17 Keys to Proper Phone Etiquette in the Workplace

What Strides We Have Made In Telephone Technology

Did you know it has been one hundred and thirty seven years since the very first phone call was made? It has been quite some time! In the grand scheme of things today, it really is not that long of a time period. In saying that, we are just short of being able to transport ourselves through our phones or maybe even be able to smell different scents through them. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds, and with the invention of cellular and satellite technology, there are really no limits as to what we can expect from the industry.

History

The first phone call was successfully made on March 10, 1876. At this time, it was a technology that everyone wanted in their prospective households or businesses. These days, the generation gap is becoming more and more apparent as the “older” generation, really isn’t interested or doesn’t feel the need to keep up with the latest trends. The exact opposite is true of the younger generation.

Phone Usage Statistics

Studies have shown that a whopping 69% of people use their cell phones as their home phone, or primary use number. That is compared to over 63% percent of people, ages forty and older still only have a home phone, and do not really use a cellphone. The younger generation or under 40 crowd, say they almost never use a phonebook, as the elder, (69% of them), say they still use the phonebook to look up phone numbers that are publicly listed.

With all of this being said, it is no secret that cellphone technology is on the absolute rise! The “working world” will never be the same! More people use their cell phones for work, communicating, networking, or staying organized than ever before; and the number is steadily rising. More than 30% of the workforce are freelancers, contractors, salesmen or even self-employed. The list goes on and on.

Statistics have shown that rate of growth is astounding with the way that we communicate using our cellular devices. Did you know that more than 200,000 text messages are sent every second? Or that 79 percent of us, use texting for our professional communications? More than 30 percent of adults who use their phones for professional reasons, say they have closed a “deal” via text message.

Communication Trends

Knowing all of this, employers have not really kept up. Eighty percent of people say they feel the need to use their own personal devices for work related communications. Some employers even require you to have your own cellular device for the position. Millions of people today feel that it would be very beneficial if they had one business to give out that could link all of their contacts, email and social media accounts. This would be a huge improvement over business cards that are covered in phone numbers, email addresses and office numbers.

In the end, with all of this technology, we continue to grow. Mankind is changing and evolving as technology grows. Our pet peeves have changed, and manners and courtesies are evolving as well. On average about 36% of people have a general dislike with cell phones. It is called “screening!” You know when you are calling someone, and all of a sudden you hear that your call has been forwarded to leave a message. This is a huge aggravation for some people. Still, our future with cell phone technology continues to grow. Some people think, (around 30 percent) that our communication will be reduced to short sounds or grunts. (Let’s hope not!) or that robots will be our own assistants. Some people even think that the world will have one common language.