Mobile Phone Use.

[hammerman]

Wife looks after a care home and she has imposed a mobile phone ban on the staff as they are abusing the use of them.

Some of the carers have kicked up a stink saying they should be allowed to use them on breaks. These are paid breaks.

Do the staff have a point, are they allowed to use the phone (for facebook etc) in paid breaks or is my wife correct in imposing the ban.

Cheers

[jourdain2]

I don't know the legal situation, but I would have thought that it was reasonable that the staff could use their phones during their breaks. Personally I feel that they would be better chatting to each other, but a break from work is a break from work.

[Islay]

It is their break, they can use them in their breaks but not at other times. She would have to have a very valid point for not allowing them to use them in their own time.

[TheChair]

If the phones belong to the staff it's difficult to see how they can be abusing them in their breaks. I can understand banning their use while the staff are working, but during breaks (paid or not) would seem to be overbearing, and certainly not conducive to good worker relations.

[Gizmonster]

I'm with everyone else on this - no phones during work, but when they're on a break, they're not working, so it's up to them how they spend their time.

[diddlydo]

As long as they don't over-run on their official break time, there's no problem about using their phones then. Does your wife want a good relationship with her staff or not?

[EcclesCake]

The staff have every right to use their phones on their break, not whilst on their shift though. Your wife's approach is unlikely to garner a supportive team of workers.

[rockyracoon]

I'm with everyone else on this. What if they need to make some sort of contact during the work day? Though what they actually use it for is irrelevant and so is the fact that it is a paid break.

[cassa333]

Agree they should be able to use them in breaks away from work stations and work areas.

Perhaps your wife should look at safeguarding vulnerable people.

Is there a photo policy in place?
Is there a social media policy in place?

[Prudie]

well i can see they should be free to use them in their breaks but it depends what for. Calls/texts fine but if it's logging on using the work wifi that may be a different issue.

[Peter Pedant]

she should say sh has had a think about it
and they can use them on breaks

[TWR]

The last job I had was with persons that had L.D. and needed constant care, Mobiles were banned in working times at it could effect your duty Eg/ if the Service user wanted Immediate care such as Toileting.

[ummmm]

On breaks, TWR!!. When I worked in a hospital I would take my phone etc and get off ward on break time.

Someone else should be there to cover...

[whiskeryron]

The answer is quite simple rely if you think about it. Before cell /mobile phones came on the scene would people be using the company land line during working hours ? As most A/Bers have said they should be allowed to use their own phones in their break time but make sure they finish when they are back at their station.

[TWR]

The Breaks we had Ummmm was not consistent, it was a case of, a brew that was left, half a sarni that was left, Service User came first, but there was people that thought different.

[ummmm]

They don't have to be consistent, TWR, but when you do take a break you should be able to take your phone. If they need you back for any reason they can call you.

[TWR]

God Morn Ummmm, just Google the use of mobiles in the workplace, there are many conditions by the Employer.

[woofgang]

When my bit of the NHS banned smoking, they couldn’t ban it during paid or unpaid breaks. What they did was banned it on the premises and banned people from smoking in uniform even if the uniform was covered. In practice this meant changing and going off site for any break they wanted to smoke in and most people didn't bother. Personally i think she is a bit harsh banning it on breaktime...is there a reason?

[ummmm]

Yes...many companies will not allow phone use on their time, and rightly so, but will do on breaks, paid or not.

[ummmm]

Woof...did people stick to it? I still see hospital staff having a smoke in their uniforms even though it was apparently banned.

In the hospital I worked (Psych) the smokers used to be able to smoke with the patients. That was stopped and they put up smoking points.

For obvious reasons mobile phones were not allowed on wards but we could do what we wanted on our breaks.

[TWR]

Not wanting to be awkward on this Subject Ummmm, the employer's are well within their right to ask the Employee on their break to go out of their premises to use their Mobile.