Mobile Phone Distractions at Work: How Should We Handle Ringtones and Office Etiquette?

Hi everybody,

Every day, the use of mobile phones in the office is increasing. Different types of ringtones are creating a nuisance in the office atmosphere. What should be the best policy or guideline under these circumstances? Let us debate.

Anil Anand

I don't mind mobiles in the general office area too much, but I do find some of the loud musical tones very disconcerting. I have my own phone set to discreet and "vibrate" to avoid disturbing others. My mobile is in a small leather case that loops onto my belt, so I never miss calls, but I can choose to ignore them until a more convenient time.

On the upside, it keeps the company phone bill down if people use their own mobiles!

As far as I know, I have not seen any company incorporating such policies on the usage of mobile phones. One thing that I have noticed is that whether they really need a phone or not, people own mobile phones. And believe me, the number of people using their personal phones is less while they prefer to use the office phones. Every day we see people receiving calls on their personal mobiles, cut that and make calls from their extensions or direct phones. More than a necessity, it has become a fashion, and gone are those days when people used to say "oh! you have a mobile." Instead, now they say "oh! you don't have a mobile? How do you manage? Such is the state.

Best regards,
Anuradha Karthik

Hi Anuradha,

I agree with you that by keeping personal mobile phones, employees are now more misusing the office phones. My concern is, should we start thinking of making a policy on the use of mobile phones (Personal/Official) during working hours? Should we incorporate another policy termed "Use of Mobile Phones during Office Hours," explaining who is authorized to keep them, what the ringtones should be, the volume of ringtones, use during meetings, etc.? It is becoming more of a necessity than a privilege, but it is creating more nuisance than expected. What is your opinion?

Regards,
Anil Anand

Hi folks,

Joining the discussion, I think policies should be made for using office phones. As Anuradha said, people cut the call coming on their cell and make calls from their office phones. This is the area where we can put some rules. If it still doesn't work, then we can go further because we cannot directly ask them not to attend calls or not to carry mobiles. What do you say?

Dips

Ya, maybe companies can bring in some kind of policies for mobile phone usage.

EPBAX should be configured in such a way that it logs all the calls made from each extension and generates a monthly report, which should be sent to the managers for strict evaluation. This way, they would also know who is working productively or not. (A leading MNC software consulting firm in India with 14,000 employees has this facility of logging calls from each extension!)

Also, maybe companies can specify that during office hours, phones should be put in vibrating mode or with less volume. This would be more ideal where there are more people working on the same floor. (We might not use this policy for the top management!)

Instead of making it a strict no-no, etc., during employee induction, they need to be told about this as a personal trait/behavior.

I still doubt if companies can make strict policies on the usage of mobile phones. Maybe they can go to the extent of prohibiting camera phones, but not the ringtones!

Regards,

Anuradha Karthik

We use the procedure now of phones on silent. The annoying thing is not the tone itself but when people go into meetings and leave phones on their desks ringing constantly. I work in a sales office and the rules have always been 'common sense.' If people abuse the system too much, i.e., personal calls on office phones, then something has to be put in place. We seem to be much more informal in our policies over here.

Hi, everybody.

The use of mobile phones has now become a necessity. It is a wonderful facility that is readily available. You are always in touch with your near and dear ones, your office, or colleagues.

However, my question pertains to its usage during office hours. Can we establish a policy on the use of different ringtones? Undoubtedly, it helps individuals differentiate their phones, but at the same time, it disturbs the entire atmosphere. It creates a nuisance during meetings, especially when sensitive issues are being discussed. What are the possible ways to inform senior personnel of the middle management to adhere to certain unwritten norms?

What would happen if we draft and implement a policy, and a senior-level official violates it, either knowingly or unknowingly? What actions can be taken when there is a risk that the business will suffer without this person, or if the individual holds significant influence? Management commitment seems to be situation-based and convenient for them.

Let's discuss this serious issue to find a resolution or take appropriate action under these circumstances. Does drafting a policy and implementing it with flexibility truly work, or does it worsen the situation?

Anil Anand

Hello everybody,

Mobile is another invention which is both a curse and a boon. Since banning it is not possible, we can, of course, make its use a bit restrictive, thus inculcating better civic sense in people. Loud ringtones, loud and lengthy talks only mar people's productivity and do not enhance it.

"Amrita"

Hello everybody,

Now, I believe there is a serious need for formulating and implementing a policy on the use of mobile phones during working hours. As far as office work is concerned, I still believe that we should allow the use but with limits, like attending a maximum of 2 to 3 personal calls or fixing the maximum duration. People consume productive time on just phone calls, which may or may not be of a very productive nature.

I do agree we should not restrict employees from attending personal calls, but excessive use reduces the efficiency of employees. It is a wonderful way of communication and being in touch at any moment, but let us not misuse this facility or waste time on it. The use of various ring tones should be banned during office hours; the phone should be on silent and vibrator mode.

Regards, Anil Anand