By Robert W. Wendover

In Part One of this series, the author began to explore a five step process for managing the proliferation of electronic devices in the workplace.  Before continuing with steps three and four, here is a brief summary:

1.  Begin by brainstorming a comprehensive list of the ways in which smart  phones are being used in your workplace.
2a. After you have developed this list, consider the environment in which you and your colleagues work.
2b. At the same time, consider the costs and benefits of smart phone use within your workplace.

3. Conduct a cross-generational review.
Once you have drafted guidelines with which you are pleased, assemble a cross-generational group of stakeholders to review the document. Be careful to draw these individuals from the distinct areas of the organization. As mentioned before, there will be a natural inclination to include a rule for every instance in this document. For many, the use of smart phones in the workplace has become an emotional debate about respect for others, work ethic, the increasing prevalence of transactional communication, constant distractions, privacy, and even frustration among some digital immigrants about their inability to keep up with changing technology.

The intents behind this review are two-fold: 1) To ensure that this document will pass muster from those who will be charged with implementing it and 2) To garner support for its implementation. After all, a protocol implemented with little support from the stakeholders will fall on deaf ears and become impossible to enforce. This makes it essential that the final guidelines be simple and direct, containing a sense of what reasonable people would agree is . . . reasonable.

It is important to enlist the participation of those who will have a vested interest in its successful implementation. This includes the managers who will have to enforce it and those who seem to be the natural leaders within the various constituencies of the workforce. While these individuals may not be officially in charge, they certainly influence the behaviors and attitudes of those around them. You want them to understand the reason for this effort and be able to explain it to their peers in such a way that those individuals accept its premise.

4. Introduce the guidelines.
Many of today’s employees view smart phone use as an entitlement, even a right, regardless of the environment in which they work. Surveys have indicated that remaining constantly connected is not only a desire for some but even creates discomfort when they are disconnected. It is into this situation that you will have to introduce this document. A key to obtaining general acceptance is informing everyone at the same time and in a meaningful way. This will prevent the rumor mill from distorting the policy’s intent before everyone has heard about it. Be assured that the minute something this “personal” is announced, its pros, cons, and impacts will be tweeted, Facebooked and texted around the organization.

While it may be more efficient to send an e-mail or post a video, managers delivering these guidelines to their individual teams will have the chance to establish support from the get-go. As mentioned above, these guidelines should be based on reason rather than an all-encompassing set of rules. Inevitably, there will be some who will point out exceptions if the explanation is too specifically stipulated.

To be effective, managers will need to develop a balance between allowing aberrations and maintaining consistency. Having these managers meet with each other ahead of time will allow them to consider how they can anticipate these requests or even demands.

It is during the initial implementation of these guidelines that the impact of smart phone use should be explained to everyone in a relatable way. For example, managers might introduce it by saying something like the following: “After a good deal of consideration, the organization has decided to implement a set of guidelines on the use of mobile devices in the workplace. We understand that many people have grown rather dependent on them. But we also know that they are becoming a drain on our time and resources. We are not going to prohibit their use or attempt to block certain services. In some cases smart phones come in rather handy on the job. The problem is that checking Facebook every 30 minutes and texting friends and family 50 times a day gets time consuming. We also know that their use is distracting in meetings and certainly a safety hazard in some situations. So here are the guidelines we have developed in consultation with a committee of your peers. After all, we need to implement these practices as a team rather than something handed down from the top.”

Using quantifiable examples such as the ones described earlier in this article will also help managers explain why a protocol like this is important. Not everyone will jump on board immediately, but over time most will accept that this change is necessary. Some will even welcome it.

Continue to Part Three.

Robert W. Wendover is Director of the Center for Generational Studies and author of the forthcoming book, Common Sense by Friday: The Future of Critical Thinking in a Menu-Driven World. Contact him at robert.wendover@generationaldiversity.com.

This article was originally published on www.generationaldiversity.com. Reprinted with permission.