Published on Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007
'CELLPHONES are the cigarettes of this decade!' scream human resource experts as mobile phone usage is going totally over-the-top and spiralling out of control.
Well, to mobile addicts nothing else seems to matter. They consider a cell phone a carte blanche to lambast others with annoying ringtones and banal conversations. A recent survey shows that 78 per cent people observe poor cell phone etiquette at least once every day, yet 98 per cent rate their own cell phone behaviour as courteous or somewhat courteous.
The hallowed portals of the workplace are not spared of the travesties either. Though wireless telephone technology is a boon for getting in touch with clients, colleagues or bosses anywhere, anytime, its boorish misuse is corrupting even basic courtesies. A cacophony of ringtones distracts employees every other second; they have no choice but to unwillingly eavesdrop on colleagues' strident discussions of dinner menus with their children, haggling with a hired-help or ugly marital squabbles. Some go as far as answering cell calls in the middle of a meeting, in fact as Mary Westheimer, founder of Bookzone.com says, `At a Publishers Marketing Association conference, when a panel member was presenting his part of the event, his cell phone rang and he stopped his presentation to answer his phone!'
Mobiles with built-in cameras and voice-recorders are compounding the already severe problem. Employees do not think twice before surreptitiously taking pictures of colleagues or customers. Not to mention the alarming hazards of employees photographing confidential information and trade secrets or recording classified discussions.
To overcome the thorn in their side, organisations have to lay down the law with specific company policies dictating cell phone usage. Some companies have taken the drastic step of banning mobiles in the workplace. It is however advisable to be proactive and set guidelines defining their usage. For instance, they can establish parameters like `ringer disabled' or prohibit them near proprietary documents and processes. Whatever be the policy, it should be clearly communicated and strictly enforced. Contravention should lead to loss of privilege, disciplinary procedures or even termination.
As mobile phones become ubiquitous, policies alone cannot curb inconvenience and inefficiency. Employees have to conscientiously check their addiction and keep it within the realms of polite courtesy. Here's what Miss Manners has to say:
The 'silent' way - The voguish ringtone maybe music to your ears, but it can be irritating and disruptive for others. To avoid the discomfiture, keep the cell phone on `vibrator' mode. Else, set the ringer at a low level with a tune that is soft, gentle and not annoying. Even when you are immersed in work, avoid disturbances and let your calls go to voicemail.
'Cell yell' - 72 per cent people feel that the worst cell phone habit is having loud conversations in public. Still, most people instinctively bellow into their handsets to attract attention or surmount weak connections. But, a cellphone is armed with a sensitive microphone that can pick up soft sounds. So, be sensitive to the needs and comforts of others and speak in a civil, pleasant tone. Try to keep your voice low and discreet by directing your face down and slightly into the chest.
Buffer zone - Due to the proximity in the shared workspace, colleagues cannot help but overhear shocking and confidential revelations. Ensure privacy by stepping away from others and maintaining at least a ten feet distance while attending to calls. Avoid answering the phone if the conversation is either impossible or inappropriate. Also, do not air dirty laundry by indulging in angry outbursts, intense arguments, emotional discussions, intimate dialogue or other personal drama.
Face time - Interrupting a face-to-face interaction to answer a phone is a strict no-no. You cannot expect someone - be it your superior, colleague or subordinate, to hang around twiddling their thumbs while you chatter on. If it's urgent, politely excuse yourself before taking the call and wrap it up quickly.
Meeting protocol - Experts even advice against carrying mobiles to a meeting as any call can wait until the meeting is over. Still, if you are expecting an urgent one, keep the mobile on vibrator and apologise, `I am sorry but I have to take this call' before answering it.
Flaunt-n-flash - Many try to impress others by brandishing fancy mobiles. Suppress the `show off' tendency using it inconspicuously and try to avoid phone attention. Use it to stay in touch without attracting unnecessary attention.
Voyeurism - Before amusing yourself by taking offensive or confidential pictures, beware of the heavy price of litigious implications.
So, craft a winning personality by suavely managing your mobile phone for success with a proper ringtone, appropriate timing and savvy response to it when it rings. As writer Matt Krumrie warns, `Keep in mind that constantly checking your cell phone, fielding personal calls or checking text messages is a clear sign to your boss that you either don't take your job seriously or don't have enough work to do.
If that is the case don't be surprised if you are using your cell phone for something else in the near future - finding a new job!'
Well, to mobile addicts nothing else seems to matter. They consider a cell phone a carte blanche to lambast others with annoying ringtones and banal conversations. A recent survey shows that 78 per cent people observe poor cell phone etiquette at least once every day, yet 98 per cent rate their own cell phone behaviour as courteous or somewhat courteous.
The hallowed portals of the workplace are not spared of the travesties either. Though wireless telephone technology is a boon for getting in touch with clients, colleagues or bosses anywhere, anytime, its boorish misuse is corrupting even basic courtesies. A cacophony of ringtones distracts employees every other second; they have no choice but to unwillingly eavesdrop on colleagues' strident discussions of dinner menus with their children, haggling with a hired-help or ugly marital squabbles. Some go as far as answering cell calls in the middle of a meeting, in fact as Mary Westheimer, founder of Bookzone.com says, `At a Publishers Marketing Association conference, when a panel member was presenting his part of the event, his cell phone rang and he stopped his presentation to answer his phone!'
Mobiles with built-in cameras and voice-recorders are compounding the already severe problem. Employees do not think twice before surreptitiously taking pictures of colleagues or customers. Not to mention the alarming hazards of employees photographing confidential information and trade secrets or recording classified discussions.
To overcome the thorn in their side, organisations have to lay down the law with specific company policies dictating cell phone usage. Some companies have taken the drastic step of banning mobiles in the workplace. It is however advisable to be proactive and set guidelines defining their usage. For instance, they can establish parameters like `ringer disabled' or prohibit them near proprietary documents and processes. Whatever be the policy, it should be clearly communicated and strictly enforced. Contravention should lead to loss of privilege, disciplinary procedures or even termination.
As mobile phones become ubiquitous, policies alone cannot curb inconvenience and inefficiency. Employees have to conscientiously check their addiction and keep it within the realms of polite courtesy. Here's what Miss Manners has to say:
The 'silent' way - The voguish ringtone maybe music to your ears, but it can be irritating and disruptive for others. To avoid the discomfiture, keep the cell phone on `vibrator' mode. Else, set the ringer at a low level with a tune that is soft, gentle and not annoying. Even when you are immersed in work, avoid disturbances and let your calls go to voicemail.
'Cell yell' - 72 per cent people feel that the worst cell phone habit is having loud conversations in public. Still, most people instinctively bellow into their handsets to attract attention or surmount weak connections. But, a cellphone is armed with a sensitive microphone that can pick up soft sounds. So, be sensitive to the needs and comforts of others and speak in a civil, pleasant tone. Try to keep your voice low and discreet by directing your face down and slightly into the chest.
Buffer zone - Due to the proximity in the shared workspace, colleagues cannot help but overhear shocking and confidential revelations. Ensure privacy by stepping away from others and maintaining at least a ten feet distance while attending to calls. Avoid answering the phone if the conversation is either impossible or inappropriate. Also, do not air dirty laundry by indulging in angry outbursts, intense arguments, emotional discussions, intimate dialogue or other personal drama.
Face time - Interrupting a face-to-face interaction to answer a phone is a strict no-no. You cannot expect someone - be it your superior, colleague or subordinate, to hang around twiddling their thumbs while you chatter on. If it's urgent, politely excuse yourself before taking the call and wrap it up quickly.
Meeting protocol - Experts even advice against carrying mobiles to a meeting as any call can wait until the meeting is over. Still, if you are expecting an urgent one, keep the mobile on vibrator and apologise, `I am sorry but I have to take this call' before answering it.
Flaunt-n-flash - Many try to impress others by brandishing fancy mobiles. Suppress the `show off' tendency using it inconspicuously and try to avoid phone attention. Use it to stay in touch without attracting unnecessary attention.
Voyeurism - Before amusing yourself by taking offensive or confidential pictures, beware of the heavy price of litigious implications.
So, craft a winning personality by suavely managing your mobile phone for success with a proper ringtone, appropriate timing and savvy response to it when it rings. As writer Matt Krumrie warns, `Keep in mind that constantly checking your cell phone, fielding personal calls or checking text messages is a clear sign to your boss that you either don't take your job seriously or don't have enough work to do.
If that is the case don't be surprised if you are using your cell phone for something else in the near future - finding a new job!'
PAYAL CHANANIA
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