Manager forces employees to put their phones in a basket and forbids from taking them out until the end of shift, one employee rebels: ‘I’m a grown woman, not a teenager'

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 18, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

What is everyone's problem with people using their phones while working?

Sure, some jobs require your full attention, and pulling out your phone might not be the best thing to do when you're trying to focus. But even if you are working in a job like that, if you're an adult, you should be trusted to use your judgment on when it's appropriate to use your phone, and when it's not.

For the rest of us who work in regular jobs, that yes, sometimes have downtime with nothing to do, why is it so wrong if an employee wants to give their mind a break for a few minutes, and simply scroll through their phones? 

Again, we're all adults, and we're here to do a job; the least we deserve is trust that the job will be done whether or not our phones are in our pockets.

When employers are unable to trust their employees, they come up with silly rules to try and uphold control, like asking everyone to put their phones in a basket during the entire shift, which is what happened in the story below.

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  • I've worked at jobs in which my employer would write me up if they saw me using my phone during a shift, but I've never heard of a workplace that treats people like teenagers in high schools like how it is in this story. And apparently, the employee who wrote it is on the same page as me…

  • 01
    "I don't appreciate the huffy attitude about it"
    via Andy Barbour

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    "My director collects everyone’s phone at the beginning of every shift and after break…"

    So when I started this job the direct said that they collect everyone's phones at the start of their shift and if you leave for break and take you phone you
    via cocothyghs
  • 03
    have to turn it back in. We have to put it in this basket at the front desk. Often times I forget because I'm just focused on getting in and doing my job. I literally
    via cocothyghs
  • 04
    never even have a chance to use my phone even if I wanted to (I work in childcare). I am 30 years old and this is the first job i've had where they physically
    via cocothyghs
  • 05
    take your phone until the end of your shift. There was once I left my phone at the end of a closing shift and the building was locked before I realized it. I called
    via cocothyghs
  • 06
    the director to see if she could come back and let me in to grab it and she refused. I spent the whole night without a phone until they opened the next day.
    via cocothyghs
  • 07
    So today she gets snippy with me because I forgot to turn in my phone in that morning and after break. She will come and get it if we forget. But I don't
    via cocothyghs
  • 08
    appreciate the huffy attitude about it. I'm a grown woman not a teenager and I think it's silly to be taking people's belongings because you don't want them to use it.
    via cocothyghs
  • 09
    What's wrong with having a normal phone policy (get caught on your phone get written up, suspended, fired etc..)?
    via cocothyghs
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10494054400
    via Iqbal Nuril Anwar

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 11
    So she sent me home early I'm assuming because she was upset about the phone thing. Am I justified for thinking this is a silly and
    via cocothyghs
  • 12
    unnecessary rule? Am I in the wrong for always forgetting to turn it in? I have an aut. tic toddler daughter and they have my
    via cocothyghs
  • 13
    work number but there have been a few times my daughter's daycare has tried to call my job and they haven't picked up!!
    via cocothyghs
  • 14
    LuuDinhUSA I work in an industry where i have to enter secure buildings, I just leave my phone and smart watch in my car.
    via LuuDinhUSA
  • 15
    That way, I don't have to worry about forgetting it or trusting others
    via LuuDinhUSA
  • 16
    Accomplished_Trip_ As far as they're concerned, you no longer have a cell phone.
    via Accomplished_Trip_
  • 17
    mr_mufuka I todays day and age, I would never give my phone to an employer for safe keeping while I worked my shift unless it was a top secret facility or something of that nature. I have to be available if my kid needs me for any reason.
    via mr_mufuka
  • 18
    tochangetheprophecy Assuming you're an adult and not a teen then yes this is highly patronizing and kind of ridiculous.
    via tochangetheprophecy
  • 19
    smartfbrankings Leave your phone in your car. Problem solved.
    via smartfbrankings

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boss workplace-stories employee fired manager job tales-from-the-workplace phone reddit story ceo policy overworked-employees workplace Reddit company
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