What Do You Do When An Employee Spends Too Much Time On Their Phone?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. Set cell to vibrate and ringtones to silent.
  2. Speak quietly.
  3. Keep calls short.
  4. Take personal calls in private.
  5. Avoid offensive language.
  6. Use texting as a quick and quiet alternative to talking on the phone.

How do you stop employees from using mobile phones at work?

  1. Draft a use policy that clearly outlines expectations and consequences. …
  2. Establish provisions for emergency-related calls. …
  3. Require employees to read and sign the cell phone use policy and keep a copy of their acknowledgement in their employee file.

How do you deal with an employee who is always on the phone?

  1. Set cell phones to vibrate and ringtones to silent.
  2. Speak quietly.
  3. Keep calls short.
  4. Take personal calls in private.
  5. Avoid offensive language.
  6. Use texting as a quick and quiet alternative to talking on the phone.

Can you be fired for using your cell phone during work hours?


You have no recourse

, because you are at-will, They could have fired you for any reason, or for no reason. They could have fired you for using your cell phone even if you hadn't signed the document describing their cell-phone policy…

How much time are your employees wasting on their phones?

A study from the staffing firm revealed that mobile devices are the biggest distraction during the workday. Specifically, workers waste an

average of 56 minutes per day

, or nearly five hours a week, using their mobile devices for nonwork activities.

Can managers take your phone?


Yes your employer is legally allowed to confiscate your phone while you are at work

.

Can my boss lock up my cell phone?


Your boss can absolutely require you not to have a cell phone

on your person while you're working, and to lock them up in a locker or some other area so you don't have access to them while you're on the job. Nor could you sue him if he fired you for refusing to comply. No law prohibits this.

What is proper cell phone etiquette at work?

  1. Be aware of your ringtone. …
  2. Don't look at your phone during meetings;
  3. Don't place your phone on your lap;
  4. Focus on the person that should have your attention i.e. customer, client, coworker, boss, etc;
  5. Keep your personal calls private;
  6. Keep your phone out of sight;

How do I manage my personal and work cell phones?

  1. Your Employer Gave You A Separate Phone For a Reason. …
  2. Should You Sync Your Work Phone with Your Personal Phone? …
  3. Keep Your Work and Personal Phones Separate. …
  4. Manage Calendars by Mutual Subscription. …
  5. Manage Address Books by Duplicating Entries.

Can employers take your phone away?

The NLRB has interpreted the phrase “working hours” to include non-work time during breaks. Therefore, a

policy banning cell phone use

or allowing the employer to confiscate cell phones during all working hours is likely a violation of the NLRA. … Cell phone policies should be applied and enforced consistently.

Can an employer search your personal cell phone?

Here is the rule: an employer cannot violate an employee's reasonable expectation of privacy. So if an employee has a reasonable expectation in the privacy of their cell phone (or any other mobile device),

the employer cannot search it

.

How many hours are wasted at work?

In fact, a recent survey of Human Resource representatives estimated that the average worker wasted 94 minutes of every day (not counting lunch and other allowed breaks). While you may think that seems high, the same survey found that the average employee admitted to wasting

about 3 hours of every work day

!

Do phones increase productivity?

In our latest research, we found that

75% of people say their smartphones help them to be more productive

. But it's more than that. Productivity has an emotional impact as well. Fifty-four percent of people say their phones reduce stress and/or anxiety in their lives.

Do cell phones reduce productivity?

A 2017 survey from staffing firm OfficeTeam found the average office employee spends 56 minutes per day using their cell phone during work hours for non-work activity, adding up to just under five

hours a week of lost productivity

, per employee.

What is illegal for a manager to do?

However, generally, here are 13 things your boss can't legally do:

Ask prohibited questions on job applications

. Require employees to sign broad non-compete agreements. Forbid you from discussing your salary with co-workers.

Can my job require me to use my personal phone?

Generally,

an employer can require you to use personal property

(like your vehicle, or cell phone) as long as you are properly reimbursed for additional costs incurred when used for work. In the case of a vehicle, that's easily measured by mileage, with the IRS providing a standard figure.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.