Allowing employees to use corporate network resources for personal use has been an evolving freedom. Not too many years ago, most companies were sternly against employees jumping on the Internet or sending personal emails on corporate networks. The adage was, “When you’re at work, you’re at work.”
But the last few years have seen a blurring of personal and professional lives due to everything from the rise of Blackberries to the number of multinationals that work around the clock. The company has intruded on personal time, and more workers now expect the company to give a little, too.
This is especially true for the twentysomething “millenials” (aka Gen Y). In a series called Managing Millennials: A BNET Survival Guide, the point is made that this generation is accustomed to working away from a desk or office and having flexible work schedules. They’ll willingly answer emails at all hours, but in return expect to be able to update their Facebook pages while in the office.
Writing on the topic of personal use of company computers, TechRepublic Technology Editor Bill Detwiler notes: “Personal communication through the corporate computer network should be allowed, but carefully managed. IT departments must work closely with HR and management to establish, disseminate, and enforce practical policies.”
The shift in corporate policy is clearly under way. A recent TechRepublic poll of 600 readers showed that 77 percent of organizations today allow reasonable personal use of corporate network resources.