Should employees be able to use their phones at work?
Mobile phones have become such an integral part of life for many people, as these devices contain all our information and contacts while providing access to unlimited information.
As an employer, you may take issue with these devices being present in the workplace, but it is worth noting that a blanket ban may cause more problems than it solves.
With approximately 60 per cent of people experiencing a sense of anxiety without their phones, it is worth considering how best to manage phone use in the workplace.
Is it fair to ban phones in the workplace?
There is nothing in law that prevents you from imposing a strict ban on phones in the workplace, but the matter is more complex from an HR perspective.
Whether you see it as a natural part of progress or a troubling sign of the times, there is an emotional impact that is felt by many when they are separated from their phones.
Instead of taking an inflexible stance, it may be worthwhile to develop a reasonable use policy for phones that reflects the autonomy of your team while still requesting a level of respect to be shown.
This would enable you to crack down on TikTok doomscrolling at the desk while still affording provisions for those who may need to quickly respond to messages or handle genuine emergencies.
How should a phone policy be managed in the workplace?
When setting up a phone policy, it is best that this is communicated clearly and effectively to all employees who are affected.
It would be beneficial to record their agreement to the policy as is done with other instances of workplace procedure.
The exact nature of the policy can be determined by the needs of the business and the employees.
There are instances where banning phones entirely would be wholly appropriate and should not be left up for negotiations.
These include:
- Working in a place where distraction may cause a safety hazard.
- Face-to-face customer service roles.
- Working in sterile environments.
- An employee working with sensitive information.
- Employees operating vehicles or heavy machinery.
Beyond this, the phone policy need only be clearly defined and widely understood for it to be imposed effectively.
As it can be challenging to balance the wants and needs of the business and employees, getting external HR support can make the creation and enforcement of phone policies more straightforward.
Our team can work with you to get a sense of how a phone policy would interact with your company, ensuring that employees do not feel patronised should there be a need to restrict their phone usage.
Avoid a poor reception to phone policies by getting in touch with our team.