09/ 06/ 2005
Picture this: You're in your weekly Monday morning staff meeting with all your employees. You're talking about new clients, updating the team on projects in progress and introducing the newest employee, when you hear the annoying beat of "We Will Rock You" as someone's personal cell phone rings.
Many human resource specialists and consultants are now urging businesses—big and small—to implement policies to address this growing concern. Just as many small businesses have policies or statements in their employee handbooks regarding the use of the business phone lines at work, so should they have a policy or statement regarding personal cell phones.
Since the first commercial cellular system began operating in Chicago in October 1983 and the world's first text message was sent in 1992, cell phones have come a long way. At the end of 2004, the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association estimated that there were 182,140,362 cell phone subscribers across the country. And, a few of those subscribers may be working for you.
Cell phones do so much more than serve simply as telephones. They are calculators, hand-held gaming stations, e-mail platforms, calendars, address books, cameras and much more. So, it only stands to reason that your employees keep them in their cars, purses, backpacks or even right in their front pockets while they are clocked in working for you.
Your employee handbook probably touches on such topics as dress code, benefits and personal phone calls at work. With more than 182 million cell phone users in the United States, don't you think it's time to add personal cell phones to the list?
It's not even as simple as just addressing cell phone use. There's cell phone use while driving on company time in a company vehicle; camera phones and confidential company information; and the loss of productive time on the job.
The Rutland Herald recently reported that a Society for Human Resource Management 2004 survey showed 40 percent of companies had a written policy regarding the use cell phones; 48 percent had no written policy; and 12 percent indicated that a written policy would be in place within six months.
Starting to write a policy is the first step to dealing with this growing problem in the workplace. Talk to your human resources specialist or consultant about your concerns. They can then guide you in the best way to write, implement and educate your employees about the new policy. Then, have your employees sign a form indicating they have received a copy of the new policy and have read it. Keep this form in their personnel files just in case the issue becomes a problem in your small business.
Technology was built and grows still today to simplify tasks and communication. But when that technology gets in the way of your business' growth, it's time to hang up on the problem and say hello to peace of mind.
