As safety concerns mount, Amazon is relaxing its control of workers' activities. The internet retailer has confirmed that it will back away from banning personal phones in warehouses. On December 17th, staff were told they could keep their phones at hand.
The company banned phones in warehouses for a long time, but loosened its approach after the COVID-19 Pandemic hit. The ban was going to resume in January of 2022.
Just after a tornado killed six people in a warehouse in Illinois, Amazon made a decision. There has been a surge in COVID-19 cases. Warehouse employees want to stay in touch in the event of emergencies and they want to access their phones for safety alert. A reinstituted ban would have looked tone deaf in the light of the incident where a driver was pressured to deliver packages while a tornado raged through the area.
Companies can ban phone use on the clock if it's to improve safety or prevent staff from leaking sensitive information. As more and more people use their phones in their daily lives, the stance of the company is changing and it may not be possible to impose a ban again.
