I have recently hired some new employees, both of whom are in the “younger” age bracket.  I guess I could say “Millennial” but I feel like that generation tag has a lot of unnecessary negativity attached to it so I prefer to say younger.   After working with, and training, my new hires, I’ve noticed a minor, yet disturbing, trend.  It seems whenever they go to the restroom throughout the day, the visit last’s anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, and once or twice as long as 30.  Now, that being said, we are in a business where it is difficult to take a traditional break, so we take the time when we can.  Do you have to take your phone with you every time you go to the can?  I am a pretty easy going manager so, if one of my employees was to ask me to take a break, saying “no”, or “not now”, would never cross my mind.  I guess it kind of bothers me that they feel they have to take solace in the restroom instead of taking a traditional break.  Now, the part of all this that really rubs me raw, is the amount of time they spend on their phones in general.  If their phone was in a handbag or locker and they grabbed it to go to the bathroom for twenty minutes, I probably wouldn’t even notice, but that is not the case.  I don’t want to crush their enthusiasm by setting phone rules or some sort of boundary, but what else can be done, as it is becoming a bit difficult to find a younger person with enthusiasm toward work.

Is it just me, or are other business managers facing the same kinds of issues?  Am I some sort of nut that needs to relax and let things be what they are?  The work they do is not too bad but there are some mistakes that could clearly be headed off by paying a little more attention to detail.  I can’t imagine my boss coming to me saying “Hey sport, you’re  spending a little too much time in the bathroom”, I mean hey, err, thanks for noticing?  Signed: Swirling in cyberspace.

#Management101 #WhyYouNeedPhoneToPoo #insomnia