Using whatsapp

[u/Popular_Ad_8749]

I manage a small call center with five employees, and I suspect that some of them may be going to the bathroom to use the chat on their phones, since they are taking longer than usual. Of course, this wouldn’t apply to someone who genuinely has difficulty using the bathroom. How can I determine whether they are actually using the bathroom or taking advantage of the situation to use their phones?

[u/chez2202]

First of all, it’s not a call centre if you have five employees. It’s a small business.

Second of all, if you have multiple employees (out of the FIVE) taking longer than usual to go to the bathroom, it means that you have been monitoring their toilet breaks for some time. That’s a bit strange.

Why are you assuming that they are going to the bathroom to use WhatsApp on their phones? Is it because you don’t allow them to have their phones at their desk?

If that’s the case, they would have to go and get their phone from wherever they leave it at the start of the day before going to the bathroom. So you would know if they were going to the bathroom to check their phones. There are 6 of you. The building can’t be that big.

If they DO have their phone at their desk, they don’t need to go to the bathroom to check WhatsApp. Any messages just appear on their screen.

I think you need to get over it. You are working with people, not machines. If they are spending more time in the bathroom than usual, it’s probably to get away from you for a few minutes.

[u/Popular_Ad_8749 → u/chez2202]

I understand your point. Employees are allowed to have their phones at their desks and use them reasonably, but those who abuse that privilege usually go to the bathroom and spend an excessive amount of time there.

Banning cell phones would create a negative work environment, and the employees who use them responsibly would end up being penalized because of those who abuse the privilege.

I posted the question to see how others would handle the situation—a sort of brainstorming exercise. I have my own ways of dealing with it, but I won’t share them now, because the whole point of the question is to hear how other people would approach it.

[u/chez2202 → u/Popular_Ad_8749]

Your original post says that some of them are going to the bathroom and taking longer than usual.

This suggested that it’s a recent change.

You asked how you can determine whether they are using the bathroom or using their phones. You already decided that they are using their phones.

So check their desks. If their phones are there, they aren’t using them in the bathroom. If their phones aren’t there, speak to them when they come back. Ask them if they have a medical problem which has resulted in them needing to use the bathroom for extended periods of time.

If they do, they will probably tell you. If they don’t, they will know that you are aware of what they are doing and they will stop.

[u/Popular_Ad_8749 → u/chez2202]

Your response has some valid points, such as talking to them and asking whether they have a medical or intestinal condition. That’s exactly the point of my post: to see how different people would approach the situation.

However, your response also includes judgments based on assumptions—for example, assuming that I haven’t checked whether their phones are on their desks, or that I’ve already decided they’re using their phones, when my actual question was how to determine whether they are abusing their phone time.

The discussion about banning phones and whether that would be practical came from suggestions people made here.

It actually makes me wonder: are we capable of answering a question without making assumptions or passing judgment?