By David Orosco
GCU Career Services
Some would say current technology has become an extension of who we are. The ability to check e-mails, order lunch and inspect bank statements is at our fingertips, just a few taps away. Many use the cell phone or tablet to resolve various issues in their daily lives. Some of us, however, don’t know how to “unplug” from our devices while in the workplace.
The use of electronic devices while on the clock initially may seem harmless or nonthreatening to the organization. It may take only a minute or two to check an e-mail, but that time easily can turn into five minutes, and reading personal email once a day may become a recurrence throughout the day.
Do the math: If the average employee works eight-hour shifts, five days per week, and every three of four employees in a department uses his or her personal phone/tablet for five minutes, 10 times per day for one week, that is a minimum of 15 hours of work unaccounted for during that week.
It’s important for management to evaluate how much paid company time is used when employees use their personal electronic devices. Companies depend on employee production, and it is important that staff members understand the impact they have on the organization.
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