Ask managers about workplace pet peeves and you will likely hear complaints about employee texting on the job. Is a Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette Policy the answer? What about banning cell phones?

Many employers have legitimate concerns about employee personal cell phone use at work. Texting can be a real drain on worker productivity. Before writing up a policy on Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette or implementing a cell phone “ban” it is important to consider a number of factors.

Most employees use their cell phones respectfully at work. People take short breaks through out the day to respond to friends or family and follow up on personal issues. These short breaks are actually good for us and can improve productivity and morale. These breaks are no different than water cooler chats, coffee breaks or other short breaks to get up from your desk and stretch your legs.

Many employees use their cell phones to conduct business. They set up client appointments and follow up with colleagues. Texting is a very efficient way to connect. It is also fast and the preferred method of communication for many workers.

Unfortunately there are some people who have difficulty limiting their texting time to a short break once every hour or two. An employee who engages in hour long texting sessions with a large group of friends is clearly not being productive at work. This behavior is unprofessional and impacts coworkers who witness this employee not working for extended periods of time.

Typically a “ban” on cell phone use at work will backfire. People don’t like bans. They don’t like being treated like children. The reality is, employees who waste time texting will find other ways to waste time at work.

If you focus on the work, your employees and productivity you will not need to implement bans or other draconian workplace rules.

The Type of Work

Some workplaces and jobs will require limiting cell phone use. People who operate vehicles, machinery or equipment and call center or customer service workers are some examples of jobs that demand limiting the use of cell phones while on the job. The use of cell phones while working may violate traffic laws or workplace safety rules. If jobs in your workplace require limiting cell phone use then a policy on Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette may be appropriate. 

Your Employees

The younger the workforce the more cell phone use you will encounter. Does this mean you should accept cell phone misuse? Not at all. You set the standards for performance and productivity at your workplace. You may have noticed that some high end retail customer service jobs have highly trained staff who would not consider pulling out their phone in front of a customer, while other organizations have had less success trying to enforce standards around cell phones.

Talk to your clients, customers and employees. Most employees will agree that it is unprofessional to be excessively texting at work. Work together to set standards that make sense for your workplace and your employees. 

Productivity

Managing productivity is the answer to many workplace issues – including cell phone misuse. An employee who is wasting time texting, may also waste time making personal calls, take extra long breaks, spend excessive time chatting, and engage in other time wasting activities. As a manager, if you focus on productivity you should be able to identify those people who are not working at a satisfactory level. Set expectations, clearly communicate, provide training and the tools to do the job and follow through after a reasonable time. If people can’t meet your expectations it is time to let them go.

You may find some interesting facts arise from the productivity approach to managing this workplace issue. You may discover that the worst texting offenders in your group are in fact very productive employees. Don’t assume that there is a problem before first checking your facts. 

You may wish to develop a policy on Cell Phone Workplace Etiquette or simply reinforce your workplace code of conduct. Read more on this workplace issue at Canadian HR Reporter – Is Cell Phone Use an Employee Right?

To understand the secrets behind employee retention, you have to figure out what will get your employees excited to come to work in the morning.

It could be anything from friendships with coworkers, the abundance of snacks and coffee in the communal kitchen or great perks such as an annual bonus strategy or a flexible work from home policy. These small things are all very important aspects of your organizations employee retention strategy, because there is no one thing that will keep your best employees for years to come.

In helping our clients develop a formal employee retention plan, Fusion Career Services asserts that it should be built on these guiding principles:

1.  Have Strong Leaders and Managers

It doesn’t matter how many perks your organization has, in order for your employees to stay successful, they’re going to need strong leaders. A strong leader will not only motivate their employees but will also encourage their growth and cultivate loyalty.

2.  Illustrate Growth Potential

Never stop offering your employees the opportunity to grow. It’s not enough to simply have a great employee culture and perks, they want the chance to move up – so give it to them. This is especially true when hiring recent grads. They may start a new role full of excitement, but don’t expect them to stay after a few years if a clear career path has not been developed for them.

3. Always Acknowledge Achievements

Outside of monetary rewards, employees want to be recognized for their work. In recent years, the existence of rewards programs for employees has become very popular and is something that many people are looking for when considering new employment options. The amount of effort put into a program like this does not have to be large, but the constant recognition ensures that employees feel appreciated and helps to promote loyalty.

4. Hire Well

This may seem like an obvious recommendation, but it bears repeating over and over again that employee retention starts with hiring. The consequences of a bad hire can have a negative ripple effect across the organization and could cause some of your best employees to leave. It is also a waste of valuable resources that could be used to train an employee that has long term growth potential at your company or someone who could be a valuable part of succession planning.

5. Give your Employees a Voice

Listening to your employees and what they have to say can help to strengthen employee relations and encourages a better, more respected work environment. A company’s executives should not be the only ones leading and a part of the conversation. Involving the rest of the organization will result in more buy-in and more ideas. These types of conversations can happen during a formal review period or informally during weekly team meetings.

Truly, there is no real secret to retaining your employees. The best approach to take is to always consider what you can do to keep your best people and then make it a priority. Putting some thought into whether your employees are happy and how you can facilitate even more job satisfaction will always be time well spent in retaining the best employees.