Hi seniors and friends,
Please advise me on this issue. We have informed our staff many times not to use mobile phones during working hours. However, we are unable to control them as they are not following the company's rules. When questioned, they claim it is an official call. What is the solution to reduce the time spent on social media and other distractions during working hours?
Please suggest an innovative idea.
From India, Madurai
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21Please advise me on this issue. We have informed our staff many times not to use mobile phones during working hours. However, we are unable to control them as they are not following the company's rules. When questioned, they claim it is an official call. What is the solution to reduce the time spent on social media and other distractions during working hours?
Please suggest an innovative idea.
From India, Madurai
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Dear Pandian P,
Yes, talking on the mobile phone is a 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 notices on these subjects are circulated, the effect of the notice only lasts for a few days, and things revert to square one.
Therefore, rather than controlling the behavior of people, it is better to control the outcomes 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 employees have a proper focus, they automatically amend their behavior.
Lastly, the mobile phone has become an extended part of our body. There is hardly a line that demarcates personal activities and professional activities. There are many useful apps that can be used for professional activities as well. Hence, any kind of prohibition could have adverse consequences.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Yes, talking on the mobile phone is a 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 notices on these subjects are circulated, the effect of the notice only lasts for a few days, and things revert to square one.
Therefore, rather than controlling the behavior of people, it is better to control the outcomes 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 employees have a proper focus, they automatically amend their behavior.
Lastly, the mobile phone has become an extended part of our body. There is hardly a line that demarcates personal activities and professional activities. There are many useful apps that can be used for professional activities as well. Hence, any kind of prohibition could have adverse consequences.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Thank you for your useful instructions. You explain very well about human psychology. We will track and measure department-wise production and inform our target. Hope it will work. Thanks for your valuable input and your time.
Regards,
Pandian P
From India, Madurai
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Regards,
Pandian P
From India, Madurai
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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 in a way that merits discussion over the phone. Therefore, you may call meetings of all employees, or at least HODs, and conduct a brainstorming session on how to reduce the time spent while talking on the phone. Compile the suggestions, show them 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 decision-making, they will show less resistance because the decision is not forced on them by top management.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
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 in a way that merits discussion over the phone. Therefore, you may call meetings of all employees, or at least HODs, and conduct a brainstorming session on how to reduce the time spent while talking on the phone. Compile the suggestions, show them 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 decision-making, they will show less resistance because the decision is not forced on them by top management.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Dear Colleague,
Well said by our colleague and very practical to follow. In addition to this, the following are a few added thoughts:
1. We do not know what type of organization you are in. If there is a safety threat due to the use of mobile phones in the workplace, no harm in asking the employees to deposit the mobile phones at a collecting point and then get them back while leaving the workplace if the mobile phone is not required for their performance. Some companies have this system effectively implemented, whereas some companies have given a long rope and later were not able to correct the employees, leading to strikes. Hence, this subject has to be handled with all sensitivity.
2. If mobile phones are part of their tools to communicate and for their role deliverance, it is very difficult to go for an alternative.
3. Before mobile phones and after mobile phones, the world has changed a lot, and life earlier was very productive and peaceful, with fewer accidents probably and so on. But the level of mobile phone use now in today's world is such that everything we depend on mobiles, from gas booking to banking on a personal front, and no employee of today's world can perform without a mobile phone, as a lot of communication has to take place with customers, internal and external stakeholders, etc.
4. Hence, what is possible is to openly communicate with the employees on avoiding time wastage on social media during working hours, creating a closer monitoring system on the work and performance of the employees, fixing the right KRAs/KPIs with meticulous numeric values, and monitoring on a weekly basis, fortnightly basis, monthly basis, quarterly basis, followed by quarterly performance reviews as a possible solution.
5. In the performance review feedback, the boss-subordinate meetings for one-to-one feedback on 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 the desired results, achieving the given targets/not infringing safety, no harm in permitting the employees to use mobile phones to create a positive work environment and have positivity in the minds of the employees.
All the best, God bless,
Dr. P. Sivakumar
Doctor Siva Global HR
Tamil Nadu
From India, Chennai
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Well said by our colleague and very practical to follow. In addition to this, the following are a few added thoughts:
1. We do not know what type of organization you are in. If there is a safety threat due to the use of mobile phones in the workplace, no harm in asking the employees to deposit the mobile phones at a collecting point and then get them back while leaving the workplace if the mobile phone is not required for their performance. Some companies have this system effectively implemented, whereas some companies have given a long rope and later were not able to correct the employees, leading to strikes. Hence, this subject has to be handled with all sensitivity.
2. If mobile phones are part of their tools to communicate and for their role deliverance, it is very difficult to go for an alternative.
3. Before mobile phones and after mobile phones, the world has changed a lot, and life earlier was very productive and peaceful, with fewer accidents probably and so on. But the level of mobile phone use now in today's world is such that everything we depend on mobiles, from gas booking to banking on a personal front, and no employee of today's world can perform without a mobile phone, as a lot of communication has to take place with customers, internal and external stakeholders, etc.
4. Hence, what is possible is to openly communicate with the employees on avoiding time wastage on social media during working hours, creating a closer monitoring system on the work and performance of the employees, fixing the right KRAs/KPIs with meticulous numeric values, and monitoring on a weekly basis, fortnightly basis, monthly basis, quarterly basis, followed by quarterly performance reviews as a possible solution.
5. In the performance review feedback, the boss-subordinate meetings for one-to-one feedback on 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 the desired results, achieving the given targets/not infringing safety, no harm in permitting the employees to use mobile phones to create a positive work environment and have positivity in the minds of the employees.
All the best, God bless,
Dr. P. Sivakumar
Doctor Siva Global HR
Tamil Nadu
From India, Chennai
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Mobile phones have become a part of our regular life. Whether we are making calls or receiving them, we often need to respond immediately. When it comes to SMS, WhatsApp, or other messages, we have the flexibility to choose when to engage with them. While we have control over making a call, we lack control over receiving one. Incoming calls can vary from wrong calls to friendly calls to emergency calls and more. When it comes to emergency calls, prescribing rules may not always be feasible.
In one company, the management implemented a rule stating that the receptionist would take messages and pass them on to the relevant employee. However, issues arose when the phone line was consistently busy, resulting in delayed or distorted message delivery to the intended recipient, highlighting a labor-related problem.
One approach to managing the challenges posed by mobile phone usage in the workplace is to assign this responsibility to immediate supervisors. If a supervisor notices an employee using a mobile phone without prior permission, appropriate action can be taken. If an employee is caught using a mobile phone behind the supervisor's back, it may be overlooked; however, upon discovery, deterrent punishment should be enforced. This method places the responsibility and risk on the employee. In cases where an employee answers a call, especially if it is an emergency, and is observed by the supervisor, a clear explanation can be provided.
Vibhakar Ramtirthkar, Pune.
From India, Pune
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In one company, the management implemented a rule stating that the receptionist would take messages and pass them on to the relevant employee. However, issues arose when the phone line was consistently busy, resulting in delayed or distorted message delivery to the intended recipient, highlighting a labor-related problem.
One approach to managing the challenges posed by mobile phone usage in the workplace is to assign this responsibility to immediate supervisors. If a supervisor notices an employee using a mobile phone without prior permission, appropriate action can be taken. If an employee is caught using a mobile phone behind the supervisor's back, it may be overlooked; however, upon discovery, deterrent punishment should be enforced. This method places the responsibility and risk on the employee. In cases where an employee answers a call, especially if it is an emergency, and is observed by the supervisor, a clear explanation can be provided.
Vibhakar Ramtirthkar, Pune.
From India, Pune
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