Banning phone use at work...at lunch break?!

System

teabelly wrote: »

I think it is off to disallow mobile usage during break times. If they're paid breaks then the company can impose restrictions. For the sake of worker relations I think they shouldn't.

I see nothing wrong with disallowing phones.

I have worked in quite a few places where you are banned from even bringing the phone into the buildings, the car park is as far as it is allowed. If you don't come by car then you don't bring a phone.

When challenged, the normal response is that if you need to be contacted urgently by family etc during work time then get a pager. You can then leave the building and ring home or wherever.

Tiddlywinks

They haven't said you can't use the phone... just that you must go outside to use it... they control the premises so that have every right to say 'no mobiles'.

Really, I can't see the problem BUT some of us remember a life before the desperate need to be in constant touch with mates by text and social media... it was called 'being at work'... a novel idea, I know.

Bella73

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

They haven't said you can't use the phone... just that you must go outside to use it... they control the premises so that have every right to say 'no mobiles'.

Really, I can't see the problem BUT some of us remember a life before the desperate need to be in constant touch with mates by text and social media... it was called 'being at work'... a novel idea, I know.

Having been a worker for over 20 years I cannot see the problem with anyone wishing to use their mobile during their lunch break. We do not use our phones whilst we are working but during my hours lunch break for which I'm not paid why would you think it acceptable to dictate whether or not I use my phone?

Some have posted people may work in highly sensitive informations areas but the OP has not stated this.

Plus working full time sometimes it is the best time to phone services such as the electric company or whoever, not everyone uses their phone just to talk drivel to others.

ILW

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

That's all well and good if it's company policy for all employees including management. Ask them if you can bring in a signal scrambler to help the company reinforce the policy during break times.

Why should policy be the same for management and other roles?

scooby088

As I understand it the OP has breaks at his/her desk and they don't like mobiles ringing when others are working. I can see the companies point with regards to this.

gettingready

I can not believe this thread.....are you all for real?

I work in a massive, known by everyone company, multinational (no, name sorry but YOU know my company, every single one of you LOL) and everyone has their mobile on their desk, nobody has any issues with that.

It does not meant people talk/sms on their phones all the time but they simply do have them on their desks. All day.

Also - FB, YouTube etc are NOT blocked on our computers/laptops.

Everything is accessible and within reach - and nobody abuses this "freedom" - we are all adults and are treated like adults.

Where do you all work being treated like that? Honestly.. Would not stay a day in a place with such "rules and regulations".

I am talking about office based jobs - just so we are clear. Once where people sit at a desk most of the day.

AP007

gettingready wrote: »

I can not believe this thread.....are you all for real?

I work in a massive, known by everyone company, multinational (no, name sorry but YOU know my company, every single one of you LOL) and everyone has their mobile on their desk, nobody has any issues with that.

It does not meant people talk/sms on their phones all the time but they simply do have them on their desks. All day.

Also - FB, YouTube etc are NOT blocked on our computers/laptops.

Everything is accessible and within reach - and nobody abuses this "freedom" - we are all adults and are treated like adults.

Where do you all work being treated like that? Honestly.. Would not stay a day in a place with such "rules and regulations".

I am talking about office based jobs - just so we are clear. Once where people sit at a desk most of the day.

We had the internet at my old place but the Computer policy was no internet use AT ALL unless you were at lunch (could be fired if caught - and they tracked all usage) and since it was not switched on till 12pm and turned off at 2pm you couldn't use it any other time anyway.

Missme

I think, sometimes, we all forget that a workplace is private property and that the rules for what happens there, subject to local/national/European law are for the employer to decide. In my house, it's my way or you're as welcome to leave as you are to stay.

An individual may not use his/her phone without suitable hands-free while driving. That is the law. Even with hands-free, use of a mobile may contribute to dangerous/careless driving - each incident will be weighted according to circumstance.

If an employer does not wish to have employees using mobiles on their premises, that is their choice. The employee's choice is to comply, resign, or do as they please and face disiplinary.

The world existed before portable comms technology. If there are prohibitions in place, work round them.

TrickyWicky

93123 wrote: »

Did you not read the post at all.... they are referring to using phones on their *break*, a time when they are not working...

Yes I did however we all know that text messaging at work even in break times always leads to replies being sent after break time is over.

I've seen it loads of times. People send a few texts in their break and then for the next hour after (during work time) they're continuing the text conversation every few minutes. Notably the women are always worse at this than the blokes.

BatOutOfUll

Where I work (or used to before I became disabled) if my son's School ever rang the Switchboard to contact me, I would then get an earbashing for giving out my extension as it was for the Customer to ring me.
Many's the time the School wanted to let me know my Son was in A & E but couldn't get hold of me because of this rule.


So I started to bring my Mobile in. Switch it on. Put it on Silent and turned on Vibrate.


Then excuse myself and take the call in the loo. It was the only way to take a call in work.