The call center I work for, they have a generic time code for when you are not on the phone taking calls. 'Personal' encompasses everything you might leave your desk or stop taking calls for a few minutes (bathroom break, make a personal call, etc). Its not meant to take more than a few minutes. Its different from a break or training or meeting with supervisors. They are all coded different. None of the supervisors really say anything about it as long as it isnt abused. Two or three 5 minute personals a week doesnt set off any alarms, a 15 minute personal every day, that will show up on some manager's radar.
When I first started working here (in 2006) the whole concept of monitoring every single minute of your work day did seem a bit totalitarian to me, but as with most everything else in life, you get used to it.
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The call center I work for, they have a generic time code for when you are not on the phone taking calls. 'Personal' encompasses everything you might leave your desk or stop taking calls for a few minutes (bathroom break, make a personal call, etc). Its not meant to take more than a few minutes. Its different from a break or training or meeting with supervisors. They are all coded different. None of the supervisors really say anything about it as long as it isnt abused. Two or three 5 minute personals a week doesnt set off any alarms, a 15 minute personal every day, that will show up on some manager's radar. When I first started working here (in 2006) the whole concept of monitoring every single minute of your work day did seem a bit totalitarian to me, but as with most everything else in life, you get used to it.