Alastair Wallace shows managers how to address employee phone use without sounding annoyed. Focus on the concrete impact: missed details, safety risks, broken handovers. Use a simple script: point out the phone, explain what they're missing, ask them to put it away.
Get off your phone, you're supposed to be working! That isn't management, it's parenting with a job title. Phone use winds managers up because it looks disrespectful, but if you lead with irritation, you get defensiveness. The better route is impact. What's the phone use actually affecting? Is it attention, your customers, safety, a handover, team briefing, maybe their reputation? Let's manage that instead. Say this: I've noticed your phone is out during team briefings where we need your full attention. The impact is that you might miss some key details. I really need phones away during those moments unless there's an agreed urgent reason. That works because it's specific, it's grown up, and it's linked to work. Don't try and manage the phone, manage the impact. If you want the words for more awkward manager moments just like this one, Grab my free Say This First guide. I'll put it with the post.
