Company Phones: The Hidden Danger
When I first received my company phone, I was thrilled. I knew this tool would increase my efficiency in many aspects of the job.
It provided me with immediate access to my colleagues. I could use the team’s app to reach them when away from my desk, allowing me to communicate quickly with them without having to return to my office.
Another aspect of the company phone that benefited me is the ability to respond promptly to urgent matters when I am away from the plant. It is super easy to email someone while out and about on the weekend when an urgent matter needs to be addressed.
Probably one of the most beneficial aspects of the company phone I have found is all of the available business support apps that allow your phone to be an extension of your laptop.
While a company phone has benefited me in many ways, I also found that it was the leading factor in the burnout I would experience later, as I came to learn.
The constant connectivity, heightened sense of urgency, and expectation of availability can take a toll on our mental and emotional well-being, leading to burnout. In this post, I plan to explore how company phones, often marketed as productivity tools, can negatively impact our health and performance.
I will use my experiences and a few different peer-reviewed research papers to help support my insights. I will also discuss practical steps to regain control over your work-life balance and overcome the burnout that often comes with constant digital tethering.
Hopefully, for those of you who are reading this shortly after your promotion, the hope is that you can take these insights and avoid these pitfalls altogether.
Burnout
While I plan to dive deeper into all things burnout at a later date, I still feel that you will need a general overview of it for this topic to be the most effective. Bogue (2021) states, “Burnout has classically been defined by three attributes: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency” (p.52). Burnout revolves around the feeling of inescapability of the condition or work environment that you find yourself in.
Moss (2024) gives us a staggering statistic: a Mercer Global Talent Trend Report study indicated that nearly 82% of workforce employees are at risk of experiencing burnout. The rising workloads for employees, while companies work to lean their workforce, are a key contributing factor to this risk.
Dark Side of a Company Phone
Your company phone can play a large role in contributing to your burnout and increase your chances of being among the people at the 82% risk factor for burnout.
Company phones increase your chances of burnout in several ways:
Constant Connectivity
While I plan to dive deeper into all things burnout at a later date, I still feel that you will need a general overview of it for this topic to be the most effective. Bogue (2021) states, “Burnout has classically been defined by three attributes: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency” (p.52). Burnout revolves around the feeling of inescapability of the condition or work environment that you find yourself in.
Increased Sense of Urgency
The company phone can make every notification urgent. When you receive messages, emails, or alerts, you feel unconscious pressure to respond quickly, even if it’s not an immediate priority. I often found myself reading and responding to emails on weekends, even if the email stated that it was not urgent. The sense of urgency still led me to feel that I needed to be available at all times.
Lowered Productivity
Since we cannot truly multitask, the increased interruptions lead to an increase in switch-tasking. Pons (2023) discusses that the increased interruptions from these information and communication technologies lead to decreased productivity while giving the false appearance of increasing productivity.
When you constantly switch between tasks, your cognitive workload increases, making it harder to focus on any task for an extended period. Interrupting our focus increases errors, incomplete tasks, and mental fatigue.
Compulsive Checking
Notifications can create a habit of compulsively checking devices, increasing digital addiction. The constant pull to check your phone becomes an ingrained habit. Over time, this will lead to a cycle of compulsive checking, where you feel the desire to stay connected at all times, no matter what.
This constant engagement with devices contributes to your overall feeling of being overwhelmed and disconnected from more meaningful or relaxing activities, leading to burnout.
Together, these factors increase your chances of overworking, stress, and exhaustion, all of which significantly contribute to a negative impact on your mental well-being and your chances of burnout.
Company phones can increase efficiency and communication, but it is key to recognize and address these hidden dark sides of a company phone.
Correcting Course
Several months back, I found myself trapped by these dark sides. I had reached burnout long before I had noticed it. I was completely immersed in cynicism when it came to my work. As Bogue (2021) pointed out, cynicism is a lagging indicator. Therefore, by the time I noticed it, I was in a state of burnout.
While I’m not proud of this time in my life, I feel that it is important to discuss the signs so that you can hopefully avoid them.
Looking back, I see that there were several indicators that I needed to correct. I had found myself feeling hopeless about making any difference at work. This led to periods where I would sit in my office, contemplating quitting and regretting my decision to take the promotion.
However, my home life was the strongest indication of needing a course correction. I had started letting my work come home with me. I became short-tempered, all-round unhappy, and a borderline alcoholic. My regular one glass of Glenfiddich (my favorite sipping whisky) a night had slowly turned into half a bottle or more of Jim Bean a night. Once, my wife finally pointed it out to me, and after some soul-searching, I realized I was in a state of burnout.
Digging deeper into my causes of burnout at the time, I found that my company phone was probably my most significant factor.
Looking back now, I can say it was perhaps one of the largest contributors by a large margin. To pull myself away from the dark side of my company phone, I changed three small things:
Left the Company Phone at Home
Leaving my company phone at home created a clear boundary between work and personal time. The moment I left the office, it was easy to get caught up in work emails or messages, and I realized that constant connection was leading to burnout. When I removed the phone from the equation, I could focus on being present for my family.
Turned off Notification Badges
The little red notification badges constantly reminded me of something that needed my attention. Whether it was an email, a team message, or a meeting request, it felt like work was always there. By turning them off, I stopped feeling that constant pull to check and respond. It helped me reclaim my mental space and reduced the feeling of urgency whenever I glanced at my phone.
Practiced More Self Care
This is another big one. When I put the company phone down, I was able to spend that time doing things I enjoyed. I even started writing again, hence why this blog was started. My primary goal for this blog is to help new frontline leaders be as successful as possible. The starting of this blog has played a large role in helping me resolve my issues with burnout.
Wrapping up
Company phones are tools designed to help you increase productivity and communication in the workplace. However, if not managed properly, they can quickly become a source of stress and burnout. Recognizing the potential negative impacts of the constant connectivity, heightened urgency, and compulsive checking is essential.
By setting clear boundaries and disconnecting from work when appropriate, you can regain control over your work-life balance and reduce the risk of burnout. The key is to use your company phone as a tool and not let it control your life.
Stay mindful of your mental and emotional well-being and remember that being constantly available isn’t going to aid you, your team, or your family in the long run.
References
Pons, F. T. (2023). The “Digital Disconnect” on the Back of Occupational Health and Safety. Journal of Leadership, Accountability & Ethics, 20(4), 188-200.
Bogue, R. (2021). Block the Burnout. TD: Talent Development, 75(7), 50-55.
Moss, J. (2024). Let’s End Toxic Productivity. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1-9.
