Depending on the employer, one may have different answers to this question. However, looking from a general perspective, what is it about the World Wide Web that makes it inappropriate to use while working? Are there certain times of the day that this kind of mis-usage is appropriate? It is difficult to answer these questions because every companies' policies are different, therefore looking from a general perspective is best. Some of the common types of internet misuse are:
- Online shopping
- Online gaming
- Using dating websites
- Browsing pornography
- Checking e-mail not related to work
- Any social networking site (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Skype, etc.)
- Random internet surfing
- Downloading music
- Watching television online
From a personal perspective, I can say that some companies are more lenient with internet usage. If the work pace is slow then moderate, unrelated to work internet use is allowed. If the work pace is busy, most likely internet use is completely prohibited unless it is work-related. It all depends upon the strictness of the employer. When on a job, one should be focused on the work tasks anyhow and not personal business that should be taken care of outside of the office. Misusing the internet will not only hurt the individual misusing it, but also the company. Internet misuse cuts into company profits and productivity. If employers want to be aware of what their employees are doing on the internet, monitoring the internet usage is essential.
What are the ways that a company can restrict the use of the general "internet" on its computers? I know that in high school the computers wouldn't allow us to access sites like Facebook etc. Do you feel this would help with the aimless web surfing? I like that you mention that not all companies have strict internet use policies. It does really come with the culture of the business!
ReplyDeleteInternet misusage is always going to be a debated thing between employees and employers. Like you said in the blog, it all depends on the business and the pace of work. When you get into marketing for a company, usage of social networks on the internet is actually part of the job in many cases. They expect you to search for trends in consumer behavior on Facebook and Twitter, but that all depends on your daily job duties. Whether the employer likes it or not, internet usage and misusage will be around for a long time.
ReplyDeleteI have heard many stories about people sending e-mail and using Facebook while at work. I agree that using the Internet at work can hinder the productivity of employees if the company does not use the Internet much. I also think that companies that are more tech savvy would be more open to using the Internet during work hours. I like how you told how using the Internet can harm the company.
ReplyDeleteAs long as one is doing their job efficiently and there is time to spare or needs a quick break, I see no problem using the internet. Of course, not using it for inappropriate sites is essential.
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