Right now, cell phones are the cigarettes of this decade. It's an addiction. And just like cigarettes are banned from some places, so are cells banned in organisations. I think every organisation should go on a similar and firmer line.
Prior to the cell phone, the way we dressed communicated who we were in the workplace. Now, what ring tone someone has, how often the cell phone rings, how we respond to it when it rings… These are defining personality types in the office, which makes them harder to regulate than matters that aren't part of our bodies and psyches, says a cell phone etiquette researcher.
The cell phone etiquette problem is a serious issue in the workplace. It’s not only our phones ringing and others having to listen to one-sided conversations, they are also bad mobile manners. Checking for text messages when talking to someone has the same effect as checking your watch or yawning – it implies that you’re bored and don’t have your full attention on the opposite person (whether a co-worker or the boss).
To make sure your mobile habits do not annoy your co-workers, try to implement the following: make sure your cell phone is off or on silent mode during meetings; do not answer calls or send texts or e-mails unless it is strictly necessary; do not choose an annoying ring tone; do not leave your cell phone on the table in vibrate mode; ask your employer or HR department to provide a policy on the appropriate use of mobile devices in your workplace.
It is vital that we make sure mobile devices enhance our working lives without impinging on them
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