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Allowing personal mobile phone devices in the workplace is one of those age-old questions that regularly sees debate. Some studies are fervently anti-smartphone in the workplace, and some are very much for it. There rarely seems to be any in between.
When it comes down to it, there are 3.8 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2021. As technology has advanced at rapid levels over the past few decades, mobile phones have become engrained into our daily life.
Nowadays, personal mobiles are not just used as a phone in the traditional sense. Smartphones are our alarm clocks, watches, calendars, and camera. They allow us to quickly access documents, transfer files, and act as a memory stick. We can communicate over the Internet, over the phone, or by texting and emailing.
Smartphones are so engrained into our daily life that some employers have found it very difficult to try and ban the use of personal devices in the workplace. Employees can easily sneak around the rules by using them under the desk or in the bathroom.
Instead of trying to ban smartphones in the workplace, here are a few reasons why you should let your employees keep their personal mobiles on their person.
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Shows that you trust your employees
Any good relationship is built on the foundation of trust, and an employer-employee working relationship should be no different. Allowing employees to keep their mobiles on their person shows that you trust them and trust their judgement.
By allowing them to keep their phones in their pocket, you are showing that you know they will only use their phones in an emergency, or for a reason that might benefit the productivity of the business. Showing that you trust them will boost their trust in you also.
Allows employees to self-manage their time
Many employees thrive when they are allowed to self-manage their schedules and times. Consider giving employees certain targets or goals to hit by the end of each day but let them manage their own daily schedules. Mobiles can help employees to do this.
Increased productivity
One study has shown that smartphones in the workplace can actually boost productivity. This is largely down to the use of applications, and how these apps make everyday life much more time efficient.
Employee Assistance Programme
One particularly important app is the employee assistance programme from LifeWorks. This app is comprehensive wellbeing service for your staff. Employees can download this onto their personal devices to use at home or in the office, giving them access to 24/7 counselling services and countless wellbeing tools for any kind of problems they might be having, at work or at home.
As you can see, allowing employees to keep their personal mobile devices of their person during the workday definitely has its benefits. Embracing technology in such a way, in the long run, can improve employee satisfaction, staff retention, and workplace productivity, all by placing your trust in your employees.
