The employees would never call their own extension so if you went with nfc's idea, you could use one number for each employee to check their voicemail and I agree that is a great idea.

The wives/lovers/etc. could still have a DID that goes to the direct extension of their husband/lover/etc. and not have to dial an extension.

The employee will only need one number, the significant others will need only one different number (per employee) and no extensions are needed. If the SOs get VM and want their SO right away, they can press 0 to get to the operator.

Easy? Yes. Except these employees don't want to dial 9 and they will resist learning a new number to call the voicemail so they will still call the receptionist and ask to be transferred. What do you expect from people who live in a place that has more humidity than a rain forest? Even the nude beach is humid, so humid that they mix plaster with the suntan oil to keep it on. Just kidding.

THE Bracha, old blond specialist in Rube Goldberg solutions.