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?

Forbid or allow?

Legally, employers may prohibit the use of smartphones in the workplace, because they have the right to determine how the work is performed and with which tools it is done. A study by Wetten van de Werkvloer shows that approximately 1/3^e of employers do not allow the (private) use of mobile phones during working hours, despite the fact that 90% of employees check their mobile phones at least once a day during working hours. Almost half even do this every hour. In short, there seem to be enough arguments to ban the use altogether, right?

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 mentioned earlier, the use of smartphones can cause mutual irritation, which has a negative impact on the work culture within your organization. It may seem a bit exaggerated, but small irritations within the team can really spoil the atmosphere. Especially if no clear agreements are made by management communicated surrounding the use of mobile phones.

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 advantage of smartphone use is that it... productivity in the workplace increases. You may not have expected it, but research by Samsung and Frost & Sullivan shows that the use of smartphones saves employees time of about 58 minutes per day. There are several reasons for this, but the use of apps that help you with your work is especially influential. Consider, for example, the rise of apps such as Slack or WhatsApp, with which you can communicate quickly and effectively about projects or quickly coordinate matters if you are at a different work 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?