Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:47 pm
Research In Motion or Really Invasive Management?
I am very much torn on the privacy in the work place debate.
I fully believe that a person has a right to his or her privacy, even at the work place. The company shouldn't have the ability to track conversations they might be having with doctors or lawyers, let alone record and archive them.
On the other side of the coin, it's the company's time and resources. They're paying you to work there, not do things totally unrelated to your job. How many people abuse email and internet access or even phone access? How many co-workers have we all had who got calls all day from their kids?
But doesn't the employee have a right to privacy, even in the work place? Shouldn't it be common sense that sometimes an employee will have to deal with a personal thing at work? Isn't it good for morale to let your employees have the tools available to them if they need to handle an emergency or even grab some shoes online during lunch without fearing that Big Brother is watching?
And switching back again, doesn't the employer have the right to defend itself from employees would could do harm to its business? Shouldn't it be allowed to prove corporate espionage or gross incompetence?
I've always judged this subject on a case by case basis because I find it difficult to truly pick a side. It's easy to say it's the company's resources and time, but reality says concessions must be made.
I am very much torn on the privacy in the work place debate.
I fully believe that a person has a right to his or her privacy, even at the work place. The company shouldn't have the ability to track conversations they might be having with doctors or lawyers, let alone record and archive them.
On the other side of the coin, it's the company's time and resources. They're paying you to work there, not do things totally unrelated to your job. How many people abuse email and internet access or even phone access? How many co-workers have we all had who got calls all day from their kids?
But doesn't the employee have a right to privacy, even in the work place? Shouldn't it be common sense that sometimes an employee will have to deal with a personal thing at work? Isn't it good for morale to let your employees have the tools available to them if they need to handle an emergency or even grab some shoes online during lunch without fearing that Big Brother is watching?
And switching back again, doesn't the employer have the right to defend itself from employees would could do harm to its business? Shouldn't it be allowed to prove corporate espionage or gross incompetence?
I've always judged this subject on a case by case basis because I find it difficult to truly pick a side. It's easy to say it's the company's resources and time, but reality says concessions must be made.