Employees and their phones

[IntellectuallyChallenged]

First off, I have no problem with mobile phones. I use mine quite a bit when I'm not working. When I'm at work, though, I tell my friends and family not to bother calling or to text me unless it's an absolute emergency. If there is an emergency, I instruct them to call me on my business phone. None of them have had a problem adhering to this very simple request. I have told my employees they can also do the same. Only for emergencies.

I have these two employees, however, that just don't seem to get it. Any time I catch them on their phones, I send them home, which causes them to lose hours on their paychecks. When they get their paychecks, they complain that they don't get enough hours. I tell them it's their own fault, but they don't seem to agree. They say that I am discriminating against them. One actually tried to report me to HR. When HR called me to inform me of the report, we got a good laugh about it. It seems I'm not in the wrong to treat them in such a way.

My question is; do you agree that there is a time and place for everything? Or should I give them more leniency even though the other employees follow this simple rule? I'm not one to just give up on people, because people have given me plenty of chances when I screwed up. So I try to pay it forward. At some point I'll have to draw the line.

[Pendulous]

Sending someone home for using their phone sounds like a rather harsh punishment.

[Crissi]

Sending someone home for using their phone sounds like a rather harsh punishment.

depends. Having to repeatedly tell someone not to do something and they keep doing it is a very valid reason to keep sending them home. Really, at the point that they keep doing it, may as well fire them.

Although if they're on break when on their phones, thats not ok to tell them to stop. Its a break!

[Spraxle]

I agree with your stance OP. When I get to work I put my phone in the managers office. I don't have time to play around with while I work anyway, but if I did it's out of my hands in there. It's unprofessional to spend your time at work on your phone. That game of online scrabble or texting your bff can wait till you are off the clock. Especially when people are in a position where they have to interact with customers and they're on their phones instead of helping the customers. The world will keep spinning if you don't respond to that e-mail about the kegger tomorrow.

[Forgettable]

Seems like an appropriate response honestly.

[IntellectuallyChallenged]

Sending someone home for using their phone sounds like a rather harsh punishment.

I'm sorry, I did forget to mention that they do get one warning before I send them home.

depends. Having to repeatedly tell someone not to do something and they keep doing it is a very valid reason to keep sending them home. Really, at the point that they keep doing it, may as well fire them.

Although if they're on break when on their phones, thats not ok to tell them to stop. Its a break!

Firing them is always an option, but like I said, I prefer to give people more chances than they probably deserve. I do have a bit of tolerance and patience. It does get frustrating sometimes, though.

[drwelfare]

Had someone that I made leave there phone in the glovebox, and they could only use it between jobs. I felt that was being lenient.

Manager at a supplier had an employee he locked their phone in his desk everyday, they got it back at lunch and after work. Seems like something that would happen in school.

If they want to use their phone instead of work give them what they want, let them not have to come to work, they can spend all day on their phone then

[belfpala]

Phones should be on silent mode, only used on breaks. Period.

Exceptions of course, like if your place allows people to use things like Spotify wjith headphones.

You have to draw the line. Warning, then three write ups, terminated. In my opinion.

What line of business?

[prwraith]

We send people home for using their phones all the time here.

The client requests anybody who deals with their customers credit card information / sensitive details not have a cell phone in use on the floor.

You use your cellphone I write you up for 90 days and send you home, do it again you're fired. It's a known rule, it's in the contract with our client and I'll be damned if we're found in breach of contract during a client visit because some jerkoff hourly employee decides to use their phone.

[IntellectuallyChallenged]

What line of business?

I manage a high volume restaurant.

We send people home for using their phones all the time here.

The client requests anybody who deals with their customers credit card information / sensitive details not have a cell phone in use on the floor.

You use your cellphone I write you up for 90 days and send you home, do it again you're fired. It's a known rule, it's in the contract with our client and I'll be damned if we're found in breach of contract during a client visit because some jerkoff hourly employee decides to use their phone.

This makes sense. I'm a little confused what you mean by "write you up for 90 days", though. Is that a probationary period?

[dacoolist]

Work with your HR team to cover your butt on the situation. Depending on the job type, you may be behind on work sending people home. If that's not the case, and you maybe have other teams doing the same job-out performing your team, this may be a good reason to think about getting new people-or finding a balance between letting the employees check the phone if it doesn't hurt performance.

You're the boss, employees should be semi-scared of you, but should have respect for you. If my boss told me to put my phone away, if I didn't do it, he would have his foot so far up my ass I would hate my job basically.

I've been working hard since I was 16, 2002-now at a very large technology company - find that balance op.

[prwraith]

I manage a high volume restaurant.



This makes sense. I'm a little confused what you mean by "write you up for 90 days", though. Is that a probationary period?

Basically it's essentially a final warning. We have a system of warnings here.

A Conversation Memo is a 30 day probationary
A Corrective Counseling is a 90 day.
A Final Warning which is a 90 day.

Doing something that directly contradicts the contract we have with the client is an instant final

[Thetruth1400]

depends. Having to repeatedly tell someone not to do something and they keep doing it is a very valid reason to keep sending them home. Really, at the point that they keep doing it, may as well fire them.

Although if they're on break when on their phones, thats not ok to tell them to stop. Its a break!

Agreed. OP, is there a reason you can't just fire these people and find new people that can adhere to the rules other than you're wanting to give them another chance?

If not, just get rid of them. I think you should do something like this; 1 verbal warning a week. If they go over that verbal warning, they get a written warning and sent home for the day. If they get three verbal warnings in one month or six in a 90 day period, they're fired. If you're not willing to fire them, maybe just cut all their hours for an entire week. They'll either get the point and stop being on their phones or quit, which seems to be something you'd prefer to actually firing them.

[Gamdwelf]

At my job people have phones out all the time nobody gives a fuck.

If they are doing their jobs just fine why are you crazy about phones?

[Ciddy]

They're using their phones for non-emergency reasons at work when they know that a) it's against policy and b) they'll get sent home if they're caught? I completely agree with what you're doing if that's the case, and I certainly don't see it as harsh.

[vindicatorx]

Sending someone home for using their phone sounds like a rather harsh punishment.

That is pretty lenient to me. I would write them up each time and after the third it would be a termination. Their personal electronic devices should not be at work, it is distracting to them and other employees.

[IntellectuallyChallenged]

Agreed. OP, is there a reason you can't just fire these people and find new people that can adhere to the rules?

Honestly, it's just a matter of training. I run a high volume deli that requires a step by step process to keep the flow of business from getting bound up. I don't have high employee turnover because I'm a firm but fair boss. The two I mention have been working for me for over 6 months and are solid employees when they aren't screwing around.

That is pretty lenient to me. I would write them up each time and after the third it would be a termination. Their personal electronic devices should not be at work, it is distracting to them and other employees.

I have written each of them up twice so far. Now they just try to be more sly about it. As I said, I've done some messed up stuff and been given chances, so I try to do the same for others.

[vindicatorx]

Firing them is always an option, but like I said, I prefer to give people more chances than they probably deserve. I do have a bit of tolerance and patience. It does get frustrating sometimes, though.

Not me I was also a manager at a high volume restaurant and was known to be strict but fair. The corporate office would send me to failing stores to clean out the riff raff employees.

[Thetruth1400]

At my job people have phones out all the time nobody gives a fuck.

If they are doing their jobs just fine why are you crazy about phones?

Because rules are rules and they're not up to the employee to decide when they're followed. He is the manager, the rule is in place, and he wants to enforce it, it's as simple as that.

Not me I was also a manager at a high volume restaurant and was known to be strict but fair. The corporate office would send me to failing stores to clean out the riff raff employees.

As it should be. There are way too many people looking for jobs to deal with the bottom of the barrel that can't follow simple rules. Fire them and open that position up for someone that actually wants to work hard and earn their paycheck.

[Elegiac]

That is pretty lenient to me. I would write them up each time and after the third it would be a termination. Their personal electronic devices should not be at work, it is distracting to them and other employees.

Realistically if they don't have phones they'll just find other ways to waste time. The vast majority of people do not do eight hours' worth of work in the average business day.