Q: Since giving all staff wireless access to our internet, many employees seem to be spending an excessive amount of time on their smartphones.

Can we implement a policy whereby employees are not permitted to use their phones while working? Can we request that the employees leave their mobile phones in the lunchroom and only use them when they are there?

A: You can implement a policy that limits the extent to which an employee uses a mobile phone, e.g. to a reasonable level that does not interfere with the employee’s work. It may not be reasonable to direct an employee to leave the phone in the lunchroom as it may not be secure for them to do so.

However, if an employee is observed frequently using their phone, they can be counselled, warned or otherwise disciplined as this would be considered a performance issue.

You can also implement limitations on internet access, such as blocking access to social media websites like Facebook during working hours.

Please note: The answer is correct at the time of publishing. Be aware that laws may change over time. Refer to Workplace policies for current advice.