I am the first to admit it: having a job that requires working on a computer with unrestricted Internet access is a huge temptation. Do you surf the Internet at work? Do you think Internet access interferes with your productivity?
I’m a pretty diligent and dedicated worker, but sustaining an 8-hour-long attention span is very difficult, especially in today’s digitized, every-instant world.
I like to check my personal e-mail because I feel like I might miss something important if I don’t have constant access. I like to refresh my Facebook news feed because seeing my friends updates makes me smile. I also kind of like to glance at TweetDeck every so often to stay up to date on any links I might want to read. And don’t even get me started on Google Reader.
Visiting these websites is as normal and natural to me as “visiting the water cooler” or “taking a smoke break” (I don’t smoke, but you get my point).
A few days ago, Mashable published a post about how more than half of employers now block Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace. “Only 10% of those surveyed let employees use social networks however they please, while the remainder all impose at least some restrictions on usage, like limiting it to business purposes only.”
Honestly, I don’t think employers should block these websites. If the employer notices that an employee’s productivity is compromised by the use of these websites, perhaps the employer should ask themselves why the employee is substituting work time with social networking time. I think social networking is healthy, and staying connected to the world is even healthier. What do you think?
(Photo by g-hat)
I’m sorry – I can’t read this now; I’m at work =)