Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Employee relationsEmployee communicationsOpinion

Keeping in touch is not always a good idea

by Personnel Today 22 Mar 2005
by Personnel Today 22 Mar 2005

I got an e-mail from the Big Man demanding an immediate meeting in our company’s latest idea – the breakout zone. It struck me that today was the day his new Scandinavian mahogany desk was due to arrive. This meant there was no way he could have sent me an e-mail as his office was being feng shui’d by a chap from Croydon called Mystic Dave.

Having broken in to the breakout zone (only board members are allowed in and they won’t give me a key) I found Lord H with his hands buried in his lap. A wave of nausea swept over me until he raised his ruddy cheeks and waved the BlackBerry he had furiously been typing away on.

Suddenly the mobile e-mail conundrum was solved and the colour could come back to my own cheeks.

“Hartley,” said he, “These blackberry mobile phones allow employees to access their e-mail remotely, don’t you know? Should we start handing them out? No excuse for the drones not to stay in touch.”

I warned him that they’re not cheap and using them poses a risk of repetitive strain injury, which would leave us open to health and safety claims. Also people might think they must be available at all times, which could cause resentment.

You could see his dilemma. Employees available 24-hours a-day versus the potential cost of ‘BlackBerry thumb’ to the company. As always, money talks and we’ve decided to stick to the old way of doing things – no BlackBerries for the staff, just the usual raspberry or two.



Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
BBC to cut a further 2,000 jobs
next post
The business case for supporting working parents

You may also like

BT workers vote for strike action over pay

1 Jul 2022

Royal Mail managers vote to strike over restructure

30 Jun 2022

Postal workers and doctors threaten strikes over pay

28 Jun 2022

Heathrow-based cabin crew set for 18% pay rise

28 Jun 2022

British Airways employees at Heathrow vote for walkouts

24 Jun 2022

Government to repeal agency workers ban during strikes

23 Jun 2022

Rail strike: PM calls for pay compromise to...

21 Jun 2022

Engaging frontline staff: employers urged to communicate better

20 Jun 2022

‘General strike’ threat looms as unions voice pay...

20 Jun 2022

The heat is on and so is some...

17 Jun 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+