Employment: The French are on their phones too much at work, according to their bosses

There's been a lot of talk these days about children's exposure to screens , and especially smartphones. Public debate, however, is less likely to focus on adult phone use . "The issue seems taboo," notes the Observatoire Santé Pro BTP . And yet, 71% of the adult population cannot live without them, according to the mutual group entity.

Frequent social media browsing, endless notifications... This "smartphone omnipresence" is also observed at work, according to a study ^(*) published Wednesday by the Observatoire Santé Pro BTP (Health Observatory). It's so much so that it's a concern for 96% of managers of companies with 20 or more employees.

Source of risks and conflicts

In the office, as elsewhere, the telephone can be useful: it offers new opportunities and allows for increased interaction. But its drawbacks are probably as numerous as its advantages. Distraction, interruption, isolation, irritability... 4 out of 10 managers report difficulties within their teams. And according to the firm Capstan Avocats, which participated in the research, "the first disputes are beginning to appear" on the subject.

Companies are particularly concerned about excessive phone use affecting employee productivity (70% of managers surveyed). Bosses also believe it has an impact on work quality (63%) and cognitive abilities (61%). Scientific studies have shown that it can take up to 25 minutes for a person to regain their initial level of concentration after an interruption.

Beyond employee performance, inappropriate smartphone use at work can also put employees at risk, warns the Observatoire Santé Pro BTP. Among the risks already identified: non-compliance with procedures (39%) and poor data security (38%). Compulsive smartphone use also harms the team, according to 76% of managers. According to them, it affects the closeness between colleagues, the atmosphere during breaks, and the effectiveness of meetings.

Banning the phone is possible, but...

Faced with this observation, some have decided to take the lead and establish rules: this is the case for 40% of companies surveyed by the Observatoire Santé Pro BTP. Some have banned smartphone use during work hours, while others only allow it during breaks or ask their employees to leave it in a locker. They have the right to do so, according to the Capstan Avocats firm. But the restrictions imposed must be proportionate. An outright ban, even during the lunch break, could, for example, be considered abusive.

Sandrine Losi, a lawyer at Capstan Avocats, advises managers to establish "clear rules," integrated into internal regulations or even a charter of best practices. She recommends developing them "where appropriate in dialogue with staff representatives," so that these measures gain employee support. The lawyer emphasizes "the urgent need for awareness, as the 'digital native' generation will arrive en masse on the job market." Hervé Naerhuysen, president of the Observatoire Santé Pro BTP, also emphasizes the need to anticipate "the arrival of new hyperconnected generations."

(*) Study conducted by Ifop for the Observatoire Santé Pro BTP among 500 managers of companies with 20 or more employees, from April 8 to 29, 2025.