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

buglawton

I have an infirm mother over 80 and providing I'm not already on phone / in meeting will answer her in case she's got an urgent problem.
Not being able to do that would likely mean I switch jobs.

On the other hand I'll work unpaid hours or flexibly if my employer's business needs it.

Anyone having to endure Foxconn style working conditions should be looking to skill up and join a better quality company.

[Deleted User]

Shame they do not use that rule of no use unless on a break for lorry drivers, make them lock it in a box outside the lorry. The journey would be shorter if they wern't wobbling all over the place

zagfles

Bella73 wrote: »

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.

The information doesn't have to be "highly sensitive", it could just be normal commercially sensitivity eg names and addresses of customers. They could have had employees snapshotting customer details and selling them to rival firms etc.

StephenM_2

BatOutOfUll wrote: »

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.

Sounds like a rough school

Back on topic, I have my phone switched on all day at work except when I'm in a meeting. No-one objects.

CFC

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.

I suspect you are in a minority and your company may not keep the same practice forever. Unless you work for Google/Intel/ISP etc of course.

Southend1

The simple answer to the OP is to take your break away from your desk where you can do what you like.

seven-day-weekend

I worked from 1964-2004 and never had a mobile phone on the premises (for obvious reasons for most of that period ). If anyone had needed to contact me they would ring the employer. Not that anyone ever did because not so many things were classed as 'emergencies' in those days, such as Johnnie forgetting his PE kit etc, or Janie needing to know if her Prom dress was ready.

I can see why they might not allow mobiles in the workplace, what is wrong with going outside to text your friends on your lunch break?

andygb

Bella73 wrote: »

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?

I can see a big problem with this, and it is called distracting other workers who are WORKING. For some reason, the people who are constantly on their mobiles, seem to talk far louder than others - maybe they just wish everyone to know their business?
The workplace is for work, and if the employer is allowing employees to phone from outside the building, then I cannot see anything wrong with that.
As others have pointed out, if someone wishes to contact you, then they can use the firm's number, and be put through by the switchboard.

[Deleted User]

My first employer told me I was stealing stopping for a smoke and doing personal phone calls at work comes over as the same

Voyager2002

AP007 wrote: »

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.

What about using the internet for business purposes?