Cellphone obsession?

In lecture two weeks ago, we discussed how the boundary between work and non-work is being ‘blurred’. A lot more people are incorporating their personal identity into the workplace. Likewise, more people are working from home than ever before. As mentioned in lecture, Professor Harris prefers not to use her office at York, feeling more comfortable using her office at home. In Fleming and Spicer’s article (2004), "You can checkout anytime, but you can never leave: Spatial boundaries in a high commitment organization", they examine this issue in great detail. They refer to this pattern as a ‘two-way cultural process’, where spatial practices are transferred into the homes of employees and private activities are carried back to the workplace.

To further emphasize this point, they interview employees from the call-centre, Iocus. Through this field study they found that employees at Iocus were encouraged to evoke "traditionally non-work feelings and identities within the sphere of production" (p.83). Employees are encouraged to dress casually, where piercing if they would like and bring homemade cakes to share with other workers. Likewise, Iocus employees incorporate workplace practices in their every day life, such as by having a social get together on the weekend. Another instance in which work seemed to makes its way into the home was through the usage of cellphones. When an employee from Iocus was being interviewed at home, he received a couple of work related phone calls. Think about doctors who are on call – they must leave everything they are doing and come to work.

Cellphones affect the way we work through instant communication, a hidden identity, and it also allows us to talk in isolation. Through the use of cellphones people can be connected to their work and other networks at all times. However, it is this convenience of a having a cellphone that has instant access to the internet, that can take pictures and videos, play music and keep track of your appointments, that people have a hard time putting their cellphone down. I realized this when I read the following article.

In the Toronto Star (www.thestar.com/Life/article/182337, February 16, 2007), there was an article that further proved our attachment to our cellophones. Last week a 29 year old Polish tourist was visiting the Niagara Falls when he accidentally dropped his cellphone over the railing. Without hesitation he climbed over the railing to get it. This was when he slid on the icy slope and stopped a few metres from the falls. He had to wait for the rescue team to get him back safely.


Rebecca Philip