Managing Mobile Use on the Shop Floor: How Can We Implement Restrictions with a Union in Place?

Dear HR People, I am from a steel plant, and our management wants to stop mobile usage on the shop floor. Please suggest the best possible solution. How can I implement this? We have a union in our organization.

Dear Colleagues, I am working with a steel plant that has one union. Management has decided that no cellphones will be allowed on the shop floor. I kindly request all of you to suggest how we can implement this rule. I look forward to your suggestions.

Regards,
Ajay

When this is a policy decision, we must be very strict about it. In my organization, people were initially allowed to take cell phones inside the plant, and suddenly a decision was made to ban it. In such cases, those who have been used to it would either protest (through Unions or individually) or would conceal phones in various ways. Talk to the Unions first on this and seek their cooperation, which we also did. The signboards will also be necessary all over the plants.

The security checks should be vigorous, and staff/supervisors at all shop floors should be entrusted with the responsibility to watch and inform the offenders. This is what we do—after a few warnings, we now impound cell phones. You know what they are doing now; once they take the cell phones inside, they keep them in their pigeonholes. They take the SIM card alone inside and use it! We have then ordered the security to conduct surprise checks in their pigeonholes.

Initially, it will be difficult, but once they realize, the cooperation of the workers will be there.

All the best.

Regards,
Ganesh

This will not be possible as in some organizations, executives are given official cell phones, and they have to use them on an emergency basis. The visiting government's top officials will also need cell phones inside the plant.

Regards,
Ganesh

Dear Ganesh, Thanks for your reply. Please let me know in which company you have implemented the same so that I can quote an example during the discussions with the union and management.

Regards, Ajay

Hi Ajay, I agree with ramanarg. For implementing this policy, you will require the full support of union members and employees. You have to convince them. If you clearly tell them what this policy means, why it is required, and how to implement it, continuous training and awareness will definitely help.

Policy Implementation Strategy

If the policy is for the betterment of employees, then people will buy into it, stick to it, and continuously and clearly communicate.

Regards,