Some regulations are reportedly coming into effect that shall make it mandatory for mobile manufacturers to affix a radiation-tag on the handsets. These tags shall inform the users about the harmful effects of the radiation that a phone emits. Only time shall tell how consumers shall react to such tags but it is really funny that things have come to such a passé. Will now our mobile phones have warnings messages written ‘Using this handset may be dangerous for your health’ like the cigarette packs have?
Mobile communication has undoubtedly transformed people used to communicate. Imagine at one point of time if you had to make an STD call, you would have to go to the telephone office and book a trunk call and then again go at the designated time to make that call. Today calling anyone anywhere in the world is just a finger-click away. However with the utility also came the ills which had to mainly to do with the way people starting using the gadget. The result was at times funny, at times, dangerous, sometimes insensitive and at other times taxing. I am always amused when I find people taking calls even when they are using the restrooms. Sometimes if you enter a public restroom then you might be greeted with someone clutching the mobile phone between his ear and shoulder, busy talking, almost forgetting the very purpose of getting in to the restroom in the first place. At other times, I have seen people coming towards me talking and smiling to themselves. On closer introspection, you will find that they are talking on mobile ‘hands-free’. The number of accidents that happen to people, who use mobile when they are drive, is on the rise. Using a mobile when driving a vehicle when driving a vehicle is not only dangerous to the person engaging in the act but he/she also risks the lives of others on the road. Have you seen people talking on mobile loudly in public places especially in a doctor’s clinic or in a hospital? That’s what I call as insensitive use of mobile. Actually I have even seen people taking calls when attending cremation of a friend. How bizarre! One moment the person is mourning the last rites of his friend, the other moment the mobile rings and is happily chatting completely oblivious to the situation.
However one impact of mobiles that has been profound is the ability to reach anyone at anytime. The anytime reach-ability of the mobile has also meant that it has caused lot of stress. This has been most pronounced I the case of work. There seems to be no respite for many who just cannot switch-off from the work. They virtually carry their office in the form of their mobiles wherever they go, 24 hours, 365 days a year! That’s horrible. The nature of work hours, more than the actual work hours have led to drastic increase in work stress.
In some companies however, a deal has been struck between the employee unions and the management that calls for restraining the management from making calls or sending messages to their employees during certain hours. For instance in the case of the German car manufacturer Volkswagen, an agreement has been reached between the IG metal union and the company’s management not to send any emails to the employee’s BlackBerrys between 6:15 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Similarly in the case of Henkel, an agreement was reached recently to spare employees from any messages during Christmas and New Year and also during weekends, except in case of an emergency. The common belief in these companies is that people must not be pestered for work during times meant for their families. This would lead to lesser work stress and better productivity.
Irrespective of whether the radiation-tag comes to the mobile handsets or not, some companies are fast realizing that asking their employees to use mobiles always for work, without a break, is dysfunctional and unproductive.
Mobile can be agile, provided used in style that is not guile or futile, but can bring back to work the much needed smile!
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