On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 3:39 PM, Cindy Boyer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> It's a real problem.  We tried monitoring it and I finally told everyone in the building to turn them off during working hours.

How is it a real problem? Is it affecting productivity? Are they
texting while visitors and guests are in the building and are being
distracting? Or is it just annoying to an older generation of people
who don't text and actually not affecting anything?

It's not a "texting" issue; it's a time management and attention span
issue. If they weren't texting they'd be doing something else, trust
me. If texting or any activity is affecting job performance then it
needs to be addressed and possibly regulated. Otherwise, I say leave
it alone. I'm rather ADD and will often have half a dozen windows open
on my computer and flit back and forth between my e-mail Facebook, 3
different work projects, news, etc. etc. When I'm in front of
visitors, all that goes away and my attention is on them. On my own
time, I am disciplined enough to know how to manage my time and
attention span. If employees are not disciplined enough, then they
need some extra training to help them manage their time.

Measures that limit texting or other activities without addressing the
underlying problem of job performance just cause resentment and
employees will find another way to distract themselves. Address the
problem and the texting should take care of itself. And sometimes,
it's not really a productivity issue at all but an annoyance factor
with other employees. That can be addressed too in a proactive,
respectful manner just like any other annoying habit like gum chewing
or smelly lunches.

Deb Fuller

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