verylittlehelps

Very Little Helps => Stores => Topic started by: river_thames on 25-10-20, 02:22PM

Title: Phones?
Post by: river_thames on 25-10-20, 02:22PM
I know that staff members are not allowed phones on them while working. Lately in my shop there have been some instances of people being caught during searches with their phone on. I pointed out to the shift leader that did those searches the he and other shift leaders in the store carry their own personal phone with them all the time (along with the shop’s phone). He said to me that shift leaders are allowed to have their own personal phone with them, while CAs can’t. I’m 99.9% sure this is wrong and not true, can anyone point me to the actual policy?
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: penguin on 25-10-20, 02:25PM
Anyone can have there phone on them, but it is only to be used for things like accessing the inform app, and no I am not daft enough to think everyone who has there mobile with them only uses it for stuff like that while at work.

Policy is on our tesco, could be under social media or phones policy cannot remember exactly and can not log in anymore as I do not work for the company anymore.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: river_thames on 25-10-20, 02:27PM
Quote from: penguin on 25-10-20, 02:25PM
Anyone can have there phone on them, but it is only to be used for things like accessing the inform app, and no I am not daft enough to think everyone who has there mobile with them only uses it for stuff like that while at work.
yeah you’re right. Let’s assume that the shift leaders do NOT have the app though.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: oldfashionedplayer on 25-10-20, 04:36PM
I don't believe there is a policy, however it is in our the ourtesco site a while back, and was encouraged with the release of inform to Carry your phone, you can also get away with the use of "I'm using my phone on the shop floor to help customers find products, I can search Google for the image / link to our site to better understand what the customer is after or find out the current price via the site, customers are our top priority" - your also allowed to have yammer on your phone (can use this during working hours too for requesting help and such as an in-house Facebook just slower response)..... You could also say you need to have your phone incase of an emergency at home due to the duty number being unreliable.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: darklighter on 25-10-20, 06:12PM
The versions of the covid 19 contact tracing app in the various countries of the UK means you need to carry the phone for this to work effectively.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: lucgeo on 25-10-20, 06:29PM
Quote from: river_thames on 25-10-20, 02:22PM
I know that staff members are not allowed phones on them while working. Lately in my shop there have been some instances of people being caught during searches with their phone on. I pointed out to the shift leader that did those searches the he and other shift leaders in the store carry their own personal phone with them all the time (along with the shop’s phone). He said to me that shift leaders are allowed to have their own personal phone with them, while CAs can’t. I’m 99.9% sure this is wrong and not true, can anyone point me to the actual policy?

He's wrong...he's lying...he doesn't know what the rules are...he's making them up as he goes along!
What did the other person accompanying on the search say?
Do not sign the search book... if you are told you aren't allowed to carry your phone on you, write under any issues..personal phone for using app to assist customers... add to that what darklighter has highlighted regarding test and trace.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Casie on 25-10-20, 06:42PM
Quote from: darklighter on 25-10-20, 06:12PM
The versions of the covid 19 contact tracing app in the various countries of the UK means you need to carry the phone for this to work effectively.
In a store I frequent, (in a dept) staff have been told to switch off Bluetooth and the app on their phone in case they're "alerted" and need to isolate.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: penguin on 25-10-20, 06:47PM
Staff should try and get that one in writing, press and health authorities would have a field day.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: darklighter on 26-10-20, 09:27AM
Quote from: Casie on 25-10-20, 06:42PM
Quote from: darklighter on 25-10-20, 06:12PM
The versions of the covid 19 contact tracing app in the various countries of the UK means you need to carry the phone for this to work effectively.
In a store I frequent, (in a dept) staff have been told to switch off Bluetooth and the app on their phone in case they're "alerted" and need to isolate.
As penguin has stated, 'get it in writing', and, may I also add, if they insist on trying to enforce this, (which they Cannot), contact your local hse anonymously if you wish and explain that your manager is potentially putting your life and that of your colleagues and customers at risk by stopping staff from being able to trace whether they have been in prolonged contact with an infected person and then being able to isolate as necessary.

For example, you may be in contact with someone who has the virus and who has in turn infected you but you are one of the cases that is asymtomatic and without contact tracing you do not know that you need to isolate and you go to work feeling fine yet infect another colleague or customer who gets the full blown symtoms and ends up in hospital in a potential life or death situation.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Fixxer on 26-10-20, 09:32AM
In our Store the induction covers (and I'm paraphrasing) "You can have your phone on you if you are using it to help customers"

Every time I've been searched and had my phone on me it's been "Here's my phone, I use it for inform to help customers and to check the status of expected deliveries"
The only people in our store that have had issues with having phones on them are those that are caught making personal calls or constantly scrolling through IG/FB/TikTok when they are supposed to be working.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Morris999 on 26-10-20, 10:05AM
Quote from: darklighter on 26-10-20, 09:27AM
Quote from: Casie on 25-10-20, 06:42PM
Quote from: darklighter on 25-10-20, 06:12PM
The versions of the covid 19 contact tracing app in the various countries of the UK means you need to carry the phone for this to work effectively.
In a store I frequent, (in a dept) staff have been told to switch off Bluetooth and the app on their phone in case they're "alerted" and need to isolate.
As penguin has stated, 'get it in writing', and, may I also add, if they insist on trying to enforce this, (which they Cannot), contact your local hse anonymously if you wish and explain that your manager is potentially putting your life and that of your colleagues and customers at risk by stopping staff from being able to trace whether they have been in prolonged contact with an infected person and then being able to isolate as necessary.

For example, you may be in contact with someone who has the virus and who has in turn infected you but you are one of the cases that is asymtomatic and without contact tracing you do not know that you need to isolate and you go to work feeling fine yet infect another colleague or customer who gets the full blown symtoms and ends up in hospital in a potential life or death situation.

From what I remember reading on one of the briefings a few weeks back, it was only when the phone was left in your locker and I think( but could be wrong)those working behind protective screens that are to turn the app off.

Everyone else leaves it on if they have it.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: gomezz on 26-10-20, 11:46AM
As a dot com driver I use my personal phone to "help customers" by being able to find them when the SDS sat-nav throws its hands up in despair and when the SDS SIM card is not recognised or runs out of credit.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: dotnochance on 26-10-20, 06:12PM
I've got a picture of my store manager leaning on a pallet talking to his wife on his phone and on the shop floor, and he goes around shouting at  staff for having phones out at work, everytime he walks past me I get my phone out in the hope he shouts at me and I can point his hypocrisy, but he never notices 😭
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: whatajoke2019 on 26-10-20, 11:11PM
There's one colleague in our store who seemingly is never off their phone; they've mastered the art of pulling a flat top along whilst using anything over than helping a customer find something  :D. As usual it won't be until he hits a customer before they take any action...  ???
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: dotnochance on 27-10-20, 12:25AM
Funnily enough we had a back door boy who was like that we call him tip and phone, he’s now a manager
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: notsofunny on 27-10-20, 02:45PM

In Express everyone carry's them around and have done for some years , more so to be able to scan products and in todays world of the virus due to having the Virus NHS scanner ,, that said it does not mean you are allowed to be On the net all the time ,,,
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Misha101 on 28-10-20, 07:21PM
The thing is they have all the company policies online and advise us keep up to date, we order uniform and badges on our phones, payslip view, inform and now mpro log books we fill in on our phones at times. So it depends who you are, how you are and whether your manager thinks it's a battle worth fighting.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: person7 on 04-11-20, 11:38PM
where we work are are allowed to have our phones if its for work

eg, you can send texts make calls etc if its a manager or colleague. I now have a smart watch so i can see at a glance to ignore (friend/family) or if its my boss lol. the store is big so its easier to ring each other and ask "where are you i need you"

plus most need it for inform as not everyone has access to a PDA.. usually most the managers use inform to help a customer if they are stopped back one. as they dont tend to need the PDA's
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: VladPutin on 22-11-20, 02:36PM
We rarely have lockers, because selfish idiots either break them or take the keys home with them. I've had money stolen from the locker room before. Never again. Now I keep my phone and wallet on me if I can't get a locker.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: BUY TESLA STOCK on 22-11-20, 07:02PM
I have a locker but don’t keep phone wallet or keys inside as too many times things have been stolen.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Cinderella on 02-12-20, 09:37AM
In my store we all keep our phones on us. Staff are not encouraged to use them, except for the inform app. And some of us need access to mPro5, which we have been made to download onto our personal mobiles!

Sometimes individuals are called with emergencies - for instance a school calling about their child, or a nursing home calling about a parent. I wouldn’t expect anyone to have to miss such calls. Anyone found just texting or messing around with their phones will start getting Let’s Talk forms, but we don’t actively discourage staff from having their unused phones in their pockets during their shifts.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Nomad on 02-12-20, 10:45AM
"we have been made to download onto our personal mobiles!"  :o  >:(
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Cinderella on 02-12-20, 10:53AM
Yes, we were made to! My previous phone was an old one, so I had to get a new phone to be compatible with mPro5! That ended up being a positive thing, as the new phone is much faster than my previous, but we shouldn’t be put in that position. Apparently mPro5 isn’t accessible from the computer screen we have, (I’ve tried, even had a manager try with me!) and our department manager keeps the department mobile with him at all times. So to be compliant with safe and legal, we have to download the app onto our phones so we can complete our logbooks.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Paupers wage on 02-12-20, 01:59PM
Ever one has there phone on them in our store thankfully managers will have sense in this day & age it’s the 21st Century far more important issues to deal with, a mobile phone isn’t going to kill you on the shop floor, unlike Covid, get a reality check Tesco’s
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: lackofinterest on 02-12-20, 03:53PM
Quote from: Cinderella on 02-12-20, 10:53AM
Yes, we were made to! My previous phone was an old one, so I had to get a new phone to be compatible with mPro5! That ended up being a positive thing, as the new phone is much faster than my previous, but we shouldn’t be put in that position. Apparently mPro5 isn’t accessible from the computer screen we have, (I’ve tried, even had a manager try with me!) and our department manager keeps the department mobile with him at all times. So to be compliant with safe and legal, we have to download the app onto our phones so we can complete our logbooks.
wtf??? you can't be forced to buy a new phone or have m pro 5!!!. tell them to f*** their log books >:( >:(
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Siwel123 on 02-12-20, 04:42PM
Or you could just use a PDA and the app that is downloaded on it to complete the reports
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: VladPutin on 02-12-20, 05:04PM
Quote from: Cinderella on 02-12-20, 10:53AM
Yes, we were made to! My previous phone was an old one, so I had to get a new phone to be compatible with mPro5! That ended up being a positive thing, as the new phone is much faster than my previous, but we shouldn’t be put in that position. Apparently mPro5 isn’t accessible from the computer screen we have, (I’ve tried, even had a manager try with me!) and our department manager keeps the department mobile with him at all times. So to be compliant with safe and legal, we have to download the app onto our phones so we can complete our logbooks.

If a manager tried to make me buy a new phone just to do the logbook flows I would, after I had finished laughing at him, invite him to pay for it out his own pocket. ;D :D

If Tesco want me to do a job, they can provide me with the correct tools, free of charge. Or it's not getting done.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: notsofunny on 02-12-20, 06:00PM

some years back when I was working for Tesco I was told that I should be reading my e mails at home , and I told them much the same as Vladputin , Why should any staff including Managers be expected to do a job with our own equipment paid for by our self's ,

About 30 years ago a company I worked for offered us a free mobile , condition was that we had to respond 24/7 when they contacted us ,others like me said no thank you' so even if they gave you a phone they would have condition added to you having it  ??? 8-)
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: VladPutin on 02-12-20, 06:05PM
We stopped using them years ago, but managers used to give staff in their departments feedback forms. You would be asked to rate the manager on various aspects of their performance. My manager told me it shouldn't take long to fill in and I could do it during my 15 minute break. I politely(honest! ;D)informed her that as I didn't get paid for my break, I wasn't doing any type of work during it. And that if she wanted my feedback, she'd have to give time during my shift to complete the form.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: gomezz on 02-12-20, 09:14PM
Quote from: notsofunny on 02-12-20, 06:00PMAbout 30 years ago a company I worked for offered us a free mobile , condition was that we had to respond 24/7 when they contacted us ,others like me said no thank you' so even if they gave you a phone they would have condition added to you having it  ??? 8-)
That sounds suspiciously like the same "offer" we were made at my former company.  We all said  no thanks too.
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: notsofunny on 03-12-20, 04:12AM


Just in case it was the same company  ,, did it end with the name  XXXX halls ,, Just asking ,, :)
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Ford Torino on 06-01-21, 08:55AM
About five years ago when I was in the technological dark age, our nice-but-spoke-to-staff-in-a-patronizing-way manager would rant that he couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't have the Inform App on their smartphone. I asked him, a) what an App was, and b) could I have a smartphone please? The poor guy looked a bit nonplussed as if he had never considered this scenario to arise.

Nowadays, I am more or less up to date and have a smartphone, but we are expected to do our legal refresher training on our devices. I have found this a bit fiddly at times and said I could probably do it with good old pen and paper in half the time, but it seems that such quaint customs are long since extinct.

I dread to think what would happen if it was the last day for our legal refreshers to be in, and the WiFi was down!
Title: Re: Phones?
Post by: Kieth_Lemon on 12-01-21, 02:13PM
Mpro works on all store phones and PDAs.
Yes its handy to have on your own device but by no means so essential you'd feel the need to buy a new phone.