redirects, Dual SIMs, and VoIP: Which One’s Best?

There’s no one-size-fits-all here — and often, it’s not just about what works best for you, but also what your company provides or allows.

For example, I’ve had great success with a dual-SIM phone. One number is for work, the other personal. Calls and messages stay cleanly separated, and I can turn the work SIM off after hours to avoid the dreaded “just a quick call” at 8pm. It’s a tidy solution, and it all lives in one device — no juggling two phones, no confusion.

That said, some companies will insist you use their corporate phone system — especially if they’ve invested in a VoIP service like Zoom Phone, RingCentral, or Cisco Webex Calling. In those cases, you might be expected to make calls via an app on your laptop or mobile. The upside? You get features like voicemail-to-email, call recording, and a company number you can answer from anywhere. The downside is you may need to mess around with softphone apps or web diallers, especially if the system doesn’t play nicely with your own devices.

Then there are redirects — some setups let you forward your desk number to your mobile, or to a virtual number you control. It works, but it can be a bit clunky, and you lose visibility over who’s calling what number unless the system labels it clearly.

Ultimately, what you can do depends on your company’s setup. Some are relaxed; others lock everything down. But within those bounds, it’s worth figuring out what actually fits your daily rhythm — whether that’s a second SIM, a softphone on your laptop, or a simple redirection setup that just works in the background.

The Laptop Dialling Trick (A Time-Saver!)

If you do a lot of calling — prospecting, checking in with clients, or just the odd burst of phoning people back — typing numbers into your phone over and over again is maddening.

Instead, use your VoIP app or your smartphone’s companion app on your laptop (e.g. Phone Link on Windows). If someone sends you a number in an email or a CRM, you can just click it and ring. No fumbling, no misdials.

It also keeps you in the flow. You can take notes while talking, check your calendar, pull up documents — all without juggling between phone and laptop.

Let’s Talk Headsets

Yes, you need one.

If you’re doing any kind of regular phoning, stop shouting into your speakerphone or cradling your mobile between shoulder and ear like it’s 1998. Just get a decent headset.

A wired USB headset is fine — in fact, it’s often clearer and more reliable than Bluetooth — but if you’re moving about a lot, Bluetooth works well too. I’ve got one with a little microphone arm that makes me look like a call centre manager. But you know what? I sound great. And that matters.

Don’t underestimate the psychological difference, either. When you put on a headset, it sends a signal: I’m in work mode. It’s the audio version of putting on shoes even when working from home.

Call Scheduling and Context

Phone calls are disruptive by nature — they’re real-time, they demand attention, and they often break the nice little timeblocks you’ve set up in your day.

So, wherever possible, schedule them. Say: “Can we chat at 3?” and stick it in the calendar. That way you’re ready — headset on, notes prepared, no panicked scramble.

But equally, try to be reachable when needed. If it’s helpful in your role, perhaps set aside blocks for “responsive time” — often after lunch — when you’re available for quick calls, Slack replies, or unplanned catch-ups. Outside that window, you’re in deep work mode.

Hybrid work isn’t about shutting yourself off — it’s about creating boundaries you can manage.

Quickfire Tips from the Phone Frontlines

• Use contacts apps or CRM dialling plugins: They’ll save you time and help you log calls.

• Record important calls (with consent!): Great for remembering details, especially if you’re mid-task.

• Route voicemail to your email: Some VoIP services transcribe messages — a lifesaver if you hate listening to 2-minute rambles. You can then flag the message as a task straight into your task list.

• Be upfront about availability: Set expectations early — when you can take calls, and when you’re doing focused work.

• Silence non-work numbers during work hours: Just as important as the reverse. You don’t want a school WhatsApp group pinging mid-client call.

The Final Ring

Phone calls haven’t vanished — they’ve just gone underground. In a world of dings, pings, and meetings with 37 participants, there’s still something beautifully direct about hearing someone’s voice meant just for you. Ah…

But we need to make the tech work for us. That might mean using a second SIM, embracing VoIP, redirecting calls smartly, or just putting on a proper headset and sounding like a pro.

As ever, hybrid working isn’t about choosing between home or office — it’s about finding the right tools for both, and using them well.

So, let’s talk. Just not after 5pm, OK?