Management & Operations

Put Your Phone Away! How to enforce effective restaurant staff cell phone policies that work.

Put Your Phone Away! How to enforce effective restaurant staff cell phone policies that work.

Is cell phone use out of control in your restaurant? Are customers being ignored, mistakes being made and overall service degrading due to distracted workers? Do staff members become confrontational when told to put away their phones?

This article will provide you with a practical cell phone policy to combat restaurant employee cell-phone addiction and take back control. This plan focuses on the practical steps you can implement right now to get your team on the right track.

Step 1: Note Current Behaviors

Note how often staff are using their phones and identify the specific issues it caused.

Here are some of the common issues over-active cell phone use causes in restaurants:

  • Orders getting to customers late
  • Duties unattended
  • Customers neglected
  • Increased order mistakes
  • Safety issues due to distraction
  • Resentment from teammates who have to cover for them

Step 2: Draft Your Restaurant Cell Phone Policy

Note the specific staff challenges your restaurant needs to address and tailor a policy that addresses these challenges.

While it would simplify things, for your policy to be enforceable, it will require more nuance that a total prohibition of phones and electronic devices in all areas at all times.

Here is a simplified example of a restaurant cell phone policy that works:

Red Zones and Green Zones Designated for Phone Use

Create specific areas where phone use is either allowed or banned. In the green zone staff can use their phones during breaks. In the red zone, employee phones are not allowed to be seen at all.

🟩 Green zones:

  • Should be areas away from other employees not on break who could also be distracted.

  • Many restaurants find success by providing a separate break area with lockers with phone charging for employees.

🟥 Red zones:

  • No phone zones. This includes calling and texting.

  • The kitchen – Due to safety concerns and being a production area this is a high-alert “business only” red zone with zero phones use.
  • Front of house – Any area where customers can see employees must be a red zone to ensure servers’ first and only priority is focus on the needs of customers. This policy will keep employees from thinking they can use their phones when front of house is slow.

Step 3: Roll Out the New Policy

Schedule a mandatory staff meeting to announce the new cell phone policy is going into effect for all staff.

  • Write your cell phone policy clearly; designating places and times when cell phones and device use is banned or permitted.

  • Provide a copy to all employees and have them sign, acknowledging they have revived and understand the policy.

  • Post policy printouts as reminders in kitchen/service areas

  • Implement policy start date - provide a 1 week notice

Explain the rationale behind the new cell phone policy, to help your team understand and accept that unrestricted cell phone use is a problem that is going to be solved.

Professionalism, attentiveness, teamwork and safety are all reduced by inappropriate cell phone use. Use the case study you performed in step one to highlight specific issues and concerns to drive the message home.

Addressing Staff Objections

Get staff feedback, but make it clear the policy is not negotiable. Because emotions around phone use can be raw, it’s important to address staff objections delicately but firmly. Employee retention is difficult in our industry, but everyone needs to pull their weight and contribute to the team.

Employees may raise objections due to obligations outside work, such as family issues. While this is understandable employees have a life outside of work, it’s important for them understand workplace obligations and follow the guidelines of acceptable phone use.

Step 4: Enforce Your Employee Cell Phone Policy

For anyone to take the cell phone policy seriously, all management should lead by example, only using cell phones when appropriate and necessary for work.

Staff should understand from the written policy that a manager performing duties for the restaurant is not a violation of the phone policy. However, to maintain perception it is best practice for management to perform these tasks in a designated area.

Also, its critical to enforce your cell phone policy fairly and consistently to avoid a backlash from staff and the potential for legal issues. No exceptions can be made for favored employees.

Create a reasonable escalation process for non-compliant employees and include it in the written policy provided to staff.

Example Escalation:

  • 1st violation – Verbal reminder and reprimand from management
  • 2nd violation – Employee signs acknowledgment of violation, 90 days probation and grounds for termination.
  • Violation under probation – Employee signs acknowledgement of termination due to policy violation.

It’s okay to iterate. Monitor the results of your cell phone policy and revisit and adjust as necessary.

Step 5: Integrate the Policy Into Employee Training

Make the restaurant’s cell phone policy part of new hire training and include it in the employee handbook. Make sure new staff sign the acknowledgment form and understand the expectation of compliance from day one.

Step 6: Stay Vigilant

Continual reinforcement of the policy ensures it continues to be followed long-term. Make sure the management team is in agreement about the importance of continued enforcement of the cell phone policy.

Provide positive reenforcement by recognizing staff for upholding policy well. Bring up success stories in team meetings. Check in routinely, reminding staff of the important reasons for the policy.

With consistent enforcement and reminders of the underlying rationale, staff acceptance will become second nature, allowing your restaurant to operate professionally and provide great customer service.

Conclusion

If your restaurant is plagued with device-addicted employees constantly on their cell phones, distracted, missing orders and ignoring customers, there is a way forward. Following the plan outlined in this article has helped many restaurant craft a restaurant employee cell phone policy that is reasonable, respectful, and ensures everyone is focused on their job.

Rezku POS is an end-to-end restaurant business management platform designed specifically for restaurants. We help restaurants, bars and pizzerias reach their goals, run more efficiently, and achieve greater profitability.

Contact us today for a free consultation. Call: 1-844-697-3958 x2 // eMail: sales@rezku.com