What is a work cell phone policy?
A cell phone work policy is a set of guidelines that establishes rules for cell phone use during business hours. Your employees should be able to read your work cell phone policy and understand what you expect of them when using their personal cell phones at work.
Related: Company Policies: 17 Policies to Consider for Your Business
Reasons to have a cell phone policy
Cell phone usage may affect certain parts of your company’s day-to-day workflow. Here are several reasons to have a cell phone policy in place at your company:
- Safety: Whether your office is in a warehouse or call center, there may be hazards in the workplace. Using a cell phone when operating heavy machinery or even while doing routine things such as walking up or down stairs could result in injuries.
- Customer service: To provide the highest level of customer service, employees should pay attention to customers and show that they’re accessible and available to clients who come in the door.
- Productivity: With a cell phones at work policy in place, employees have guidelines for when they can take breaks and check their phones for calls, texts, social media or news. This reduces distractions and makes the workplace more productive.
- Security: When an employee is using their cell phone at work, they may connect to the company’s Wi-Fi, leaving your company vulnerable to unwanted network access, or they could even cause a security breach. In fact, according to one survey, 60% of respondents think that mobile devices are their company’s biggest IT security threat.
The basics of a cell phones at work policy
When writing your company’s cell phone at work policy, review current regulations to determine what’s required in your state. Here are some questions to consider:
- Do your employees supply their own cell phones for work?
- Do you expect employees to be available remotely for their jobs?
- Are there safety concerns for employees using phones at work?
- Should there be guidelines for personal cell phone use versus business cell phone use? (If you pay for business cell phones, you may stipulate what types of calls can be made. Some companies allow for a reasonable number of personal calls during travel as a courtesy.)
- Are there privacy and security concerns with the use of cell phone cameras in the workplace?
Related: How to Implement HR Policies
Three best practices for a cell phone at work policy
Here are three suggestions to consider when creating your cell phone policy:
Equip employees for work
Many employees use their cell phones for work-related tasks, such as storing contacts, taking photographs that help them with business-related tasks, performing work-related research, keeping calendars, using apps that enhance productivity and texting with colleagues who are out of the office on business. If cell phones make your employees more productive, write policies that acknowledge their use for work while requesting that they use common sense to avoid distractions.
Related: Giving Employees Business Cell Phones: Best Practices
Communicate clearly
Communicate your cell phone at work policy in your employee handbook, as part of onboarding and on your company intranet. Have team members confirm they’ve been given this information via signature or email verification. You may also wish to post the policy in a visible area, such as the break room. Make yourself available to answer any questions.
Write clearly. Your policy should state when and where employees are allowed to use their cell phones and if there are any disciplinary actions for violations. A clear set of guidelines reduces miscommunication.
Address cell phone use on the road
It’s important to write cell phone policies that cover employees at work and during business travel. Consider the following for safety:
- Prohibit all texting while driving and label vehicles as text-free zones.
- Ensure there are no work procedures or duties that make it necessary for employees to text while driving.
- Communicate safe practices. For example, phones should be set to “silent mode” when driving and calls sent to voicemail. If drivers receive important phone calls, they should be required to pull over before answering calls.
- Remove incentives or systems that might make employees text while driving.
How to write a work cell phone policy
Here are some points to include when writing a work cell phone policy for your business:
- Purpose: Explain why there is a cell phone work policy and the effects that cell phone usage can have on the workplace.
- Expectations: Outline what you expect of all employees regarding their phone use. Don’t leave room for misinterpretation in this section of your policy. Instead, include specific examples. Make sure your employees know when they may use their cell phones during the workday and where they can use them, such as in the break room.
- Consequences: Notify employees of the repercussions of not following your cell phone policy. Craft a graduated system that includes a warning first so people can learn to adhere to the new rules.
Cell phone policy examples
Consider using one of these examples to guide your company’s cell phone policy:
Cell phone policy example #1
The purpose of this cell phones at work policy is to form a work environment that is productive and free of distractions.
All employees must operate under this policy, regardless of position. It is the company’s expectation that all cell phones will be off or on silent during normal business hours so normal workflow remains undisturbed. It is expected that employees will only use their personal cell phones for emergencies or while taking an unpaid break. For safety, while operating a motor vehicle or other heavy machinery for the company, employees must refrain from using their cell phones.
Failure to follow this cell phone policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Cell phone policy example #2
The purpose of this cell phone policy is to create consistency in our workplace operations, including how we minimize distractions and allow for our normal workflow to continue. When personal cell phones are used in the workplace, it can put the company at risk.
Although we recognize the need to have personal cell phones at work, employees should use them only intermittently or outside of working hours. When using cell phones, employees should move away from colleagues to prevent distractions. Cell phones are not to be used to record or share confidential company information or use the company’s network to download illegal or inappropriate materials from the internet.
Our company reserves the right to monitor your cell phone usage and take disciplinary action up to and including termination for more serious violations.
Cell phone work policy FAQs
Should there be a different policy for the company and personal cell phone use?
Whether there should be one work cell phone policy for company phones and another for personal phones depends on how your employees use their phones and whether personal cell phone use is part of their jobs. Companies may wish to have a separate business-owned cell phone at work policy that discusses whether employees can install apps or browse the internet for personal use on the phone while not at work.
Should policies be the same for all employees?
Policies depend on your business and the types of jobs staff members perform. For example, if the majority of your employees work in manufacturing and handle heavy equipment, a uniform cell phone policy that addresses safety concerns is appropriate. However, if you also employ salespeople who frequently interact with clients, the same cell phone at work policy may not be practical. Consider job types and create job-specific policies to keep everyone safe and productive.
How can you enforce a work cell phone policy?
Establish a disciplinary procedure for all your policies. Many employers start with verbal warnings, escalate to written warnings for second violations and consider other disciplinary actions when policies are repeatedly violated. No matter how you choose to enforce your cell phone work policy, document all disciplinary actions you take.
Can a company have a no-cell phone at-work policy?
A no cell phone at work policy typically prohibits employees from using their cell phones at any time during the work day. Your business can create this type of strict work cell phone policy, but keep in mind that for many people, cell phones are an important part of life. Completely prohibiting the use of personal cell phones in the workplace could hinder recruitment efforts, reduce employee morale or increase turnover.