No Personal Cell Phones, while on the job?

[madhat]

I had someone call me this morning, applied for a job going from Res. Install to commercial service. Their No. 1 rule is no personal Cell Phones. They are to be left at the house. Company does provide phones. Personal calls, emergency only. Only exception is if spouse is pregnant or has life threatening condition. I can understand where the company is coming from. Is this becoming common?

[coolwhip]

I don't have a problem with this. When you go to work, you should be working. These younger idiots feel the need to stare at their phone every other minute.

If you get a call from family, it should be an important call....not necessarily an emergency though IMO.

[timebuilder]

I can see it being a problem if you have a young guy who spends a lot of time on social media, and wants to Instagram everything he's doing that day.... that could be an issue.

As for someone like myself who does not tweet, Instagram, or "look at my face....book, " I only check email and occasional posts here on this site during the day..... and that's when something else is not requiring my attention.

It would almost be a better rule to not allow yourself to become distracted from work.

[Pion]

I can see it being a problem if you have a young guy who spends a lot of time on social media, and wants to Instagram everything he's doing that day.... that could be an issue.

As for someone like myself who does not tweet, Instagram, or "look at my face....book, " I only check email and occasional posts here on this site during the day..... and that's when something else is not requiring my attention.

It would almost be a better rule to not allow yourself to become distracted from work.

+2

[pecmsg]

I had someone call me this morning, applied for a job going from Res. Install to commercial service. Their No. 1 rule is no personal Cell Phones. They are to be left at the house. Company does provide phones. Personal calls, emergency only. Only exception is if spouse is pregnant or has life threatening condition. I can understand where the company is coming from. Is this becoming common?

and the company wonders why they cant get any help!

[Core_d]

How many here are reading this on the clock?


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[VTP99]

For us self-employed guys, our phone is our personal secretary.

[oldguy1949]

Since the company does provide a phone you can be contacted. What about lunch & breaks, that's your time not work time.
Way back when we were billed by the minute , I had a tech that had a phone conversation with his honey between every call. I got an invoice each month that showed the # & minutes of each phones useage so his next check had a deduction for nearly 3 hrs of cell phone use to "sweet thang ". Next month just a few minutes to sweetly. I had no problem with a few short calls each month but this was over the line.

[Core_d]

What if hes driving and talking?


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[pageyjim]

I had someone call me this morning, applied for a job going from Res. Install to commercial service. Their No. 1 rule is no personal Cell Phones. They are to be left at the house. Company does provide phones. Personal calls, emergency only. Only exception is if spouse is pregnant or has life threatening condition. I can understand where the company is coming from. Is this becoming common?

It is probably illegal to do so unless all employees are subject to that same rule.

[Achso017]

Shouldn’t someone’s performance speak louder in this case? Are they on par with other techs on job time and call backs? If phone use becomes a problem then discuss with that person. They are supposedly a grown adult so if they can’t use a device responsibly after being warned then get rid of them.

With the schedule most of us have you sometimes have to make some calls during normal hours to deal with personal business. Doctors, accountants, and other various 9 to 5 jobs don’t wait around until we’re off the clock to answer our questions or schedule appointments.

Since I use my personal phone for company business I think it breaks even.

[Achso017]

How many here are reading this on the clock?


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*raises hand*
But I’m waiting on an oil change.

[stat]

There is always someone that ruins it for everybody.

On the other hand, life's problems always got solved before the invention of the cell phone.

[Adlerberts-Protege]

I take lots of breaks. I am also in my 25th year in the trade and know how to work efficiently. I have earned this right based on my experience and skill level ie; my work gets done.

A newbie on the other hand? Keep your phone in your pocket and your eyes and ears on the job. Only way I will allow you to work with me.

[ksefan]

I heard a guy say if you haven’t been divorced you’re not a good tech. I talk to my wife while driving between calls (usually 90 minutes). Happy wife, happy life.

[Answer-Man]

Self-employed that is a different subject, most their business phones are many times the personal phone as well.

For the most part I have no problem if your personal phone goes with you, but the understanding I have is it only gets used on breaks or before and after work hours. I don't talk on phone while driving, I'll pull over. Most of the time my personal phone stays in the truck because the risk to damaging it many times is high. But I have had two incidents in the past 4 years that have shown me having your phone with you is important. 1st incident my wife was having a heart attack and she had enough presence of mind to hit the auto dial for my number and I was able to call the ambulance. 2nd Incident again my wife fell and shattered her arm and was completely out of it, A person helping her found her phone, found husband in her address book and called me, telling me she was going to the hospital in an ambulance. We don't work 100% of the time if your are standing waiting for recovery unit to pull charge out, waiting on Vacuum pump I won't have a problem if you look and or answer a short text or call. Again it about treating your employees with respect and like an adult. Believe me customers watch to see how much time get's spent on the phone and many times comment on it. I have good idea if their out wasting time and not working when they should be. For my guys if they don't abuse it, I don't have a problem if your personal phone goes with.

Good Luck

[rider77]

I’m not one to agree to be babysat all day.
I also don’t like being told what to do for no reason.
I enjoy calling my wife at lunch. I have other personal calls I make during the day too, like to the bank, doctors office or other maintenance type calls.
My customers don’t complain. Never have. Actually many places request me.
I voluntarily carry 2 phones, one work and one personal.
I’d tell them where to put their rules. And would not work there.

[ammoniadog]

What if you got a note from your doctor?
Then you could tell them they need to allow your "emotional support phone" to be with you at all times, and if they refuse to allow this and/or refuse to hire you they will be hearing from your lawyer.

[madhat]

I think it's called a condition of employment. The State Gov. job I had, you couldn't carry your phone if it had a camera. They changed it, after it was impossible to get one without. Anyway I talked to him, and he's going for the Drug test, and accepting the job. I kind chewed on him a bit, seen him and wife at a restaurant, both buried in their phones. Forgot to get on him about the 5:45 AM call, though. At least I has awake, I had turned over and the new knee didn't like that.

[2sac]

Maybe the solution is better hiring practices. Is said company hiring technicians or hiring bodies to perform work?