[Michlib-l] Employee Cell Phone use

Valerie Long valeriedlong at gmail.com
Tue Jul 2 20:10:36 EDT 2013


As someone who's worked in different organizations that have had policies
at both ends of the spectrum, I have to say, the one thing that irritated
me the most about the stricter policy, including the clause about
phones/devices remaining in lockers when "on duty", was that it felt as if
I were being treated like a child.  It wasn't even the fact that they
wanted the phone to stay in the locker, it was the way it was worded, which
made me (and others) feel as though administration was saying that I was
not an adult capable of controlling my own behavior, so they were going to
do it for me. I *am* an adult and I *am* capable of keeping my phone in my
pocket/hip pouch without needing to check it every 2 minutes.

On the other hand, the more lenient policy did not seem to encourage
overuse of anyone's cell phone. I don't recall seeing any of my colleagues
at that organization abusing the policy, but rather using it the way Nancy
and Julie both stated, to receive quick messages from children/caregivers,
etc.

I'm not an administrator so I can't speak from that side of the issue, but
as an employee, I'd say that if you do choose to go the stricter route, at
least attempt to make the wording such that it won't sound like you're
treating your employees as if they're children instead of adults.

Valerie

-- 
Valerie Long, MLIS
valeriedlong at gmail.com
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