We're all sometimes bothered by a colleague's smartphone use, right? In addition, we are often guilty of checking our cell phone during a meeting. A large majority of Dutch employees are very annoyed by colleagues who are texting or using Facebook while at work. 31% say they are even annoyed by green and yellow. The Australians even came up with a word for it: phubbing, a contraction of phone and snubbing. The discussion about whether smartphone use should be banned in the workplace regularly rears its head. In a world where private and work life are largely intertwined, the smartphone has become an indispensable part of our lives, but does it benefit productivity, or not?
Smartphones: ban or allow?
Legally, employers are allowed to prohibit the use of smartphones in the workplace, as they have the right to determine how work is performed and with which tools. A study by Wetten van de Werkvloer shows that approximately one-third of employers do not permit the (private) use of mobile phones during working hours, even though 90% of employees check their phones at least once a day during work. Almost half even do so every hour. In short, there seem to be sufficient arguments to ban use altogether, don't you think?
The question we have to ask ourselves is whether it is still realistic in 2018 to deal so rigorously with a phenomenon that largely influences our private and business lives. In a labor market that is becoming increasingly tight for employers, the question is whether it will help your chances of finding top talent if you have a strict smartphone policy. This will be a big turnoff, especially for young generations.
The pro's and con's
Using smartphones definitely has some disadvantages. However, there are also important advantages. To get a good idea of the scope of this social discussion, we have listed the pros and cons.
Cons
Concentration problems
The frequent use of a smartphone undoubtedly causes distraction and therefore concentration problems. Especially among younger generations who already suffer a lot from distractions in their environment. If someone is sensitive to this, it can reduce the quality of the work and efficiency.
Mutual irritations
As previously mentioned, the use of smartphones can cause mutual irritation, which negatively impacts the work culture within your organization. It may seem a bit exaggerated, but minor irritations within the team can genuinely ruin the atmosphere. This is especially true if management fails to communicate clear agreements regarding mobile phone usage.
security risk
In a world where hacking is becoming increasingly prevalent and privacy legislation is being greatly tightened, mobile phones are a major threat to security. Many employees also have their company email on their private mobile phone, without always protecting it with a password (because it is such a hassle to unlock every time). If you think about the consequences that can have, the safety risk is clear, right?
Benefits
Increase productivity
The biggest and most important benefit of smartphone use is that it increases productivity in the workplace. You might not have expected it, but research by Samsung and Frost & Sullivan shows that using smartphones saves employees about 58 minutes of time per day. There are several reasons for this, but the use of apps that assist you with your work has a particularly significant impact. Consider, for example, the rise of apps like Slack or WhatsApp, which allow you to communicate quickly and effectively with each other about projects or quickly coordinate matters when you are working from a different location.
IT costs
Although the use of smartphones poses a risk to the security of your data, it also represents a cost saving. The technical level of the modern smartphone is so high that your company does not always have to purchase expensive IT technologies.
A policy for use and safety
As is often the case, the situation is not black or white. Simply banning smartphones in the workplace is not an option as it will hinder the development of your company. However, simply allowing it completely can also cause problems. The key lies with management. As an employer you are directly responsible for the positive or negative effects. Therefore, ensure there is a clear policy that makes it clear to everyone within the organization what the attitude towards smartphones is. This way you prevent discussions, irritations and safety problems.
Research by Citrix and METISfiles shows that only just under 40% of companies have a policy on the use of smartphones in the workplace. What about your company?
