Photo credit: www.smallbusiness.chron.com/Do you allow workers to use cell phones on the job?
Many businesses and companies frown on the idea of an employee playing on his or her phone during work hours. However, what if the employee is doing more than just “playing”?
I have found allowing your co-workers to stay connected is not always a bad thing.
A variety of apps have been created for landscapers and companies to use on a daily basis. Whether it is an app for water and maintaining, looking up plant varieties or determining sunlight angles, workers could start using apps on their own phones to help them on each project.
There is a fine line when it comes to trusting your employees to use phones properly. Some may abuse the right of having a cellphone on site.
However, there are few solutions if an employer is nervous about allowing employees to have cellphones. First, you can always invest in having one or two individuals, maybe a manager or lead operator, have a company cellphone.
According to an article from operationstech.about.com, there are several benefits of giving an employee a cellphone.
One of the biggest benefits I see is allowing a line of open communication when a situation gets dangerous. There could be an accident on the road, an accident on the job site or even a machine emergency.
Most likely, that employee who has a company cellphone is going to have the phone charged, ready to go and be used responsibly.
The right employee will respect an employer’s decision to trust him/her with a cellphone.
Secondly, you can create a cellphone policy, which will hold the individual responsible if he/she decides to use a cellphone at work.
Landscaping crews are spread far and wide across cities, and communication is a key factor in keeping a business alive. It’s a worthwhile investment in time or money to help out employees, keep the playing field fair between employees and monitoring situations without being overprotective.
