Background: Phubbing (from phone and snubbing) is the phenomenon of interacting with one'ssmartphone rather than with physically present persons. The smartphone entices multitasking,we can quickly find ourselves mentally elsewhere and in communication with others than wherewe physically are. This means changed behaviors also in traditionally social contexts at work.Breaks at work give an opportunity to recover, but also to chat and socialize with co-workers –a social exchange that seems to be positive for developing collegial cohesion and trust, andfacilitates access to collegial social support. In pilot interviews with safety representatives in the electrical trade, concerns were raised that preoccupation with mobile phones in the breakrooms contributed to reduced social communication in working groups, impaired communication aboutwork tasks and the work environment, less commitment to work, and reduced access to socialsupport. These factors, by extension, may have significance for occupational safety and health,socialization, and productivity. In this research project granted by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, we explore mobile phone behaviors, especially phubbing, in social contexts of working life.

Objectives: To explore the occurrence of phubbing in social contexts at workplaces, e.g., in thebreakrooms, how phubbing at work is perceived on different levels in the organization andwhich norms are at play. Further objectives include whether phubbing is associated with socialwork environment factors such as organizational commitment and social support, and whetheror not phubbing at work is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Methods: The project has an exploratory approach and combines qualitative and quantitativemethods. Ongoing studies include a) surveys in workplaces in the electrical trade, health careand dentistry, b) interviews with employees, managers, and HR, in the said trades, and c) asurvey to members of the Swedish Electrical worker union (N=13000). Studies a-c map mobilephone behaviors during the working day, perceptions about these behaviors, their causes andconsequences, and the presence of norms and policies regarding mobile phone use at work.Based on these studies, a longitudinal survey in a random sample from the Swedish workingpopulation (n=6000) is planned to examine associations between “phubbing” at work and socialenvironment factors, at baseline and after 6 months.

Results: This is an ongoing study. Preliminary results will be presented at the conference, ifaccepted.