Can You Hear Me Now? Be CLEAR to Prevent Cell Phone Problems on Your Crews
Is cell phone out of control on any of your crews? Maybe you have witnessed employees using cell phones while operating bucket or winch trucks. Would you like to prevent this type of behavior? With 95% of all employees carrying cell phones on the job, they have become a distraction, which leads to less productivity and more risk to employee safety. In this you will receive a couple of tools to add to your mental toolbox. Use these tools to keep cell phone usage to a minimum without being a micro-manager. The end result is a safer, more productive and happier workplace. Doesn't everyone want that? The tools come in the form of 3 phrases that begin with the word clear.
Clear Expectations
So how do you get started in preventing cell phone abuse on your crews? Use this first tool, clear expectations. Start with your company's cell phone policy, your company has one it? The cell phone policy should spell out exactly when and where cell phones are allowed or not allowed to be used. My biggest pet peeve with phones is employees using them while operating a bucket or winch truck. I never liked my gloving partner to get vibrated or the phone ring while we were working on primary. Lineman like loud noises while they are gloving. Someone being startled by a phone is not a good thing. I would make sure that my phone was left in the truck cab and ask them to make sure theirs was also. The same goes for operating a winch truck, a phone is just another distraction to the critical work going on. Make sure your policy spells out this exact scenario. Another cell phone no-no is during job briefings, how can you pay attention to what is going on when you are distracted a phone conversation? No phone calls during job briefings. Here in it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving a vehicle, fines are high also, going into the hundreds of dollars. It is very tempting to answer a phone when you are driving, especially trouble men or supervisors who depend on their phones to conduct business. Break the bad habit, answer it when you are at a complete stop, off the roadway. Many are moving to a paperless Work Order management system where the men will be working with an Ipad or similar device. Time-sheets, completing orders etc. are now being completed in the field. Make sure it is in the policy. You might have to update your company's policy to keep up with technology and the utility industry. By the way, being the leader it is critical you model the correct behavior. The easiest way to lose credibility with people is you breaking the policy yourself.
A good company cell phone policy sets the stage to prevent cell phone abuse on the job. It probably doesn't cover everything but it is a good place to start. Chrystal clear expectations are your first tool, what else can you do to prevent cell phone problems? Try this next tool.
Clear Feedback
It is not enough to have a policy, you as a leader must give clear feedback to your employees. Talk to them about the phone policy and what you expect from them. This needs to be done on a regular basis. Talk about the cell phone policy monthly, add it to the crews pre-job briefing to keep it in their minds every day. Nothing like mentioning it at every job to get it at the forefront of their minds. Tell them when it is OK to use the phone. Scheduled breaks and lunch are good times to look at your phone. Designate areas and place signs in the base-yard so employees can get into a "phone safe zone." If they have to talk on the phone, this gets them away from any loading or unloading of trucks. Tell them what you expect them to do when their phone rings on the job. If it's not a family emergency let it go to voicemail. Get them to set up an to have the person text them with a message, that way the employee can call back when it's OK to use their phone. When you notice good behavior make sure you mention it, many times praise does a lot more good than being critical all the time. Again, make sure you give clear feedback on the clear expectations you have set. Now we have come to the final tool, it's no ones favorite but it is necessary.
Clear Consequences
We all have the one or two employees that don't want to listen. As soon as we say something, they are doing the exact opposite. So what do you do? You have to have clear consequences. In my Lineman I saw many blanket rules put in place because one or two people would not comply with company policies. Why was I, one of the ones who complied being punished? I was following the policy. Now that I have some oversight I don't like to put blanket rules into place. I try to deal with the individuals or outliers as my manager likes to call them. I also like to follow the old saying, the first time you might have forgotten, maybe even the second time you forgot, but the third time you are just refusing to do it. This is a way of dealing with the individuals who don't comply without punishing everyone. This can help you and it leads to a culture of accountability. This way might also lead to disciplinary action for those who won't comply, but the way I look at it, I gave you choices to comply and you refused to do it.
There we have the 3 tools, put them in your safety toolbox and use them to protect your employees and build a happier, safer workplace. Aloha
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