Smart phones and mobile devices are a really great way for keeping in touch with employees, for scanning customer discount codes and more. However, they can also be a problem. Are they making your employees less productive?

Mobile phones can be a huge workplace distraction for many employees. When you realise how much time employees are spending on their phones you realise how much you are paying them, for playing on their phones!

Research shows that 55% of distractions in the workplace are caused by mobile devices. Meanwhile 75% of all employers say that at least two hours every day are lost to mobile device distractions. There is also a 28% in workplace mistakes after an employee gets a phone call on their mobile device.

Worrying research shows that 18-24 years olds exchange more than 100 messages every day. Are they doing this while they are being paid to work for you?

So how are mobile devices being used by your employees?

The top four reasons your employees use their phones at work is for messaging, checking the weather, reading the news and games, according to research.

It is reported that 65% of employees are guilty of messaging at work. 51% of employees are guilty of using their mobile phones to check the weather at work. 44% of employees are guilty of reading the news or social media platforms at work and 24% of employees are guilty of playing games on their phones at work.

So how can you make sure that phone distractions are not an issue in your workplace? The first thing to do is lead by example. You also need to have clear guidelines about acceptable and unacceptable phone usage in the workplace. Consider a ‘mobile devices in the workplace’ policy for your restaurant.

If you would like support in creating policies for your employees and catering business, please contact us directly. As stocktakers for the catering trade we have many years experience in this industry.