You walk into your workplace and see it every day … employees on their Blackberry, Palm, iPhone or Tilt. A cell phone can interrupt a meeting, is an office annoyance and can even be used at inappropriate times. However, the bottom line is that cell phones are an integral part of today’s work life. They allow for more effective and time efficient communication, and they store loads of information (calendars, address books, cameras, Web information/access and can even be GPS capable). Let’s break this down to pros and cons and see the benefit or downfall of workplace cell phones.
Cons
I’m a person who likes to hear the bad news first and then hear the good news so I can end on a high note so we’ll do just that. Will the cons of having a cell phone in the workplace outweigh the pros? Let’s duel … Round one:
-Personal use of cell phones is often an issue in many companies
-According to a Harris Interactive Survey for Randstad USA, it found that among U.S. workers, the annoying ring of a cell phone at work ranked high on the list of pet peeves (the vibrate ring cured some of these issues though!)
-Camera phones can be a security issue with confidential documents and papers
-Conducting business on your cell phone while driving … the company is liable
Pros
Although there are cons to having a cell phone in the workplace, there are pros that can warrant cell phones in world of work. Back at it … Round two:
-Employees are available to communicate instantaneously with clients/employees
-Many employees can access their companies e-mail server allowing for them to respond/react to important e-mail thus increasing their productivity
-No matter where the employee is, they can be accessed virtually at any time with a company cell phone
-Cell phones are our own personal assistant … they remind us of meetings, birthdays and addresses
-If other employees don’t like your ring, you can always download a new one!
Outcome
Every company needs to establish their own company cell phone policy that all employees abide by. What works for one company may not work for the next, but establishing a policy is important in creating a more conducive work environment for all employees. In my opinion, I think cell phones are very important in creating a more productive working environment. The quick response, the availability of the Internet, and the editing abilities that most PDA’s offer far outweigh the cons.
Devil’s Advocate
One argument that many companies need to pay close attention to is driving while talking on the company cell phone. Many studies have shown that driving and talking on a cell phone creates a dangerous situation. “Workplace cell phones: a blessing or a curse?” by Jim Evans further discusses this issue. “Most of us are aware of the dangers of mixing cell phone conversations with driving. In fact, studies have even drawn a parallel between drivers talking on a cell and those under the influence. We’ve all experienced the unwary driver chatting away, ignorant of their annoyance and danger to others. In all truthfulness, many of us shouldn’t throw stones; we’ve actually been that driver. But when employees drive and talk business on a cell phone, it’s not just the employee and other drivers at risk, the employer assumes risk as well,” the article states. Because of the dangers of talking on cell phones and driving, many states have enacted the hands-free driving laws. This is the best solution to aid this problem because it allows companies to follow the rules and also ensure that their employees are following safe measures. There are many solutions to hands-free driving, whether it be the BlueAnt Supertooth Light, the Jawbone Bluetooth Headset, or a Motorola MOTOPURE H12 headset. The options are endless for hands-free driving … and we can always help.
Closing Words
Whether workplace cell phones are annoying or beneficial is up to your own discretion … the bottom line is that they are here to stay, so we might as well embrace them.
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