[Vivienne]

I was reading the other day about Council workers who were fired due to spending lots of time on Ebay!

However, the question was raised as to whether the employees really were fully to blame, or was temptation put in their way?

What do you think? Should employees take responsibility for themselves, or is it up to employers to be more vigilant?

[Yudster]

..........is it up to employers to be more vigilant?

Dear lord I do hope not...........

[MK Chris]

We do not currently have internet monitoring or blocking software in place at work and for good reason in my opinion. We take the view that if you trust a person enough to employ them, you trust them enough not to abuse privileges. Obviously, some people do, but usually just warning them that the work has to be done first does the trick.

[Console]

With the number of ways for an employee to get around any blocks or proxies that the employer has put in place, I would say that the fault is entirely that of the the employees. If the employee has access to the internet in some form (which is required for some jobs), then they will be able to access what they want on it - the should learn to control themselves and not yield to temptation.

For any that believe that it is the fault of the employer in some way, would it also their fault when employees steal office equipment? After all, the employers allowed their employees to use that equipment, putting the temptation there.

[Andy B]

I'm not entirely certain on this but I read a newspaper thingy a while ago that said that while companies can see how MUCH you're using the Internet - time, data etc. That if they actively find out what websites you are visiting that it is an infringement (sp?) of your human rights and that they can be prosecuted under it even if you ARE abusing the system.

I don't know whether that's true or not but I like to think it is. I'm not a lawyer but I recommend Wrigley's sugar free gum!

[MK Chris]

With the number of ways for an employee to get around any blocks or proxies that the employer has put in place...

Yeah, but the employee has to know how to do that and most of them here barely know the difference between the internet and email. That said, I'm not saying you're wrong.. I'm just saying that to get round blocks, etc, you have to have a reasonable knowledge.

I'm not entirely certain on this but I read a newspaper thingy a while ago that said that while companies can see how MUCH you're using the Internet - time, data etc. That if they actively find out what websites you are visiting that it is an infringement (sp?) of your human rights and that they can be prosecuted under it even if you ARE abusing the system.

I think they are allowed to do it as long as they make it clear they are doing it.

The same thing works for email; despite the fact that an email address is provided for business purposes, an employer must notify an employee if they wish to monitor email. A while ago we had a persistent offender for sending email with profanities (that was being caught by an automatic swear filter) and we decided that any email that was sent by him should automatically be copied to his manager. We had to be extremely careful that he was made aware of this in writing and that it was all done above board. I think the internet is a similar situation.

[Vivienne]

Yeah, Andy B. (above), IT can see how much you are on the internet. When I used to work at a hospital, we had a nurse who spent 7 hours booking holidays!! This was all monitored by I.T., and she was suspended. I guess you are technically "stealing" company time.

[Vivienne]

It's all on the hard drive.

[MK Chris]

It's extremely difficult to do it without software specifically written for that purpose and that costs money. Not all companies do it, Viv. I believe if they do, they have to notify the employees that they are doing so.

[Vivienne]

O, I see. We had "hotspots" = normally the Wards.

[DevilsDuck]

Where I work we have to sign and email and internet policy statement confirming that they are available and can be used within reason, but excessive and/or miss use will result in disciplinary action

As its a call centre people normally get a slap on the wrist as long as their reaching their targets, if not then they get fired!

[Bruvva]

My outlook on the whole using the internet at work thing is this : as soon as people stop sloping off for 10 minute fag breaks, I'll stop browsing the internet

[Vivienne]

That's a good point. Smoking is viewed as some kind of necessity.

[Bruvva]

That's a good point. Smoking is viewed as some kind of necessity.

Ha, a necessity, would they let heroin addicts go and shoot up on the job?

[DevilsDuck]

I would only let heroin addicts shoot up in there own time

[Boboff]

What if a person is self employed, and wasting time, do you think then the Inland Revenue should fine them for loss of tax revenue ?


*please note tongue and cheek positioning.


An employed should, and must monitor and evaluate an employees performance, by setting objectives and targets, if these are not achieved, then questions have to be asked as to why, if a reason is Internet abuse then the usual disciplinary procedures should apply. Employers far to often forget that 10 minutes at 10.58 to get a deal on e-bay = 1/2 an hour working during ones lunch hour, is a pretty fair deal. How all you wasters manage to spend so much time on here all day I'll never no.

[Vivienne]

Excellent post.

[MK Chris]

Employers far to often forget that 10 minutes at 10.58 to get a deal on e-bay = 1/2 an hour working during ones lunch hour, is a pretty fair deal.

Mine are very good on this. I usually get in well over half an hour, sometimes an hour before I'm due to start and usually leave an hour and a half to two hours after I'm supposed to finish, but if I ever need to finish early or start late, they're very understanding and insist that I don't make the time up because I do more than enough already. If, however, someone who gets in at 9 on the dot and leaves dead on 5.30 has to start late, they would be expected to make the time up.

[S4B]

An employed should, and must monitor and evaluate an employees performance, by setting objectives and targets, if these are not achieved, then questions have to be asked as to why, if a reason is Internet abuse then the usual disciplinary procedures should apply. Employers far to often forget that 10 minutes at 10.58 to get a deal on e-bay = 1/2 an hour working during ones lunch hour, is a pretty fair deal. How all you wasters manage to spend so much time on here all day I'll never no.

I agree completely Boboff. We have the majority of websites blocked at work which is a pain sometimes when you're trying to find information for customers but if they were all accessible (except porn! and I do have a reason for that) then our job would be much easier. If the staff weren't doing their jobs then I would monitor the situation but I think most people are fairly responsible - at least the ones I employ.

[foot-loose]

Should employees take responsibility for themselves, or is it up to employers to be more vigilant?

I think everyone should take more responsibility for themselves in general!

In this situation, the employers should know not to take the piss and if they have net access - use it for what its there for and thats that. At the same time - the employer should have ever right to check what their employees are doing and if there is some sorta rule that says the bosses arn't allowed to look at what websites someone has been looking at, thats just crazy.

I'm sick of reading about all these bloody human rights rules and laws that has everyone walking about on egg shells. Andy - when are you taking charge and can I get to work cutting some baws off???

[Andy B]

I don't mind the human rights laws when they protect MY human rights. How else do you think I spend so much time in here when I'm supposed to be working eh?

The revolution cometh soon.

[Sunny So Cal]

Oh no. Let's not start that up again. No more delusions of grandeur for either of you.

[foot-loose]

Just cos you are at the top of the list to get a swift baw removal!

[Sunny So Cal]

Good luck with that. How about I direct you towards the nearest pair?

[Andy B]

*waits for foots to post a picture of a pear*