Many technologies aim to make our lives better and make our work lives more efficient. These same technologies create unique situations within the workplace that could reduce productivity and cause security and privacy concerns. Having effective policies related to technology and social media etiquette for employees are essential to creating a culture of understanding around these situations. Here are a few policies to consider:

By Pat Perry

In 2012 the Ohio Senate passed House Bill 99 (vote of 25-8) which would make it a secondary offense (for adults) and a primary offense for minors to text while driving. In addition House Bill 99 would prohibit drivers under 18 from using any electronic device while driving (with the exception of a GPS). Regardless of your political persuasion or your thoughts about the Bill, I hope you can agree that if you are texting while driving versus looking at the road, you increase the probability that bad things can happen. In addition to texting while driving, here are a couple of other offenses that seem to only be getting worse:

• Texting while interviewing (yes, believe it or not…this is happening with some of our member companies).
• Texting while attending seminars or business events. Instructors and keynote presenters tell us that they are seeing more and more of this behavior.
• Texting while in a meeting. Equally as rude as texting at a seminar – but apparently much more challenging as the individual texting has a harder time hiding their mobile device while seemingly paying attention to the meeting.
• Texting while engaged in a one-on-one conversation. I have seen this happen several times and consider it the crème de la crème of texting addiction.
• Texting Receptionists. The “best” is when a Receptionist greets you and then asks you to hold on for a minute so they can finish their text “conversation”.

The text addiction does not discriminate based on age…seems like everyone is in the game. Next time you are at a stoplight, count the number of cars where the drivers are either texting or not using hands free technology to talk on the phone. Scary stuff.

If you text or call while driving, do us all a favor - please turn the phone off until you get to your destination. If you are one of those that believes that you can text/call without incident while driving, just check out the local, regional or national stats relative to accidents/deaths related caused by texting/cell phone usage – it’s sobering. 

It’s one thing to be rude texting in a business environment…it’s another to kill or hurt someone because of it.