“Smartphone Storm: Why It’s Alright that Your Employees Text at Work”
The Business of Furniture - 6/15/16 Edition
Stephen Says Column

 Dear Stephen:

 
 I'm a regional manager running a sales office with 14 people, and I'm having a bit of a problem with my employees. In my office I have mostly outside salespeople (you would call them manufactures reps), a couple of support people and some project managers. Half of the them are millennials and the other half are over 40. The problem is the same with everyone, no matter the age. They're always looking at their phones. Which seems to me to mean they're not working.
 
 Initially the outside-salespeople would always tell me it was a client or customer, so what could I say? Now, some people have two phones, so I don't know what to believe. Our company supplies one cell phone for everyone in outside sales for company use. We primarily use email with our clients, but everyone has a laptop in front of them, so it doesn't seem to me like there would be much reason for them to be on their phones.
 
 When I try to snoop, I feel like an old curmudgeon, but I always end up seeing the same thing on their screens: Facebook, Facebook, Facebook, a lot of texting and a smattering of dating apps. If I question anyone about stealing time from work -- and I’ve tried -- they think all I should care about is their meeting their sales goals, which most of them are doing. I just feel like when they're on their smartphones, they're disengaged from the company that is paying them -- me. Am I right or is this crazy?
 
 ~ Tired of Technology Time Wasters
 

 Tired of Technology Time Wasters,

 
 I get this question every day from business owners on my Twitter (and I hope all of you who read this are following me on Twitter @WorkplaceGuru).

Here is your answer: Whether your employees are Millenials, Baby Boomers, or Gen Xers, this is an issue that has no age or generational barrier. Whether it’s the 22-year-old on Facebook sharing a photo of what they ate for lunch, or the 40-year-old mom spying on her teen, or the 50-year-old divorcee trying to get a date on Tinder, technology has created a new distraction in the workplace. When I was a manager, the employers would feel paranoid that employees were stealing their time on a personal phone call from their desk. I bet you wish that was the only thing he had to worry about today.
 
 As you clearly know, it’s not just the social media. I’m told that employees are texting constantly, and many people who have a work phone still keep a personal phone so their bosses can’t snoop -- data charges be damned. If they’re a salesperson, a smartphone is part of their sales arsenal. They need it to stay in touch with customers and up to date on industry factors.
 
 I take a different approach to thinking about technology today in the workplace, especially when it comes to salespeople. Try to adjust to the “Viscusi point of view” -- it might make you feel better.
 
 I feel like I get twice the productivity out of my employees who are technology savvy, because they’re literally working 24/7. The same person who is on their smartphone during the workday, whether it be to see if their son or daughter won their soccer match on Facebook, or that lonely sucker who is swiping right all day on Tinder, they’re addicted to their phones. Guess what, when I send them an email at 9 at night, I know that same screen-head -- you know, those people who are always glued to their screens-- is going to see whatever pops up there next, and chances are, they’ll answer. I bet you get 30 percent more out of your employees because they’re constantly using their smartphones or computers, long after work hours.
 
 The irony is, of course, that this is why employees complain so much about work/life balance. (Apparently not your employees). We now expect our employees to answer at all hours of the night because we know they have their phones on them. And still, those employers worry about the trivial amount of time their employees spend on social media during the day. They just haven’t figured out yet that they’re getting much more back after hours from someone who is
 
 addicted to their phone, no matter what’s on it.
 
 I’ve learned that it’s very little about the “content” that comes through, it’s just the rush they get whenever they see the red bubble that they have a new message. If it’s from one of your customers who can’t sleep in the middle of the night and pops out a question, aren’t you happy your phone-addicted salesperson just couldn’t resist answering them? You win. And, believe me, your customer is thrilled to get 24/7 attention. You haven’t lost productivity, you’ve actually gained it. Just don’t tell your employees.
 
 Here is one thing you should be talking to your people about, though: They should know to never ever pull out their smartphones while in front of a customer. It is one thing to do it in front of you at work, but to do it in front of a client is a huge no-no. Not only is it flat rude, but the client will feel that whatever is on the phone is more important than them. Please spend your energy pointing this out to your staff, and maybe all of us should point it out to our families at dinner! - Stephen
 
 You can send your workplace questions to Stephen at: StephenSays@bellow.press. 
 
 Questions selected to be answered, will appear in this column. Please use the Subject: 'Stephen Says' for all emails. Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group, global executive recruiters located in New York. Follow Stephen on Twitter @WorkplaceGuru. Like Stephen on Facebook; and follow him on LinkedIn.