3/4 of Companies Monitor Employee Web Browsing
Wed May 9, 2007 12:30PM EDT
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Bad news, folks: Your boss is probably watching you read this blog post. A whopping 78 percent of CIOs in a recent poll confessed to installing content filtering or blocking software on their networks or otherwise watching what you do. The good news, I guess, is that you can always say it's work-related, right?
If you're worried about sweaty IT guys looking over your shoulder, the news isn't quite so bad. Most of the "monitoring" seems to be done on an ad hoc basis and as a matter of policy which blocks content or allows for monitoring. Only 14 percent of those queried actually use site filtering software and 4 percent block all web access.
While a shocking 60 percent of executives said "they want to keep their employees from wasting time at work," an even greater number cited genuine issues behind why they need monitoring software. 75 percent want to block inappropriate content (which can land an employer in legal trouble if it falls on eyes that don't want it), and 71 percent block websites to prevent viruses and malware from getting onto the network. Infected websites are possibly the most prevalent way that spyware is distributed today. It's hard to be angry over monitoring when ill-advised browsing can genuinely harm the company.
Is your boss watching where you surf? Do you even know?
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47 Posted by lesurvenant1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:49PM EDT Report Abuse
There seems to be a double standard when it comes to companies. Have bosses ever inquired why their employees use company time while surfing? Certainly not! Because they would find out that companies do not pay their employees well. You want hardworking employees, then pay them a proper and fair wage. Otherwise,its a question of faierplay from both sides. Don't forget the bosses don't complain, because they do the least work for the MOST pay. Is that faar to those who sweat and toil for a mere pittance? It's about time that companies gave their employees a fair shake. Not worked them as slaves of yesterday.
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48 Posted by sparkle012 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:35PM EDT Report Abuse
Hey tori_washington since you work for yourself now why you still talk like your an employee and critize companies are full of it? Are you going to pay them the same as you? Believe it or not I have seen people who makes alot working for others and still wasting time at work. Employees are still employees they are not the CEO. Some employees gets there work done even if they don't get paid big bucks and eventually employers will see it and give him/her a raise! If your one of those who complains and wasting company hours even if there is no one watching you your boss will still sense it! If your a employee now and don't like how your boss pays you or treating you why don't you start your own company? But also consider this if you do start your own company it's not a guaranteed success. It takes brains more than a college degree!
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49 Posted by dj_kingkc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:45PM EDT Report Abuse
The office position is a joke. Who grows up saying the want to work in a office for the rest of their lives? If bosses want more, they should pay more and get more involved. Half the bosses out there simply hand out work and then go hide, doing the same thing they b*tch about. Go figure.
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50 Posted by mauldinmusic on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:12PM EDT Report Abuse
Recently my employer merged with a company who held "no-tolerance" internet policies. After about a month of this, they gave us our internet back and decided what i thought was very true: Prohibiting internet usage displays a distrust in employees. Most office environments employ people who have a large measure of professionalism. We get our work done and when there is free time, we use it. Thats no big deal. However, if you work at an office with a group of un-productive and immature employees, then how can they be trusted? But for those of us who are adults and accomplish what we are asked to do.... there is nothing wrong with internet usage at work.
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51 Posted by doc2skate on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:45PM EDT Report Abuse
It's an impossibility to expect an employee to diligently work four hours, one hour lunch, then finally four hours of work every day, five days a week. Some down time is inevitable. I work in a hospital and there isn't 12 straight hours of patients. If there were, we'd burn out Doctors and Nurses within a week's time. The best way to function is not to try to nickle and dime the time. Someone with that mindset may be on the borderline of obsession.
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52 Posted by elcoyote89 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:53PM EDT Report Abuse
IPHONE and newer cell phones in the future that will have true internet browsing will take over surfing the net at while working so you can get away with this ..even while your in the restroom so employers will combat a newer problem at work . they can't use cell phone jammers because the boss needs his cell phone
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53 Posted by aftechie on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse
For hfrank: i agree as far as the principle of honesty and yes, it is stealing if an employee loses that time without making up for it. However...it needs to also be considered that the work/personal lines have become increasingly blurred in an ever-connected world: 1) employees often have to carry pagers or take phone calls at home or on weekends, 2) it can be more efficient to take a few minutes at work and get a personal task done than to take off two hours to go do it in person or at home, and then come back less focused and more stressed. Employers in this new connected and fast-paced environment need to a) provide flexibility for employees not only on schedule, but also on taking a few minutes here and there for personal issues, b) realize that the work/home blur can't cut only in one direction. If you want the best and most-productive workforce, you need to help employees with their work/home balance to help keep stress low...and measure based on whether they deliver the expected results not *how* they parcel their time and get that accomplished.
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54 Posted by tamaralnewell on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:55PM EDT Report Abuse
I use the internet everyday to check on my accounts, pay bills, and just the convenience of taking care of my personal buisness due to most businesses close when I get off. I use my lunch hour time or break time to take care of business over the internet for businesses that are not conveniently located. I take the train to work so it is not sensible to go to some places on my lunch hour. How convenient. When I get off at 5:00, typically all other businesses get off to. I try to take all of my personal days to take care of my buisness. I am a working mom and take care of all the home business.
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55 Posted by doc2skate on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:45PM EDT Report Abuse
hfrank9, what are you doing on the internet? Get back to work.
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56 Posted by vbidez0200 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:32PM EDT Report Abuse
I agree with Torri Washington, Post number 4!! I feel the same way most of the time. I work in a small business also, and I love my bosses (two of them), but there are some employees that get away with coming in late, or not coming in at all, "working from home", etc and they get paid MORE than I do. I do so many things at my job, several positions to be exact, which saves the company tons of cash for not having those separate positions that all pay what I get just for me. In other words, I get paid x amount, but if they had to hire for all positions, those x's would all add up. I feel like I deserve more, but since I don't get it (and I even asked, got a speech about the "norm") why should I feel motivated to do more work? We do fun things too, but I need money to survive! If I felt that I would get well rewarded for my job, I would definitely be more motivated.
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57 Posted by mystguy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:32PM EDT Report Abuse
Anybody who thinks that office-bound employees should not have internet and some time to surf it as long as they don't visit prohibited sites and get their work done satisfactorily is a brown-nosing, boot-licking, sychophant who either doesn't work in an office and is jealous or who doesn't have office internet.
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58 Posted by billysweis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:08PM EDT Report Abuse
I think you all need to get back to work. Who cares what you think unless you are the person signing the check. Most corporations won't even bother with your internet usage or even monitor you, unless you give them a reason too. Work hard play hard mentality rules. just no rated "R" stuff. Remember regaurdless of what you do, unless you are calling the shots, you're all cattle and one day it will be you're turn, so get it while the getting is good!
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59 Posted by suzybraun2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:50PM EDT Report Abuse
When the American employee gets real and actually works their hours doing company business, And do a GOOD JOB, we would have UNSUPASSED output in the WORKPLACE. Perhaps then the consumer would be happier. I hate going into a business, and have someone surfing the web and they tell me to wait. I do not wait, and they have now lost my business, Just ask the former CPA.
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60 Posted by cloudybrooks on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse
I think that both employers and employees should open up to what they're buying from and selling to each other. Is it time or work results? That's why I'm all for flex time and would love to find a results-oriented employer that offers that.
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61 Posted by mwilmoth76 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:31PM EDT Report Abuse
As an office manager of a small company I know we don't watch our workers on what they do on the internet. All we care about is they still get the work done. We have one girl who plays games while working, but that is fine because she gets her work done, and done well. I have worked for companies that have monitored and sometimes it was nerve wrecking because you was afraid to even check your own personal emails. I believe if a good employee is getting the work done while still doing personnal stuff that is fine. Don't most companies ask for a person who can mult-task.
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62 Posted by dredome10 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse
my boss can see what im surfing because he sits right next to me.
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63 Posted by audrey1000000000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse
Just get rid of the sneaky employees that don't do their work and instead compensate the workers that always take up the slack. Don't inhumanize everyone by taking everything away from them. It's a job not a prison. If you oppress your employees too much they won't be as productive or happy and eventually will not give a darn about their job. And another thing, instead of those stupid company picnics, holiday luncheons/parties give me a better bonus. I have bills to pay.
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64 Posted by msbuch72 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:29PM EDT Report Abuse
Sorry folks, but if you work in retail, restaurants, basically any service industry job, you get no time to relax, catch up on the day's headlines, or pay bills. You are on your feet all day with maybe a fifteen minute break and a lunch hour. All of you 'productive' people in offices need to understand that internet access is a privilege not enjoyed by the majority of the world. Most of you speak as if it was your right to have internet access.
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65 Posted by chiantip22 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:23PM EDT Report Abuse
Torri Washington, you are right on!
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46 Posted by chrisbaby1124 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:24PM EDT Report Abuse
"hfrank9 on Wed May 9, 2007 8:50PM EDT" If someone is able to get all of their assigned duties done in the time alotted, why is it stealing to take some time to get other things done? For example, I am a single mother who does not have access to a computer at home very often because I devote ALL of my free time to my son who is a bright, wonderful, adorable, affectionate 2 year-old. If given the choice to work for a controlling dictator who obviously has no regard for employee's as anything more than a number and spending time with my child who IS the future of the world...you've got to be kidding me. My family gets first priority. And go ahead and find another worker drone who will ONLY do as they are told instead of having some of their own creativity and free thought to possibly one day come up with great ideas to help YOUR company make more money. I would hire a free thinker who is bright, aware and an asset to the company over a drone any day of the week and I have a feeling my company would be better for it.