Monitoring phone calls

HR inWA

We have recently installed a system that allows us to track inbound & outbound phone calls (length of call & number dialed). The purpose of the software is to determine how many inbound calls we are losing due to wait time (we are a sales organization). But the system also has reporting capabilities and a number of managers have asked for reports on their department monitoring the phone traffic of their employees (in non-sales departments).

Our employee handbook addresses this topic & states that employees should have no reasonable expectation of privacy or confidentiality. But, since this is a new software, I feel that we should inform employees since I think that disciplinary action will arise when managers see how much time their employees are spending on personal calls.

Has anyone addressed this issue? Any advice?

Parabeagle

I would vote for putting the employees on notice that you now have this capability and remind them of the policy that there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in their communications. You may eliminate a lot of disciplinary actions by doing so right off the bat. If you do NOT tell the employees you have this capability it will be business as usual until the supervisors start reviewing the reports and initiating disciplinary action against offenders. In other words, creating a lot of work where you didn't need to. So I guess you have to ask yourself (and your supervisors), what is the goal? To alert people about the policy and gently guide compliance through information? Or to be sneaky and trap offenders?

Don D

Treat it just like Andy did when he first cut Barney loose in the car with radar. He put a notice in the Mayberry Gazette. After that it was free license for Barn.

deniseE

I just wrote a policy for this, if you'd like, I can email it to you.

marc

Sure, restate the company policy and warn them, but isn't it a bit over the top for the ees to expect to abuse work time with excessive personal phone calls? If they won't be self disciplined then institute accountability a step above them. Tightening up should make more time to get the work done for which they are being paid.

Tell all the Barney's full speed ahead.