question please 14

[netnerdnerd9]

Hi this question is for the experts as I am not an expert.

I am wondering , if anyone can tell me the regulations with regard to making use of social networking sites at work? I work at an i.t company and they come down hard on us what is your feelings in this regard?

 

[gbaughma]

Dare I ask your interpretation should the employee spend an extra 40 minutes at work a day or more beyond his/her given hours working?

There was no interpretation given. I simply ran the numbers; if a person spends 5 minutes an hour in a 40 hour work week, that would be 200 minutes.

There are 2400 minutes in a work week (40 * 60). Take the 200 minutes divided by 2400 minutes, gives you .0833, or a little over 8% of the work week spent.

That would mean that a maximum productivity would be only 92%.

Any interpretation is left up to the reader; but if a person were to be docked their pay for the amount of time spent on social networking sites at 5 minutes per hour worked, that would work out to an 8% pay cut.



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[Diancecht]

You have two employees: Piffy and Squiffle. On Monday morning you give each a list of 75 tasks they need to have complete by the end of the day on Friday. Piffy and Squiffle both work hard and both complete their lists perfectly be he end of the day on Thursday. Piffy spends all day Friday screwing around on Facebook. Squiffle, on his own, finds another 20 useful tasks to complete.

By the measure of assigned tasks, etc. they are both excellent employees, but wouldn't you rather have more Squiffles than Piffys?

If I say "Yes" would mean anything? And then I will be the one using simplystic arguments ...

Anyway, do doy think you can turn Piffys into Squiffles by adding a firewall rule? First, you will have to wonder why are you under-assigning tasks to your employees and after that you will need a management system to keep track of what does each of them.

With that, you will have a high performance company and you will have knowledge about wether you have Piffys or Squiffles with you. With or without firewall rules.

Cheers,
Dian

 

[gbaughma]

First, you will have to wonder why are you under-assigning tasks to your employees and after that you will need a management system to keep track of what does each of them.

OK, you're starting to ruffle some feathers here now.

Let me give you a dose of the "Real world".

US Steel has installed GPS trackers on their production trucks. These trucks don't get stolen, they carry something like 260 tons of rock in a single trip. The reason for the GPS tracking is to make sure that they keep moving, because the drivers would pull off and take a nap.

The management system HAS been installed there. By your arguments, shouldn't they be allowed to pull over, pull out their laptop (or go use a company's laptop) and get on Facebook for a little while each day, or each trip?

The owner of the company that I work at now has asked me to either monitor or completely block Internet access from the laboratory.

The bottom line is, YES. You work for the company, YES, they can tell you whether or not you can use the Internet for personal use, and YES, they will be more than happy to show you the door if it becomes a problem.

Other than wages, sick time, and so forth you have no "Rights" as an employee. You do not have the "Right" to check your Facebook. You do not have the "Right" to use the phone for personal calls. You do not even have the "Right" to be treated fairly, without fear of nepotism or a butt-kissing "Yes" man getting promoted before you.

You DO have the right to do a good job, to get a paycheck, so you can pay for your home, groceries, and so forth. You have the right, through your hard work, to keep yourself from being homeless (hopefully).

Now I'll step off of my soap box; I have to leave for work. Because *I* realize that like a MAJORITY of Americans, I'm about 2 paychecks away from being homeless; I *NEED* my job in order to survive and not be on the soup line. And if that means I have to wait until I get home to tweet, so be it.


Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[traingamer]

What I say is that a personal e-mail or a social network is not a crime.

That is correct in most cases.

However, it is also correct that it is not a crime to prevent your employees from using company equipment for personal use.


If you are a marketing firm that uses social networking sites for your clients, then I would expect that your employees could access social sites. Indeed, I would expect the employer to encourage usage in that case.

We all understand that the internet is a major part of both the business and the personal world. If a company that you work for bans internet access to something that would simplify or enhance its business, it is your right and your duty to point it out to them so they can change that policy.


I personally believe that all people should have the right to access an internet that is not censored.

I do not believe that you have that right while using your employer's equipment.



As you apparently do not speak English as a native language, I have tried to avoid idiomatic phrases.

Greg
People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. Kierkegaard

 

[Diancecht]

The management system HAS been installed there. By your arguments, shouldn't they be allowed to pull over, pull out their laptop (or go use a company's laptop) and get on Facebook for a little while each day, or each trip?

By my arguments, they should be allowed to get on Facebook while charging or discharching as long as it doesn't affect their job.

Other than wages, sick time, and so forth you have no "Rights" as an employee. You do not have the "Right" to check your Facebook. You do not have the "Right" to use the phone for personal calls. You do not even have the "Right" to be treated fairly, without fear of nepotism or a butt-kissing "Yes" man getting promoted before you.

Sad but true. What I say is that things shouldn't be that way.

Now I'll step off of my soap box; I have to leave for work. Because *I* realize that like a MAJORITY of Americans, I'm about 2 paychecks away from being homeless; I *NEED* my job in order to survive and not be on the soup line. And if that means I have to wait until I get home to tweet, so be it.

And I really hope you keep your job for a long time, but that cannot be the reason to let companies do whatever they like. Industry revolution got that for us, let's keep and improve for our children.

However, it is also correct that it is not a crime to prevent your employees from using company equipment for personal use.

Totally correct, and inforced by the law, but I was asked for my feelings, and I really feel that shouldn't be that way.

As you apparently do not speak English as a native language, I have tried to avoid idiomatic phrases.

I do appreciate it, but feel free to use them. I use this forum as language education, so the more effort I need to read a post, the more I learn to write the next one



Cheers,
Dian

 

[netnerdnerd9]

The question I still wonder is does it effect a job?

people argue about this all the time due to the factor that some people in I.T that I know say they browse the net and do stuff anyway while others claim that Facebook is a huge distraction what is your views people. thanks

 

[flapeyre]

If it didn't affect performace here where I work, we would not have blocked Facebook at all.

-- Francis
Et cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos.

 

[gbaughma]

I guess with reference to Facebook in general, the question is:

What business purpose could it possibly have?


Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[Golom]

OK, you're starting to ruffle some feathers here now.

Agreed! And it's becoming difficult to maintain a civil tone but I'll try.

Industry revolution got that for us, let's keep and improve for our children.

Yeah ... right. And we should all bow down because who can possibly not want to "improve for our children"?

This is a complete nonsense argument.

The issue is the appropriateness of limits that may be imposed by a company on their employee's activities using the company's time and resources.

Don't conflate that with the history of the Industrial Revolution or the challenges that may confront future generations. That makes you appear to be someone whose debating points have dried up and you are now diverting off into irrelevancy.

I'm almost expecting "social justice", "imperialist exploiters" and "save the planet" to make their appearance in your next missives.

 

[flapeyre]

I guess with reference to Facebook in general, the question is:
What business purpose could it possibly have?

Asnswer: Monkey .

-- Francis
Et cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos.

 

[sleipnir214]

What business purpose could [Facebook] possibly have?

I could see, as I think someone pointed out earlier, that if you have some kind of directed grass-roots campaign going on, that you might have one or two employees checking and updating Facebook regularly. But I haven't yet mustered sufficient imagination to see a situation where you could make a business case for universal Facebook access.

But I could probably make a business case for giving access to more special-purpose social-networking sites. LinkedIn, where the emphasis is less on "social" and more on "networking", is one example.


Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[gbaughma]

LinkedIn I would agree with, if you were a headhunter.

Facebook, MAYBE, if you were an HR person.



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[sleipnir214]

Yeah, I hadn't thought of Facebook for HR people, but you're right, a lot of employers now look to see what your online presence is like before hiring you.


Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[netnerdnerd9]

thanks hehe yes will ask better questions. I also know that some people at offices go through other methods if Facebook is blocked. I am not a sn junkie I just am sick of the debate time and time again. It is with all my friends in I.T related industries.

 

[sleipnir214]

netnerdnerd9:
Don't take the link to "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way" personally -- it's been my signature line in Tek-Tips for years.

But to address your question, what do you mean by "affect the job"?


Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[Welshbird]

I can access Facebook from my company network, and I do. Not regularly, but occasionally.

I work for a pharmaceutical company, and the diseases we treat have patient groups on facebook, so I access that to make asure I keep up-to-date with the feelings of the patients we are caring for. I think that's a definate requirement.

(And yes, I might update my own status occasionally when I'm there!)

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen

 

[Diancecht]

I'm almost expecting "social justice", "imperialist exploiters" and "save the planet" to make their appearance in your next missives.

So I cannot invoke emotional reasons because you don't agree with me, but you don't find out of scope mentioning the unemployment problem. A little suspcicious.

Anyway, I give up. There was a sentence like "sit down in front of a river and you will see your enemie's body floating".

- I use webmail to register to some websites for documents, debates or communities and avoid my corporate e-mail being bombed with spam
- I use youtube to see some product demos
- I don't use Facebook, but there are useful communities in there, and some emerging companies share useful information via its profiles
- I use blogs (blogspot, wordpress, ...) to get info

Most of them are forbidden by my companie policies and software but I know how to get rid of this. I even managed to convince the security department to allow blogspot.com for all the company. I know I'm doing my job ok and I feel satisfied. I sometimes check my mail, yes, I also sometimes go for a coffee.

Appart from that, corporate environments will turn more and more open, Internet will be seen as a valuable resource rather that a time loss and productiviy will be measured and prized proactivity instead of trying to force it with prohibitions.

That's happening, it's just a matter of time, now you can choose between going with new times or staying in the Middle Age.



Cheers,
Dian

 

[MasterRacker]

Most of them are forbidden by my companie policies and software but I know how to get rid of this

It doesn't matter what a company's policies actually are. Right or wrong, they are to be followed as a condition of employment. Violation of known policy is grounds for discipline or dismissal in any sane environment.

Appart from that, corporate environments will turn more and more open, Internet will be seen as a valuable resource rather that a time loss and productiviy will be measured and prized proactivity instead of trying to force it with prohibitions.

Completely correct and totally separate from personal use of the Internet on company time.

No one has said that Facebook, etc. should be blocked just because it's Facebook. Personal use of Facebook should be prohibited.

Being a good employee means a lot more than simply completing all assigned tasks. Once the assigned tasks are done, slack time should still be spent on work related activities, above and beyond, that will contribute to profitability.

Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]

 

[SQLSister]

Most of them are forbidden by my companie policies and software but I know how to get rid of this

Seems like you are the one with the ethical issues not the company for having and enforcing policies that are perfectly legal, valid and not at all unethical. Knowingly violating them just because you are a spoiled brat is an ethical violation. Lots of people have been fired for less than this. The company owns your time while you are work (with the exception of legally defined breaks). Even for breaks the company is under no obligation to provide entertainment, just time away from work. It has the right to set rules and enforce those rules. The company is not required to keep you employed if you violate those rules.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[netnerdnerd9]

I completely understand what it means to be a good employee. I think the problem comes in when these sites eg:Facebook get abused and then this is when the dilemma comes in.

It is easy to speculate but when someone is abusing it then it can be counerproductive.I think some people find it hard to limit their usage and should just not be using it in some instances.

Just my opinion for what it is worth!