Cellphone Policies

[protege]

My company is one of those...where you're not allowed to mess with your phone all day. In fact, we actually fired someone recently for doing just that. She was constantly texting friends and going outside to talk...that it interfered with her job. She'd been warned *numerous* times to knock it off. She chose not to, and was fired. Can't really say I have sympathy for her.

Not long before she got fired, we had one guy...who was a bit "obsessed" with his phone. Every few minutes, the damn thing would vibrate. Pretty damn annoying. Why was it doing that so often? Simple, he was texting his sister all day, every day

My feeling is, that you're paid to work, NOT text friends or otherwise goof off. That's why the policy was put into place. The occasional call is OK, since the boss is a bit lenient towards those. It doesn't happen all the time, nor do I let it interfere with what I'm supposed to do.

I still don't understand just *why* you need to be "reachable" 24/7. And yes, I do have a cell phone. However, the only reason I have it, is for emergencies. Like, if my car breaks down, I've been in a wreck, etc. Or, even to tell my mother that I'll be a bit late for dinner. Otherwise, the phone is usually off, and just sits on my desk.

[katie kaboom]

I still don't understand just *why* you need to be "reachable" 24/7.

There are different life circumstances for everyone. In some people's lives, it is necessary, or at least preferred.

You have no dependants. Neither do I, but if i did, you can be damn sure I would feel the need to be "reachable 24/7." And any job that has a problem with that is not the job for me. My family and other loved ones come before my job, regardless of what that job is.

If that makes me a monster, so be it. I am who I am and I won't (nor should I have to) apologize for it or justify it to anyone else.

[linguist]

I'm certain if you are seeing a doctor for a time critical issue, they will be relieved to know they don't need to have a cell phone, and if your condition worsens suddenly, you'll get ahold of them when you can...since, of course, they don't NEED a cell phone... My Wife would have *DIED* if her doctor hadn't had one, but that's no big deal, eh?

would you feel any differently if the doctor took time away from your wife to check his phone while he was working on her?

and back to the original topic, i don't believe anyone is saying nobody should have a cell phone, ever. the topic was cell phones at work. if you work someplace that allows phones, more power to you. i have no problem with that. but if your workplace doesn't allow them? you shouldn't have them. you accepted the policies and responsibilities that go along with working there when you accepted the job. if you can't adhere to them, you don't deserve to work there.

[katie kaboom]

would you feel any differently if the doctor took time away from your wife to check his phone while he was working on her?

It's really messed up to act like anyone with a cell phone is going to use it irresponsibly. I highly doubt that doctor would have checked his phone while treating a patient for god's sake.

[the_std]

and back to the original topic, i don't believe anyone is saying nobody should have a cell phone, ever. the topic was cell phones at work. if you work someplace that allows phones, more power to you. i have no problem with that. but if your workplace doesn't allow them? you shouldn't have them. you accepted the policies and responsibilities that go along with working there when you accepted the job. if you can't adhere to them, you don't deserve to work there.

That is exactly what I think we've been trying to say. No one is saying no cellphones. People are just saying you shouldn't be using your cellphone when it isn't permitted, or when you should be doing your job. That you can survive without checking your phone every x minutes, because that's what breaks are for.

[DesignFox]

It's really messed up to act like anyone with a cell phone is going to use it irresponsibly. I highly doubt that doctor would have checked his phone while treating a patient for god's sake.

Well. From your arguments, you're saying he should be able to if he chooses. Because no employer has the right to take your cell phone away.

I'd avoid any hospital that allowed my doctor to have his (or her) blackberry on him during my visit. He should be paying attention to ME. Not other patients. Not his own family. While I am in that examination room or on that operating table, his focus had best be on my health and my health alone. That's part of *his* job.

While I think we can all agree there are significant differences between a cashier and a doctor's responsibilities, I still stand by my statement that all employees need to honor their company's policy regarding phone usage. I get very upset as a customer watching a cashier checking their cell phone, texting etc. when they should be helping me!

Also, following the argument that the doctor needs to be available for your critical treatment via cell phone 24/7 is impractical. That doctor has a life and a family, too. There are reasons there are numerous people on call in emergency facilities. If your doctor can't be reached, the hospital will need to get in touch with someone else. Cell phone or no cell phone.

So. No. The doctor still doesn't *require* his phone 24/7.

If your job requires you to be on call, then certainly, you're going to have your phone with you at all times. It still doesn't excuse rude behavior (but we aren't talking about that in this particular thread), and that argument is moot when it comes to having a phone on the job. You have your phone because it is part of your job to have that phone.

And again- what did on call personel do when there were no cell phones? What do you do when you have no service in a building or in a certain area?

We only *think* we *need* cell phones because they've been around for 20 years and we're all used to the convenience. Key word. Convenience.

[Android Kaeli]

I don't have a cell phone and most likely never will, I've gotten along just peachy without it. My family has a way of contacting me at work or a message on my answering machine if they can't get in touch with me at work. There's no reason for me to carry a cell phone with me, it's just an extra bill I'd have to pay every month.

Honestly, why do you even NEED a phone at work? In the extreme case that you need one for an EMERGENCY, yes you can have it -- but what if the battery suddenly goes out, then what? Shouldn't there be an extra NUMBER for family to call just in case something happens to the phone?

If you can't be away from the phone for the duration of your shift, you either need to get rid of the phone or get a job working at home. You are getting paid to WORK, not worry about who's CALL you missed. I think it's rude for an employee -- or customer or driver or whoever -- to be more worried about their cell phones then being focused on what they are trying to do.

[Cat]

I have my cell on me all the time....I have no land line. I don't constantly check, though I do text far more often than calling people, since I *hate* speaking on the phone. I do not give out my work #, I keep that one if coworkers or customers need to reach me. I do check to see if I have messages when I am not busy. Of course, I also have a desk job, and my office is pretty lax about most of our corporate rules.

If I don't have my cell, I'm effed....I am not always at home (and again, no land line) so if someone needs to reach me, they can.

I don't use my phone when it's not appropriate, though, and I did leave it in the back room when I was in retail.

[powerboy]

I had some pretty relaxed jobs, where I was able to have my cell on me. Did I talk to them while on the clock or on break. Nope except for when I was working for a friend and it was downtime. Did I text on the clock. When I was not busy. Did I ever get into trouble? Nope.

I still say, if you are going to take the phones away. Then give them back after the shift. Not a few days later when the Store Manager is in.

[tropicsgoddess]

At my current job we can only have cell phones out in the break rooms, bathrooms or outside the building. Other than that if they see your cellphone out of your purse/pocket/holster you can get fired right on the spot. I work in a call center, so hence the strict cellphone policy my employers have. I'm okay with it (considering that I'm so used to it) and that as long as it doesn't get to a point where it's almost like they treat us like we're in grade school.

[blas87]

The thread over at CS and this thread here are proof enough that it is safe to assume that the greater majority of people are self important and arrogant enough to think that they are entitled to have their phone within a 2 second reach at all times at work, and that it's no big deal to call/text while on the clock and not on break.

[AdminAssistant]

The thread over at CS and this thread here are proof enough that it is safe to assume that the greater majority of people are self important and arrogant enough to think that they are entitled to have their phone within a 2 second reach at all times at work, and that it's no big deal to call/text while on the clock and not on break.

It's so common, especially amongst younger kids. Why else would you text in class? (And then these kids wonder why they're not getting the good grades Mumsy and Dadsy expected to see?) I mean, my "non-traditional" students (i.e. older than 25, married, international, etc.) never do this. It's always traditional college-aged kids, and girls do it more than boys.

UGH, it's just so frustrating. Why can't these guys just learn to unplug? It'd do 'em some good, that's for sure.

[blas87]

I tell you what, Admin. When I ever get to college, I'm going to put my life to a screeching halt to get the best grades possible, because I myself have to pay every single fucking penny throughout the whole thing (unless by some miracle of God, financial aid will ever change their mind and HELP me!).

You can bet that cell phone will be tucked away while I'm in class.

[DesignFox]

<snip> I mean, my "non-traditional" students (i.e. older than 25, married, international, etc.) never do this. It's always traditional college-aged kids, and girls do it more than boys.
<snip>

That does seem to be the trend. For example, I went to the movies with my SO on Mother's Day afternoon.

Blessed silence in the movie theater. For the first time in YEARS I got to enjoy a movie- no texting, no ringing phones, nothing. Guess what the demographic of the audience was?

[DesignFox]

I tell you what, Admin. When I ever get to college, I'm going to put my life to a screeching halt to get the best grades possible, because I myself have to pay every single fucking penny throughout the whole thing (unless by some miracle of God, financial aid will ever change their mind and HELP me!).

You can bet that cell phone will be tucked away while I'm in class.

I was very lucky to have help from my father when I went to college (single dad- my mom died when I was 13).

You can bet that if he found out I was spending more time on my cell phone than paying attention in classes that he would have kicked my ass half way across the planet. And if I ever got fired from a job for that or a similar stupidity? There'd be no sympathy from him for that, either.

Not all of us get help from our parents simply for the sake of. Some of us have to earn that help. (and in my case, part of the college deal was that I had to keep my scholarships AND work a student job- which required that I maintain a certain GPA and performance level) Oh. and I'm still paying my own loans back.