Web-browsing protocol at workplace

If you have a computer with internet facility at your workplace, you may be tempted to use it for unofficial purposes. The facility has been provided to make your work easier and not for personal use. Quite a few people misuse it for personal browsing, sending emails and chatting. You may otherwise be a conscientious employee, but a misuse is a misuse.

Cyber-slacking, characteristically explained as the use of internet and mobile technology during work hours for personal purposes is a cause for increased worrying by organizations due to the likelihood of revenues plummeting. You may not realise it, but misuse of the inter facility definitely encumbers your productivity. You may also not know that in most organisations, a check on internet usage is maintained and the same is linked with your productivity.

There were times when viruses from external unknowns were the main anxiety on business network devices. Today, with personal internet use at work at an all-time high, many IT administrators say internet misuse is the greatest threat to an organization's network system than outside sources like hackers. Construing that as an alarm signal, most organisations have formulated written policies on internet usage. Some companies utilize software that keeps track of websites that are visited by their employees. Often, employees do not know get to that their cyberspace activities are being traced until it is too late to institute change. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if you got caught.

Research conducted has indicated that various types of personal websites people visit most at work are news, social media, online shopping, entertainment, sports and travel sites. Regrettably, most visits are time-wasting endeavours.

To preclude getting into trouble, you must adhere to the laid down protocol. Some guidelines in this context are:

· Sending personal messages: Do your folks at home like you to carry work from office? If they do not, do you think your company will appreciate if you engage yourself in personal work in the office? You must desist from sending personal emails while at work. You should never carry the load of your domestic or personal life to your workplace. If you do, you will never be able to do justice to your work.

· Online shopping & payment of bills: While these may be important, you need to indulge in them after working hours only. It happens like this. When you surf the net, you find something appealing and then you start browsing aimlessly. And before you realise it, you would have wasted a couple of hours of your precious time that should have been utilised for official work.

· Games and downloads: Most organisations either ban or block gaming and other sites that enable downloads with the intended objective of preventing employees squandering their time. There is always hostility towards such policies, but then do you go to office to work or for whiling away your time? Remember that you could be distracting others who are conscientious workers.

· Social Networking Sites: Facebook or LinkedIn are quite popular sites that are used by everybody. Because these sites connect people, men and women become obsessive with their use. It is ethically incorrect to be logging on to them during office hours. If you happen to have your boss as a friend on these sights, he or she will come to know from your posts that you have been visiting the site during office timings. Would they be impressed or will they form a wrong impression about you? You can judge for yourself.

· Miscellaneous: There are a horde of other things that you should not do. Visiting pornographic sites is an offence in our country and also against all moral and other workplace ethics. If you chat on instant messenger services, surf for job openings and read e-books at office, you indulge in time theft. In fact, browsing the internet for any reason other than official work is an act of misdemeanour that can cost you dearly.

Rather than violating norms and rules, you can peruse online literature and sites that help you in performing your work better. The best thing to do is to place yourself in your employer’s shoes and weigh the circumstances accordingly. You must behave as if your boss is watching every move you make. You should remain focused on your work and maintain productivity. You can even put the time that you would have spent browsing the internet to gainful use by conversing with co-workers and make face time instead. While a limited internet usage may be tolerable, but you need to use your judgement carefully and take necessary precautions accordingly.