# Interest group forums > Food Industry Forum > [Question] House Rules for using cellphones

## AmithS

What are you house rules with regards to staff making use of there cellphones and having visitors during work hours ??? (Not lunch breaks but actual work hours)

Thanks,,

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## AndyD

I don't allow either unless it's business related. I let the odd sms slip through but if it's a regular occurance I tell them to keep it to emergencies only.

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## adrianh

Depends on the industry. I had my car's wheel alignment done once - every time the manager turned his back the worker would pull the cell phone out and either make a call or SMS. It got so bad that he nearly dropped the thing that clamps onto the wheel because he had the phone tucked in between his head and shoulder. I, the customer, crapped on him and asked his manager to do something about it before he damages my car or breaks the equipment.

I think one needs to be reasonable. There are times when people need to communicate - they need to see doctors, deal with family issues etc. You can see very quickly whether it is being abused. One of my married staff members went through a stage where he had a girlfriend on the side. They would SMS and talk all the time. I took him aside and gave him a lecture on working hours etc - we ended up talking about the situation with the wife and girlfriend. Seems that the girlfriend dissapeared very quickly as well as the cell phone communications.

Visitors, again, it depends on the frequency and the nature of the visit. If the odd person comes by to deliver something or collect  key... etc... that is ok, but if the buddy comes by every day to talk twang then you need to deal with it. 

An interesting aside is people that talk all the time. I had an employee that would talk non-stop. Some people are able to multi-process. My wife and I can talk and work without having to look at each other. This guy's would look at whoever he was talking ot and his hands would stop moving when his mouth started moving. I had to tell him to shut up and get on with it on many occasions. I eventually let him go because he was such a disruption to the workplace. 

Another employee, a girl, spent the whole day on Facebook, SMS'ing and talking crap on the cell phone. She doubled my internet bill in one month. I gave her a talking to but she was really thick skinned. It was also problematic because her mother is a close friend. Thankfully she left of her own accord, I sure would have helped her along if she didn't. The occasional disconnection of her network connection or jamming the cellphone signal would be just the thing. 

I think that many people actually don't realize how much time they spend "communicating" with the outside world. The best is to talk to them to make them more aware.

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Dave A (11-Dec-10)

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## AmithS

Heres the thing.

I allowed it at first if time permitted but its now becoming a regular thing and if we ask an employee to do something they would rather finish the conversation first and then do what they need to so i said no more calls.

Then we had a lady we started training on the till and we gave her a talking to 1 day due to some issues.  the next day after serving a customer 2 friends of hers walks into the shop and as she is talking to them the customer wanted to order something extra.  Instead of going to help the lady she sends the lady to my wife for help and continued her conversation with her friends  :EEK!: 

So now i have put a stop to that as well. (and stopped training the lady on the till)

I just wanted to know what others do in these types of senarios.

Thanks all

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## adrianh

I think that you need to draw up a job spec. The job spec should clearly state the rules and they should sign the document. If they agree to sign the document and they then break the rules I think you should be able to apply standard labour laws and take appropriate action. Your new employee should be on probation and you should be able to tell her to hit the road.

You could always purchase a cell phone jammer and jam her signal when the need arises.

It is your house and they play by your rules - if they don't then they can leave.

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## tec0

I remember dealing with something like this once, it is simple, mobile phones off during work hours use the excuse and say it is for security reasons because it can be especially if the person deals with customers, appointments, bookkeeping and money in general. 

Same rule apply with friends, friends are not allowed to enter the facility or shop because it may cause trouble for the establishment and may even be a security risk. Put it in your policy and tell your employees the reasons and let them sign it. 

The deal is done.

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## adrianh

> Same rule apply with friends, friends are not allowed to enter the facility or shop because it may cause trouble for the establishment and may even be a security risk.


Bit counter productive if you are running a take away fish shop!

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## tec0

At first yes, but really no... See this have been the biggest problem for Casinoâs and the like. Some friends will slip each other a little this and a little that so you will in the end save money by setting down the rule. They can order something pay for something and go eat it drink it or use it and leave just like any normal customer if they are not buying they are trying to score and it is you that will pick up the bill...

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## Dave A

Reading that last bit got me thinking - if a member of staff's friends come for a meal, who should be waiting on them, the friend staffer or someone else?

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## tec0

If you have the luxury then it would be preferable for the friend to be helped by someone else, but when it comes to someone working at the cash-register then and you only have the one then that can be a problem. 

In the end just tell them your friend can buy something but they cannot hang around. And please set up a security camera at the register make it 2 because you will get robbed eventually... 

Case and point, a K*C used to get robbed on the end of a month, well investigations turned out that a staff member working the cash-register SMS her âfriendâ to rob the place when there was a few thousand in the cash-register. 

It is not the first time that happens it will not be the last time so why risk it?

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## garthu

I reckon theres a fine between unreasonable and reasonable and the reality to me is it it depends on the industry! If you are front of sales, first contact etc, distraction is a major problem. If its a techy, then surely more space?? One of my guys is a real ladies man... we all get a good a laugh out of it but he gets the job done, and still ends up with meeting the ladies later.

My REAL concern is that he is such a mover, the risks behind that are food for thought! He may not be around in a year or 2 and the training then is gone.

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