Conversation Planner · for managers
How to talk to an employee who is always on their phone
Read the approach below, or skip ahead and get a plan written for your own situation.
Plan my conversation — free ↓Why the usual approach fails
Managers either make a pointed comment in passing or write a phone policy for the whole team. Neither is a conversation. There may be a real reason — a sick relative, a childcare problem — and you won't learn it from a policy.
How to open
"I want to raise something directly. In the last few meetings you've been on your phone for a good part of the time, and yesterday a customer waited at the desk while you finished a message. Is there something going on I should know about?"
Ask before you tell
- "What's pulling your attention there?"
- "How do you think it looks to customers and the team?"
- "What would make it easy to keep it away during those times?"
What to agree before you leave the room
A clear, simple standard for meetings and customer time, plus an agreed exception if there's something they genuinely need to be reachable for.
Make it yours — free
Edit the details below to match your situation and get a full five-step COACH plan by email.
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Built on the COACH method by Jon Kludt, Business Coach · Certified EOS Implementer® · thecoachconversation.com