Cell phones infiltrating the workplace
Toolbox
By Bruce Edwards Herald Staff - Published: July 4, 2005
Cell phones have been almost like a fifth appendage — they're glued to our ears keeping us in virtual communication at almost anyplace at anytime.
But cell phones can also infringe on the privacy and personal territory of others in public places from restaurants and concert halls to public modes of transportation.
In the workplace, cell phones have also presented problems, forcing some companies across the country to adopt rules restricting or prohibiting their use.
According to a Society for Human Resource Management 2004 survey, 40 percent of companies had a written policy in place that addresses the use of regular cell phones; 48 percent had no written policy; and 12 percent said a written policy would be in place within six months. Fewer companies had addressed the use of camera phones with only 7 percent of organizations surveyed having a written policy in place.
In Vermont, however, problems with cell phones appear to be limited and as a result few companies have written policies.
Like most companies, Central Vermont Public Service Corp. relies on the common sense of its employees.
"We don't have a specifically worded policy but we use the same general policy that relates to productivity, whether it's taking phone calls on your regular phone, hanging around the proverbial water cooler for extended periods of time or whatever," said CVPS spokesman Stephen Costello.
Because CVPS makes extensive use of pagers, Costello said employees usually set them on vibrate and do the same with their personal cell phones.
While the company hasn't had any cell phone issues, Costello said the company is always monitoring the latest technology to see if it needs to make any changes to its policies.
GE Aircraft Engines in Rutland is one company that does have a formal cell phone policy in place. "We do allow the use of cell phones in non-work areas during non-working hours," said GE spokesman Gerald Peterson.
Peterson said that employee cell phones with picture or imaging capability are strictly prohibited from being taken on the premises of the plant, which makes commercial and military jet engine parts.
At Ben & Jerry's, the only policy is "respect for others," said company spokeswoman Chrystie Heimart.
Heimart said one employee put up a sign near one of the work areas that discourages people from using their cell phones. That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't occasional problems
"We still have people whose cell phones go off during meetings and we roll our eyes at them," Heimart said.
IBM, the state's largest private employer, hasn't encountered any problems either.
" ... given the type of the building, cell phones don't work all that well throughout the facility so that's a natural limiting factor," said Jeffery Couture, spokesman for the Essex Junction plant that employs 6,000 workers.
"I'm unaware of a clear stated cell phone policy primarily because cell phone use throughout the workplace hasn't been noticeable or an issue for us," Couture said.
In the chip plant's manufacturing environment use of personal cell phones is limited from a practical standpoint.
State government doesn't have any hard and fast rules either, said Denise Casey, spokeswoman for the Agency of Administration.
"What we do have is human resources has a code of conduct … (that) states that employees must devote their full time and attention to their work duties during working hours," Casey said.
At Omya Inc., the Proctor-based calcium carbonate company, it's not a problem.
"We can't get cell phone coverage here," said Omya spokeswoman Christie Harris.
Contact Bruce Edwards at bruce.edwards@rutlandherald.com.
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