Cell phones in the work place.

[rbaker]

A friends granddaughter, a high school student, just got fired from her summer job for using her cell phone while at work. Of course everyone is all upset that her employer has a no personal cell phone use on the premises' while "on the clock" and they are ready to sue the employer and take this issue all the way to the Supreme Court.

I agree with the employer and feel that while "on the job" one should be focused 100% on the job and not blathering away on "social media" or texting or shopping or whatever.

I am amazed at the amount of cell phone use I see in the workplace. In particular I have recently observed a number of instances where eyeglass sales people have been texting or chatting away on their cell phones while customers are waiting to be helped.

I just want to find out whether I am just being an old curmudgeon or if we are in a new era. What think you? What is the policy and practice where you work?

[iD]

I'm fine with people using cell phones in the office only if...

1)You are done with all your work
2)There is no patients around
3)You don't lose sense of whats going around you just in case a patient walks in.

[icmor]

I'm fine with people using cell phones in the office only if...

1)You are done with all your work
2)There is no patients around
3)You don't lose sense of whats going around you just in case a patient walks in.

... and 4) the cell phone is on silence!

[ThePinkRanger]

Sounds nice! Ours have to be locked away. But "certain people" can walk around with them all day.

[Arturo Rios Jr]

im literally on my phone at work right now. its a new era. But when you work for a place you gotta abide by the policies.

[Don Gilman]

A friends granddaughter, a high school student, just got fired from her summer job for using her cell phone while at work. Of course everyone is all upset that her employer has a no personal cell phone use on the premises' while "on the clock" and they are ready to sue the employer and take this issue all the way to the Supreme Court.

I agree with the employer and feel that while "on the job" one should be focused 100% on the job and not blathering away on "social media" or texting or shopping or whatever.

I am amazed at the amount of cell phone use I see in the workplace. In particular I have recently observed a number of instances where eyeglass sales people have been texting or chatting away on their cell phones while customers are waiting to be helped.

I just want to find out whether I am just being an old curmudgeon or if we are in a new era. What think you? What is the policy and practice where you work?

Easiest no brainer job in my place is putting labels on boxes. Yesterday saw two workers on there devices at that station. Biggest complaint we get from customers is wrong lens in wrong box. DUH!

[jpways]

Having worked for a company with a strong cell phone policy (if the phone had a camera it could not be used in only authorized locations on the premises) and somewhere with a fairly lax policy (pretty much iD's policy), where I have had to use my phone for work purposes (when you're in a small office and you are the acting IT person it's kind of hard not to) it depends on the employer. The policy that I feel is the best is one where 1. cell phone use does not interfere with work and 2. it does not break any laws (in the case of opticianry I'm referring to HIPPA)

[scriptfiller]

I'm OK with it as long as it doesn't interfere with one's job or professionalism, same for internet too.

We're pretty casual here so phones are at every workstation and most of the time out on the desk during operations, it the time we live in.

Obviously employers rules are da rules and must be followed, they can fire ya if they are broken....

[CME4SPECS]

TURN THEM OFF when you're at work! Leave them alone when you are driving! Customers: I will be right with you when you are off the damn phone!
And, don't bring them to the dinner table!

[obxeyeguy]

I used to use mine, as I text when specs are ready. Much better then leaving vm that no one listens to, and I had a record of doing it on my phone.

[mervinek]

We're pretty strict here. No phones...period. I agree with that because some of the people working here are very immature and would not do their job well if they had their phone. Although, on certain days when I am the only one in the building working alone in the evening, I keep mine out. As a woman, being alone with patients and leaving when it is dark out can be dangerous, so I feel a little better keeping my phone handy. That being said, on those nights there is no manager around to see me and tell me no.

[Mizikal]

We are in a new era and I think people need to make certain adjustments. I think one of them being when is it appropriate to us your cell phone and for employers limiting or eliminating cell phones. I don't think someone replying or reading a text is going to have an impact on things getting done. However, I have worked at places were employees didn't have any inhibitions about using their phones and would sit in the managers office and play on their phone while I helped 90% of the people that walked in. I think if I were running a business I would allow people to have them but with an understanding of when they can and cannot us them or what they cannot us them for. I am okay with people asking whats for dinner I am not okay with them playing Pokemon Go while I pay them to no work.

[Uncle Fester]

I never use mine at work. I distracts me from interacting with Optiboard!!!

[StephP]

I think that it is absolutely rude to answer the phone while patients are in the office. In my opinion, that is what you do during breaks or lunch. If it is an emergency, they can always call the store to reach you. Otherwise, do it on your own time.

[mervinek]

We are in a new era and I think people need to make certain adjustments. I think one of them being when is it appropriate to us your cell phone and for employers limiting or eliminating cell phones. I don't think someone replying or reading a text is going to have an impact on things getting done. However, I have worked at places were employees didn't have any inhibitions about using their phones and would sit in the managers office and play on their phone while I helped 90% of the people that walked in. I think if I were running a business I would allow people to have them but with an understanding of when they can and cannot us them or what they cannot us them for. I am okay with people asking whats for dinner I am not okay with them playing Pokemon Go while I pay them to no work.

I agree with you, but in some offices, most of the employees don't have enough sense to know when to not use their phones... That would be mgmt's job to keep them in line.

[smallworld]

I've been telling my patients to take a picture of their prescription and keep it on their phone. Easy way to keep track of it!

[Dustin.B]

We're pretty lax about it in my office, my rules are simple to follow.
- Never in front of the patients.
- No personal calls. (Barring emergencies)
- Keep it on silent.
- Work First, phone later.

I keep it this way because at a previous employer's they would force us to lock up our phones while working and one day my son was grievously injured and headed to the hospital, the lackluster phone staff took 45 minutes to locate me despite the urgent nature of the call. I'm glad my employer was understanding when I tore that phone staff "a new one" the following day.

[Johns]

I'm fine with people using cell phones in the office only if...

1)You are done with all your work
2)There is no patients around
3)You don't lose sense of whats going around you just in case a patient walks in.

Change the phrase "using cell phones" to "reading a book", "doing a crossword puzzle", or "taking a nap".

Do you really have no problem with employees getting paid to be non-productive? I have never worked in an office where "all the work was done". When there are no patients around, I am cleaning frames and getting ready for the next round of patients. Time to lean, time to clean.

[Chris Ryser]

<sub>Change the phrase "using cell phones" to "reading a book", "doing a crossword puzzle", or "taking a nap".

Do you really have no problem with employees getting paid to be non-productive?</sub>

That is an owner speaking..........and not defending the employees opinions and he is right.

[Lelarep]

Where I work, no phones, for any reason, at all, except on breaks, or on lunch. You get one warning, then you're fired.

[Johns]

Where I work, no phones, for any reason, at all, except on breaks, or on lunch. You get one warning, then you're fired.

We've fired 2 this year, and 3 others (receptionists) refused the offered job after they read our handbook. Cell phones are allowed at break time only.
I'm glad they refused the job, as it saved me a lot of hassles. The clearly written policy separates the workers from the slackers, and the adults from the

[CCGREEN]

For the most part I am a bit old fashioned. If I am paying you to work I expect you to be working not playing with your phone. If someone needs to contact you I expect them to contact you via the office phone that way I expect the call to be short and right to the point then expect you to get back to your job.
Now that being said.....if ALL work to do is finished I am not a old stick in the mud either.....poke on your phone if you like. We all know the phone is used more to entertain oneself then anything else. But if a pt comes in needing assistance or I ask something of you I expect you to drop that phone like its a hot potato and jump to it....not when you get around to it.
Where the phone has taken away from us is in our relationships. I used to eagerly wait to go home so that I could enjoy or vent to my wife and she to me about the events of the day. Now days it seems they are shared the moment they happen so when we get home it seems we have never left each other. You know its kind of looking forward to go see a family member or friend that you have not seen in a long time, your curious to see whats been going on with them, you can visit and catch up on things. I remember back in the day of getting a hand written letter from my mother.....it was exciting. Who does that anymore? Technology has taken all that away from us. Shoot they dont even teach kids to write in school anymore. Cursive writing is becoming a lost art, in time our military will be able to use it as some kind of secret code.

[Quince]

We are mutitaskers. Most of our crew doesn't clock out for lunch. We pretty much utilize down time when able, eat when it's convenient, and bust butt when it's busy. I do a lot of errands off the clock which helps me justify online shopping or whatever else the internet is coaxing me to do!

There is no policy for phones here, but if you can't be mature enough to know when is appropriate and when isn't, you may get a talking to.

[mervinek]

if you can't be mature enough to know when is appropriate and when isn't, you may get a talking to.

that's just the problem. So many people are not mature enough that our office has to have a blanket no cell phone rule. Shame. It's all in the crew you have.

[Dustin.B]

Change the phrase "using cell phones" to "reading a book", "doing a crossword puzzle", or "taking a nap".

Do you really have no problem with employees getting paid to be non-productive? I have never worked in an office where "all the work was done". When there are no patients around, I am cleaning frames and getting ready for the next round of patients. Time to lean, time to clean.

I'm glad to know your office is busy enough to warrant that. That's how I was when I first took over these two stores but really there's only so much cleaning a 20'x30' office needs. The rest of the time I spend studying or doing employee training or reviews. Honestly though I won't berate someone checking their phone when its a half hour to closing and we haven't had a patient in the last hour.