Hi seniors and friends, Please advise me on this issue. we informed many times to our staff don't use mobile during working time.
Even though we cannot control them. they are not following the rules of the company.
if we find and asked about they told it is official call, what is the solution to reduce watching social media and others on working time.
Please suggest an innovative idea.
From India, Madurai
Even though we cannot control them. they are not following the rules of the company.
if we find and asked about they told it is official call, what is the solution to reduce watching social media and others on working time.
Please suggest an innovative idea.
From India, Madurai
Dear Pandian P,
Yes, talking on the mobile phone is a disturbance. From the disturbance, it becomes even a menace if the talk becomes excessive. Nevertheless, instructions on talking less on the mobile may not yield the desired result. When the notices on these subjects are circulated, the effect of the notice just lasts for a few days and things come back to square one.
Therefore, rather than controlling the behaviour of people, it is better to control the outcome of their skills, knowledge or efforts. To do this, you may measure the costs and ratios associated with each department and give them targets on what needs to be increased or decreased. When the employees have a proper focus, they automatically amend their behaviour.
Lastly, the mobile phone has become an extended part of our body. Hardly, there is a line that demarcates personal activities and professional activities. There are many useful apps that can be used for professional activities also. Hence, any kind of prohibition could have adverse consequences.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Yes, talking on the mobile phone is a disturbance. From the disturbance, it becomes even a menace if the talk becomes excessive. Nevertheless, instructions on talking less on the mobile may not yield the desired result. When the notices on these subjects are circulated, the effect of the notice just lasts for a few days and things come back to square one.
Therefore, rather than controlling the behaviour of people, it is better to control the outcome of their skills, knowledge or efforts. To do this, you may measure the costs and ratios associated with each department and give them targets on what needs to be increased or decreased. When the employees have a proper focus, they automatically amend their behaviour.
Lastly, the mobile phone has become an extended part of our body. Hardly, there is a line that demarcates personal activities and professional activities. There are many useful apps that can be used for professional activities also. Hence, any kind of prohibition could have adverse consequences.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Thank you for your useful instructions, you explain very well about human psychological. we will tracking and measuring department wise production. and will inform our target. hope it will work.
Thanks for your valuable input and also your time.
Regards
Pandian P
From India, Madurai
Thanks for your valuable input and also your time.
Regards
Pandian P
From India, Madurai
Dear Pandian,
My additional suggestion would be to identify the flaws in the systems and processes of the work in your company. Possibly, the systems might have been designed that merits discussion on the mobile phone. Therefore, you may call the meetings of all employees, or at least HODs and conduct a brainstorming session on how to reduce time spent while talking on the phone. Compile the suggestions, show it to the management, and let it become a code of conduct for all to follow.
If you adopt this participative management style where the people are also involved in the solution to the problem, the acceptance factor of the decision increases. When people are involved in the decision-making, then they will show less resistance because the decision is not thrust on them by the top management.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
My additional suggestion would be to identify the flaws in the systems and processes of the work in your company. Possibly, the systems might have been designed that merits discussion on the mobile phone. Therefore, you may call the meetings of all employees, or at least HODs and conduct a brainstorming session on how to reduce time spent while talking on the phone. Compile the suggestions, show it to the management, and let it become a code of conduct for all to follow.
If you adopt this participative management style where the people are also involved in the solution to the problem, the acceptance factor of the decision increases. When people are involved in the decision-making, then they will show less resistance because the decision is not thrust on them by the top management.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Dear Colleague,
Well said by our Colleague and very practical to follow. In addition to this the following are few added thoughts :
1. We do not know what type of organization, you are in. If there is a safety threat due to use of mobile phone in work place, no harm in asking the employees to deposit the mobile phones are a collecting point and then get it back while going back from work place if mobile phone is not required for their performance. Some companies have this system effectively implemented where as some companies given a long rope and later they were not able to correct the employees and it went to strikes also. Hence this subject has to be handled with all sensitivity.
2. If mobile phones are part of their tool to communicate and for their role deliverance it is very difficult to go for alternate.
3. Before mobile phone and after mobile phone the world has changed a lot and the life earlier was very productive and peaceful, less accidents probably and so on. But the level of use of mobile now in today's world is that for everything we depend on mobile from gas booking to banking on personal front and no employee of today's world can perform without mobile phone as lot of communication has to take place with customers, internal and external stake holders etc.
4. Hence, what is possible is to Openly communicate to the Employees on avoiding time wastage in Social Media during working hours, Creating closer monitoring system on the work and performance of the employees, fix right KRAs /KPIs with meticulous numeric values and monitoring on weekly basis, fortnight basis, monthly basis, quarterly basis followed by quarterly performance review is a possible solution.
5. In the Performance Review Feedback the Boss- Subordinate meetings one to one feedback on the productive work time and unproductive work time can be communicated directly to bring desired positive changes.
As long as the talent is performing and giving desired result and achieving he given targets / not infringing safety, no harm in permitting the employees to use mobile phones to create a positive work environment and have a positivity in the minds of the employees.
All the Best, God Bless,
Dr.P.SIVAKUMAR
Doctor Siva Global HR
Tamil Nadu
From India, Chennai
Well said by our Colleague and very practical to follow. In addition to this the following are few added thoughts :
1. We do not know what type of organization, you are in. If there is a safety threat due to use of mobile phone in work place, no harm in asking the employees to deposit the mobile phones are a collecting point and then get it back while going back from work place if mobile phone is not required for their performance. Some companies have this system effectively implemented where as some companies given a long rope and later they were not able to correct the employees and it went to strikes also. Hence this subject has to be handled with all sensitivity.
2. If mobile phones are part of their tool to communicate and for their role deliverance it is very difficult to go for alternate.
3. Before mobile phone and after mobile phone the world has changed a lot and the life earlier was very productive and peaceful, less accidents probably and so on. But the level of use of mobile now in today's world is that for everything we depend on mobile from gas booking to banking on personal front and no employee of today's world can perform without mobile phone as lot of communication has to take place with customers, internal and external stake holders etc.
4. Hence, what is possible is to Openly communicate to the Employees on avoiding time wastage in Social Media during working hours, Creating closer monitoring system on the work and performance of the employees, fix right KRAs /KPIs with meticulous numeric values and monitoring on weekly basis, fortnight basis, monthly basis, quarterly basis followed by quarterly performance review is a possible solution.
5. In the Performance Review Feedback the Boss- Subordinate meetings one to one feedback on the productive work time and unproductive work time can be communicated directly to bring desired positive changes.
As long as the talent is performing and giving desired result and achieving he given targets / not infringing safety, no harm in permitting the employees to use mobile phones to create a positive work environment and have a positivity in the minds of the employees.
All the Best, God Bless,
Dr.P.SIVAKUMAR
Doctor Siva Global HR
Tamil Nadu
From India, Chennai
Mobile has become part of our regular life. Either we make calls or we receive calls, when we have to attend immediately. For SMS or WhatsApp or other messages, we can choose our time. We have control on making a call, but we do not have any control on receiving a call. That call can be wrong call, friendly call, emergency call and so on. For emergency call we cannot prescribe any rules. In one company, management laid down a rule that the receptionist will take messages and convey to the concerned employee. Problem arose because the phone was busy for long time, message could not be conveyed to concerned employee in time, message was also distorted. There was obviously a labour problem.
One way to control menace of mobile at workplace is to give that job to the immediate supervisor. If he notices any employee using a mobile without prior permission, action can be taken. If one is using mobile at the back of the supervisor, let it go. But when caught, punishment must be deterrant. In such way, risk if for employee. If he takes a call, and that is emergency, and supervisor sees that, he can very well explain.
Vibhakar Ramtirthkar, Pune.
From India, Pune
One way to control menace of mobile at workplace is to give that job to the immediate supervisor. If he notices any employee using a mobile without prior permission, action can be taken. If one is using mobile at the back of the supervisor, let it go. But when caught, punishment must be deterrant. In such way, risk if for employee. If he takes a call, and that is emergency, and supervisor sees that, he can very well explain.
Vibhakar Ramtirthkar, Pune.
From India, Pune
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