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Texting is getting out of hand with many of our employees and it is affecting production. We do not have a direct written policy on this but are working toward one. We do not see this as a
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Forums » Topic Forums » General Forum » texting
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texting
posted at 11/17/2011 1:00 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 7
First: 11/17/2011 Last: 7/27/2012 |
Texting is getting out of hand with many of our employees and it is affecting production. We do not have a direct written policy on this but are working toward one. We do not see this as an issue for the exempt employees as they are paid for the work they do, not the hours they work, plus exempt employees are not rigidly provided the same meal and rest breaks as required for non-exempt employees in California. We are considering prohibiting hourly employees from keeping cel phones at their workstations. They can then leave them in their cars or lockers and use them during breaks. What are your thoughts and recommendations? Thank you in advance. |
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Re: texting
posted at 11/17/2011 1:51 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 148
First: 9/29/2011 Last: 12/10/2012 |
Sounds like a reasonable and rational approach to me to prohibit them at work stations. You'll have to be prepared to administer some disciplline the first few times someone is using a cell phone at their workstation during non-break time. |
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Re: texting
posted at 11/17/2011 3:38 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 127
First: 9/21/2011 Last: 11/12/2012 |
That is exactly our policy with non-exempt employees. However we are retail/service. And the last thing a customer needs is an employee on their cell! I imagine in a production environment that it might also cause safety issues due to the distraction. The one complaint I get is "what if there is an emergency and my family needs to get a hold of me?" My response...we have a main number. Make sure they know it. |
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Re: texting
posted at 12/14/2011 4:43 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 1
First: 12/14/2011 Last: 12/14/2011 |
In Response to texting: Texting is getting out of hand with many of our employees and it is affecting production. We do not have a direct written policy on this but are working toward one. We do not see this as an issue for the exempt employees as they are paid for the work they do, not the hours they work, plus exempt employees are not rigidly provided the same meal and rest breaks as required for non-exempt employees in California. We are considering prohibiting hourly employees from keeping cel phones at their workstations. They can then leave them in their cars or lockers and use them during breaks. What are your thoughts and recommendations? Thank you in advance. Posted by JamesPSullivan Honestly, instead of coming down as the "mean bad guys" for "banning" interaction, why not just install a cheap jammer in the area where the employees are? They're like $200 and then you would be causing stuff just to not work, rather than seeming like what would be considered "cell phone laws." But if you do have a policy in place that disallows use of cell phones I would suggest you be very careful in the wording - it's something you're doing for the safety and workload of everyone not just to get more work out of people. Know what I mean? |
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Re: texting
posted at 12/14/2011 6:08 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 148
First: 9/20/2011 Last: 12/12/2012 |
In Response to Re: texting: In Response to texting : Honestly, instead of coming down as the "mean bad guys" for "banning" interaction, why not just install a cheap jammer in the area where the employees are? They're like $200 and then you would be causing stuff just to not work, rather than seeming like what would be considered "cell phone laws." But if you do have a policy in place that disallows use of cell phones I would suggest you be very careful in the wording - it's something you're doing for the safety and workload of everyone not just to get more work out of people. Know what I mean? . Posted by DirCR Creative but comes with high risk for the company. Let me point out just one. How will you know exactly whose cell phones you are jamming? The jammer does not recognize the difference between your employees and the rest of the world that is in its field of jamming. And what do you think the risks are of jamming non employee phones is even assuming you even have the legal right to jam employee phones which I am not sure you have...............? |
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Re: texting
posted at 12/14/2011 6:15 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 148
First: 9/20/2011 Last: 12/12/2012 |
In Response to texting: Texting is getting out of hand with many of our employees and it is affecting production. We do not have a direct written policy on this but are working toward one. We do not see this as an issue for the exempt employees as they are paid for the work they do, not the hours they work, plus exempt employees are not rigidly provided the same meal and rest breaks as required for non-exempt employees in California. We are considering prohibiting hourly employees from keeping cel phones at their workstations. They can then leave them in their cars or lockers and use them during breaks. What are your thoughts and recommendations? Thank you in advance. Posted by JamesPSullivan Need a bit more information- What are you producing with your hourly employees? Does this become a safety issue like using a cell phone when you are driving? Does your work environment already recognize have and have nots between hourly and non hourly? Is there a union? Could this bring one in if you don't have one Do you distinguish between hourly and non exampt? If yes what do you propose for the non exempts? |
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Re: texting
posted at 12/20/2011 3:06 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 2
First: 11/16/2011 Last: 12/20/2011 |
I agree with Howard7. It doesn't appear "fair" to value the production of your hourly employees and not that of your exempt employees. Productivity should apply across the board, regardless of how an employee is classified. It sounds like there needs to be a company wide policy regarding cellphone use/texting during working hours. If any employee is caught, then that employee should be dealt with accordingly. Good luck!
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Re: texting
posted at 12/20/2011 3:37 PM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 1
First: 12/20/2011 Last: 12/20/2011 |
"Texting is getting out of hand with many of our employees..." So you are going to inconvenience those who've behaved responsibly because of the "many" who have not? Why is that? Are you afraid of having difficult conversations with the people who are actually creating the issue? Why is that? Once in a while, maybe once a week, I will text my daughter about her schedule; this sometimes will give me the information I need to be able to stay at work a little later. I have a 70-minute commute and I would need a lot more slack, i.e., leaving earlier, if I couldn't receive a text from her. Do you want to lose productivity from the people who are behaving responsibly just so you can avoid addressing the issue directly with the people who aren't? If it's cutting into their productivity, their productivity is the issue. If it's not cutting into their productivity, could it be that it just irritates you but it isn't actually a business problem? I think this is a management issue, not a cell phone issue. |
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Re: texting
posted at 12/21/2011 11:31 AM EST
on Workforce Management
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Posts: 148
First: 9/29/2011 Last: 12/10/2012 |
In Response to Re: texting: "But if you do have a policy in place that disallows use of cell phones I would suggest you be very careful in the wording - it's something you're doing for the safety and workload of everyone not just to get more work out of people. Know what I mean? Posted by DirCR[/QUOTE] Actually, I don't know what you mean. What's wrong with implementing a measure to prevent a loss of productivity? You're paying for their time to produce, not play with cell phones. Setting an expectation of "we want you to work while you're at your work station" is not a bad thing. |
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