Cell Phones at work

Wayco Wayne_2

has his own cell phone and is frequently called during work hours by friends and girlfriend. The other day he was called by his girlfriend and she talked for a long time until I asked him to cut it off. He was still working with the phone tucked into his neck but I felt he could not be focusing on his work as well as he might. I got the requisite eye roll and he said all I had to do was ask him to stop, but I didn't want to be rude or inconsiderate in case it was important. Is this a problem you face or do you have guidelines set in place concerning this. WW

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John Starcher_4

No firm policy in place.....

.....but it is something to keep an eye on! My personal feeling is that it's not a big deal, if moderation is the rule. I like to think of it as one of the benefits of working here - the boss won't be climbing up your back for making or taking a quick personal phone call.

Thirty minutes, though, is a bit extreme. If one of my guys spent a half hour, on the clock, for a personal phone call, I would expect his lunch break to be cut short, or maybe work a little past quitting time to make up for it.

Starch

Constantin

Some considerations...

... at the beginning of any professional relationship, I would sit down and have my employees sign a contract that covers a number of issues that come up during the work day. For example:

1) Cell phone usage. You and the customers aren't paying the help to stand around. Granted, exceptions for emergencies can be made, but that's why they are called exceptions. Anything beyond 5 minutes per hour is totally unacceptable.

2) No swear language. It can lose you just as many customers as a bad install. I had a framer on our job with a Moby-**** sized voice that would have had a sailor blush. Plus, his rants would go on for 15 minutes at a time, triggered by stupid stuff. Our GC, who has a lot of $$$ high end jobs probably won't use him again.

3) No radio. Again, you're not there to listen to tunes, you're there to get the heat back on. Need stimulation? Get a coffee.

4) They're getting paid for a reason, they're working. As long as they're wearing your companies sweats, uniform, whatever, they better be model citizens or you wouldn't want them working for you anyway. The boarding school I attended took that seriously. One student who misbehaved on a flight (he wanted alcohol) wore a school-emblazoned sweatshirt. An alum on the same flight later called the school, described the incident, and the student was sussed out, then expelled.

Artisanship is about taking pride in your work. That means minimizing the distractions and maximizing your attention to detail. Besides, it may save your life to hear a warning, or to notice a change in the system before it turns ugly.

Besides, those cell phone calls are expensive and distracting. It's one reason that "effective" people set aside time during the day to focus on one task alone, returning calls and the like at a later time.

Phil_6

Just today..

..I was explaining a job to one of my workers in the office and his phone rings and he starts yappin away while I'm waiting. I figure that if when I am standing right there at a job, or I stop in to check out how a job is going, and they are on the phone...how much time do they spend talking when I'm NOT there. They all have their own personal nextel phones, and I give them money for using them, but I'm really close to just getting the phones myself and banning the personal phones during work. "What if there's an emergency?'...I can hear the whining now. Well I guess your wife will do what she would have done in 1980...either figure it out herself or call the cops to go track you down.
I especially like when I try to call them and can't get through cause they're on the phone with someone else.
I'm sure everyone will be all pissed off but oh well. I'm starting to get pissed off too.

That's my take...

Phil

Geo_2

cell phone

How about throwing his punk **** off the job ????.Does'nt anyone do that anymore or am I just old school?.

Ted_9

I agree with you guys. I dont pay for someone to talk on the phone or take cigarete breaks... You get half hour lunch and a 15 minute break. Have your smoke and phone conversations then.

That bothered me when I worked for a company. Why should smokers get to go outside every hour for 5 to 10 min. to have a smoke while I would stay and work. Not fair.


PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

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Rookie_3

Hey Geo, I guess we went to the same school.

Bill Nye_2

I wouldn't pay

an employee to talk on the phone either. But what about the contractors!!!!!!!!!

If I was the customer or the GC I'd be real pissed at the contractors who are running other jobs and ordering parts for some where else on My site on My dime!!!

I worked on a job and I swear the electrical contractor was on the phone 5 hrs out of an 8 hr day. Truth, I can even provide more than one witness.

I personally find it very distracting, listening to other people's phone calls. Do you be polite and not run the drill or saw until they are done? Unbelievable one electrician asked me to stop work until he was done with his call!

Life was so much simpler back in the '70's , when only doctors had pagers. New construction in the country was so peaceful then. Like a vacation away from your wife and problems.

David_5

cell phones

I don't answer my phone if I am talking to a customer. I think it is very rude. Phone use can be a real problem and it will only get worse.
Smokers also bother me. If they only took 5 to 10 minutes for a break that might be ok. In big buildings they have to get the coat, walk to the door that has all the other smokers, the n smoke one and bs with the others. Walk back to the office put the coat away, settle back into work. All that probably takes 1/2 hour. On top of that the door they smoke at stinks. I never thought someone could make the outside smell but, smokers are able to do it.

I'm done, David

Mad Dog

I'm with you Geo

One warning and then its the door. I had several employees doing this. One guy who was with us for 4 years was so bad, he was taking calls as we were discussing the job with the homeowner. That was it. After that the rule was: Make all the calls you want at lunchtime, even one or two at the 15 minute coffee break. That's it!!!!!! Real emergencies are a different story, but it better be real. Its' rude, its dangerous and it should not be tolerated. Its typical of today's lack of respect for others...its all about ME!!!!!!!!!!!! How about these jerks in the middle of seminars and even CHURCH!!!!! At one of Dan's seminars, I guy kept taking calls. I turned around several times and gave this dude some mean looks. I was getting ready to say something and Dan stopped the whole seminar, turned to him, and said: " I guess its really important....we"ll wait...." Can you believe this jerk kept talking. He did it like 2 more times. I don't think I could ever teach a seminar because I am not that calm. Dan's saintly. Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

YEah Phil, but heads can roll when the boss gets pissed

Lay down the law and don't feel bad about it. Have a "team" meeting tomorrow!! One warning. Its hard enough to make $$$$$$$. My biggest mistake with employees has been being too tolerant and generous. Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

I leave my phone in the truck when I go in for estimates

It was one too many time that I was embarrasses at how many times the phone rang...and I didn't even pick it up. Mad Dog

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jim lockard

Ted-

I would envy the smokers. Why do they get to go outside and relax for 10 minutes out of every hour? When I would try to take a walk around the building just to escape I would get caught, makes you want to start lighting up. Best Wishes J.Lockard

rich pickering

I have the opposite "problem". I'm just a tech, but between bosses, the shop, customers, and other techs with questions, I probably spend between 1/2 to one hour a day on the phone.Yesterday I had 9 calls for 25min and 48 sec.
And I wasn't even working.Personally I would love to pitch it into a firebox.

Leo

Phones

I am an employee and own my own phone. It is used when I am on call but during the normal work day it is off. I turn it on in the van between stops to check messages or call my wife. We are issued pagers and if my wife wants me she pages and WAITS until I am clear to make a call. We have a couple young guys who were always on the phone but they eventually over did their minutes and got their phones shut off. I just can't seem to feel bad about this.

Leo

Mad Dog

Good for you Leo

I would have no problem with you, because you are respectful, moderate and discreet. Mad Dog

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Jeff Lawrence_24

my cell phone

I carry mine with me all the time, even on estimates.

If it rings, I look at the caller ID. If it's my wfie, son, daughter, or Dad, I tell te customer that it's family. I answer it with "Is this an emergency?" If not, I call them back. I had one emergency in 5 years.

99% of the calls I get, I don't answer if I'm with a customer. I let them roll to voice mail.

Jeff

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ScottMP

It really is

becoming an issiue, everybody has these things and everyone seems to need a CLASS on respect and manners.

The younger guys are shocked when you mention that they don't need their phones with them all the time.

Oh my god, I AM an old coot. I am complining about the younger kids.

Scott

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Mad Dog

Yeah, but the old coots are usually right

I'm with the old coot club then. Unfortunately, many of the baby boomers and their kids fell down on the parenting job....now the rest of us suffer. Don't stand for it, they'll learn the hard way. Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

The Timothy Leary Generation said .....

Never trust anyone over 30.......I'm 37 now....oh well, I'm an old coot. Mad Dog

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J.C.A._3

As Jimmy Buffet said,

WE are the people our parents warned us about!

I've threatened to toss my phone in the drink a few times too. Unfortunately, it is now my only phone and I do have to carry it all the time. Doesn't mean I have to answer it all the time but still carry it.

I agree with Bill Nye on his idea too. If someone asks me to stop working while they take a phone call, I tell them to take a powder. I'm here to do a job. If it's that important to you.....you leave! Chris

ScottMP

Matt

I watched a 60 minutes show the other night about the twenty years olds that are going into work.

They appear to be very hard workers, excellant team players and very goal orientated due to thier upbringing. The ideas that Everybody wins, we all get a trophy, we play as a team and group, really has defined this generation.

One executive remarked that as groups there are excellant at reaching goals but that they are lacking as individual leaders or thinking outside the box. Tell them what to do and its is acheived very well, but ask to create or think outside the norm and he felt they where lacking due to this "everybody wins" teaching.

Not saying its good or bad, I just found it interesting.

Scott

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Darin Cook_3

Scott

Before Mark and I went on our own, We worked for a company that was owned by Service Experts. S E is a company that is owned by shareholders, that is now owned by Lennox Inc. Any way, there were quite a few companies in the Capital District region in upstate NY owned by them. They used to have these big, every employee in the company meetings. They tryed to have these "Team Cheers". Similar to Wal-Mart cheers at the start of the shift. Everyone had to standup, clap your hands, chant whatever the "boss" was saying, and they tryed to whip you into this frenzy of "team work". I always remember looking at Mark with my arms folded saying " What the *****". Because at 11:00 at night trying to get someone's heat on, there is no team except for who is standing in that boiler room, and typically it was always the same guy. Being in the Military gave me the improvise, adapt, overcome mentality.

I would not worry too much about the next generation. There are individuals cut from the same cloth we are coming of age. Is there a long line of kids waiting to come into this trade? No. But there are some good ones who are. We have to find them and groom them. Wow, I feel like I have I went off on a long ramble, so all i can say is Happy New Year.



Darin

John Conway

Warn him, write it down, throw him out

I'm no lawyer, but I believe you'd be better off doing something like:

1. Have a written phone policy
2. Give a warning or two or three (per policy)
3. Document each policy infraction, save it & give a copy to the guy
4. Once the policy limit is hit, fire him

I hate those %%$#@%^&amp; phones, but they're everywhere & useful, within common sense limits (as others here have illustrated).

Peace (& quiet!)

Firedragon_4

Bottom line is

what did we do when we didn't have them?

I turn mine off as I start teaching and ask the students to do the same. I tell them I make more money than they do and I'm a one man shop. If my customers and family can wait until I take a break so can theirs. Amazingly, never had a problem, FACT!

With lawyers, insurance people and in ALL meetings it is off. Two things everyone seems to have forgotten is:
1. That you can only do one thing well at a time and
2. Someone is paying for your time.

Firedragon_4

I saw that too Scott,

but did you catch the line about how nieve these kids are about the workplace and how pampered they've been? God help us!

Mad Dog

I think a solid resource for the labor pool of tomorrow

will be prior military personell. I always prefer guys with prior, they don't f*(&(*)_(*)_(+) around. Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

Hmmmmmmm??? We'll see

I don't put too much stock in 60 minutes. Some interesting subjects at times......Mad Dog

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