Tips For Managing Employee Cell Phone Usage

Tips For Managing Employees’ Cell Phone Usage

The cellular phone turned 40 years old in April of 2013. While cellular companies around the world might be rejoicing in their successful production of the device, other business owners may find it disturbing to walk around office workstations and see employees texting or visiting social media sites on smartphones. If you are concerned about how cell phone usage affects productivity in your office, consider implementing the following tactics.

Cell Phone Policy

If you have been lenient in the past but found employees abusing the system by playing Angry Birds more than responding to client requests, you can institute a no cell phone policy. Have the human resources department draft the paperwork stating the policy and outlining consequences for failing to follow the rules.

While some businesses can function by employees managing their own time wisely, companies, which need staff members to work on strict time deadlines, may need to enforce such policies. For example, workers at a call center may have quotas to fill during the day. If they are constantly on their phones, they risk fielding a smaller amount of phone calls from the clients.

Block Websites on Company Computers

While it is illegal in most respects to block the cell phone reception around your office, you can block certain websites from being visited at work computers. Online dating, shopping or social media sites are just a few of the reasons employees can get distracted at work. Consider blocking sites like Facebook and Gmail to help keep employees on task while in the office.

This tactic can also be important for companies, which have a vested interest in keeping data secure. You can reduce the risk of exposing client information or company data by blocking the use of social networking sites.

More Tips For Managing Employee Cell Phone Usage

If your floor plan is set up with several stations of office cubicles everywhere, you may want to consider an open-plan layout. Without walls between employees and managers, you can enjoy greater collaboration among workers. Additionally, staff members may be more timid about checking their phones every few minutes in front of colleagues. In such a case, you would need discount office furniture for the new transition if you have a mid to large-sized office.

Want to create a comfortable and collaborative work environment? Visit the Office Furniture Warehouse website to turn your vision into reality.