Do you think it's acceptable for folks to keep their cell phones on at work? Does it matter if your ringtone is distracting to co-workers, as long as you get your calls throughout the day? What if you worked in a library or on a soundstage making TV shows or movies? Would people just have to work around your cell phone? What if you were a surgeon?

Answers, please.

I think the polite thing to do is put it on silent. In this day and age, it's kind of silly to expect people to just do without their phone for the entire work day.

jerseykrs said:

what if you were a musician and it was a big concert?

i swear to god this is true: i saw a jazz trio play at a little divey venue once here in chicago, and the bass player's cell phone went off. I SWEAR THIS IS TRUE: he answered it and had a damn conversation while he was playing!!!

the same thing happened at a magnetic fields concert i went to last year - the keyboard player forgot to turn off her cell, so she answered it during the show...but they worked it into the performance and it was very funny.

Anxiety said:

well, that's a different situation. You know what I mean, those of us with the normal mundane occupations.....

Of course, neurosurgeons may want to chuck the calls to voicemail during surgery.....

On a related note, am I the only one that has a problem with doctors calling what they do "practice"


?????

jerseykrs said:

well, it DOES make perfect, you know.

Certain professions and jobs - no, such as doctors, performers, etc.
But elsewhere, I think it's OK if the phone is on vibrate. I do think it is unprofessional if it's not. Also, get a phone with bluetooth. I have it, it's great. Just put on your earpiece. People won't even know you on hte phone, really, unless they're looking at you.

My work has a cell phone policy. If you have a cell phone and are in certain areas, you will be fired. All employees must sign the policy.

jbchavez said:

I'm glad mine doesn't. Some people do abuse cell phoen use, though. But damn, fired? That's a bit extreme. What kind of company do you work for?

1sexymf said:

what's bluetooth? the little headset thing that makes you look like you're talking to yourself? i always like to play a game on the train home from work, where i try to figure out if people are mumbling to themselves because they're on their cells or if it's just because they're a crazy person.

i agree with keeping the phone on vibrate. i also don't see what's wrong with going into the hallway or somewhere "away" to chat on one's cell unless it's just a call to say "okay, i'll pick up some milk on the way home, bye."

sometimes i think people want their cell phone conversations to be heard by other people so they can display how "interesting" they are. "look at me, i'm a reality show without the cameras!" that kind of bull.

1sexymf said:

I work for US Customs/Department of Homeland Security. Basically, cell phones at work could be used to allow drugs and illegal aliens into the country. Therefore, a cell phone can be carried in your bag (never on your person), but it must be turned off.

jbchavez said:

OK, that's definitely understandable.

jbchavez said:

i think i'm the cell phone equivalent of a militant anti-smoking supporter.

having cell phones ring at work is okay - annoying but okay.

but you know what's NOT okay imho? drivers who fail to signal their turns or signal their lane changes because their hands are busy with a cell phone.

and there are tons of these retards on the roads these days. NOT okay.

Anxiety said:

Bluetooth is the little earbud that does make it look like you're talking to yourself. Not all phones have that capability. The phones that have it tend to be expensive and you must buy the earpiece separately and they don't come cheap either. I have a Motorola V330. It does everything the Razr does, it just wasn't as expensive.

XxAxX said:

i work with enormous legal documents where i enter rows and rows and rows of numbers into tiny little cells in endless spreadsheet projects.

we work on audio transcriptions and we work one on one with attorneys staring over our shoulders.

where i work, i think "oh my GOD, my sister is starting so much DRAMA!" can wait. your ability to have friends and family contact you throughout the day at the office should not trump my ability to concentrate on my work. i'm not saying i think personal calls are wrong - but i do think inconsiderate behavior is wrong, and if people don't know how to behave with a cell phone at work, then they shouldn't be allowed. just that simple.

Anxiety said:

My office - supposedly - has a no mobile phones policy and I do agree with it. There's nothing worse than speaking to a client and having Crazy Frog or something going off in the background. Annoying. And, anyway, aren't people in work to work?

(That said, I spend all my time - in between work - on Prince Org but that's different. )

It depends on who the phone belongs to, though. If you're on the lower end of the scale, and your phone goes off, you'll get a demonic look. If you're in upper management, it's just 'part of the job'. I love double standards.

Anxiety said:

If you're obnoxious with your phone, that shouldn't be aloud. And like you said earlier, people talk all loud, etc, because they want you to think they're important or lead such interesting lives.
Whateva.

Anxiety said:

here, hang on lemme type up a response.... in my opinion people should always behave with the utmost oooo. phone's ringing, gotta go

Anxiety said:

Me too. And this:

Anxiety said:

This may sound a bit weird but I hate using mobile phones in public. If it goes off, I keep the converstaion short and sweet. I don't know what it is - the thought that other people may be listening, perhaps? That may sound ridiculous but I can't stand it when other people are yakking into their mobiles for everyone to hear. Especially when you're on public transport or in close proximity. I'M NOT INTERESTED.

Unfortunately, I can just see this problem getting worse & worse.

I keep mine on at work mainly because I'm a part time retail auditor and msytery shopper. I get a lot of last minute requests, usually with bonuses inccuded, so I don't want to miss out on those opportunities. so techinically, they're not personal calls...

onenitealone said:

i'm 100% the same way! i don't understand how people can sit in public and yak away about all their personal business and think that nobody's listening to them! i don't even WANT to listen to them, but when someone's sitting right next to me and shouting about their lives, what choice do i have? that's why i never leave the house without my earphones and my mp3 player. that USUALLY drowns it out.

and it keeps me from wanting to talk on my cell in public, unless it's just "okay, i'm on my way over" or whatever. you wouldn't catch me having a long conversation on my cell unless i was somewhere i felt comfortable that i wasn't bothering anyone else, and i was THAT bored. even then, you're not gonna hear me talking about my family issues or my latest sexcapades. sheesh!

Anxiety said:

100% agree. As my mother would say, some people have 'a bell in every tooth'. Or, in other words, they like the sound of their own voice too much. Again, I. Am. Not. Interested.

I never have my ringtone on, either. Ever. It's always on vibrate. I just find mobile phones disrupt everyday life. It's got to the point where if my phone does ever ring (say, I'm expecting a call) my friends are amazed!

Maybe we're just turning into Grumpy Old Men.
[Edited 12/21/05 7:48am]

Anxiety said:

Not only that, they wear a mask and take your money!

Cell phones are a nuisance , my staff can keep their phones with them as long as they dont use them while they are supposed to be working , during the quiet spells they can use them as much as they like .

Im a bit of a text fiend Text me

onenitealone said:

I agree with both of you, I hate cellphones and don´t even really have one to this day. My ex gave me one a long time ago before we broke up so that she can always get in touch with me (i.e control me around the clock) and I simply put it in my shelf and never used it until recently because of a very special situation.
Don´t even know how to ooperate it.
And yes, people using their cellphone in public are annoying as hell !

The only thing I like about them is the SMS function.

Anxiety said:

I think Cell Phones are ok like for working moms and such...but TURN THE DAMN RINGER DOWN...or keep it on vibrate.

Anxiety said:

Don't you know? I'm gonna be on Television. DOn't you see! I've got my red dress. I'm telling you, I am going to be on television.
[Edited 12/21/05 10:34am]

I work in communications, so everyone in my office has pagers,cellphones and palm pilots...it's just part of the job. I do think that people should put them on mute or vibrate during meetings. It's just rude to have a phone ringing or a pager beeping.
[Edited 12/21/05 15:49pm]

If everyone used their cell like I use mine it would be fine. I am not a "phone" person. I don't need to talk on the phone much at all. I don't like people calling me, and I let them know it. Unfortunally, people take this cellphone thing way to far. They use so many words to say nothing. It is disrespectful to use a phone in a public place, especially if you have nothing worth listening to. People be using their cellphones as a pasiphier to their soul. I must be someone because people want to talk with me. No, hang the darn phone up. If it is an emergency get off your ass and start doing something about it, otherwise get off the phone. Hang it up. Say I will call you back later when I am not doing something.

I am sure there is even people out there that use their cell while having sex.

Yay baby.
Oooh it's so good.
(ring ring)
Oh baby don't stop, but I am going to talk to my sister for a second.

Some of the people I work with will leave their phone sitting on their desk and go elsewhere in the building for a few hours. Then someone will call their phone and leave a voicemail, and every 2 minutes the damn thing will play an alert till they finally come back to their desk and check their message. It's like torture some days.