If they don’t have reasonably unfettered Internet access at work, younger jobseekers may look for an employer with less draconian policies.
Microsoft may have an ulterior motive in favoring the relaxing of such limitations. Its assortment of online services under the Windows Live brand arrive as advertising-supported choices. No access, means no ad views. That’s not a good thing, as George Moore, General Manager Windows Live Platform, said in the article: “Our business model is advertising. With advertising you want reach.”
Although employers generally fret about lost productivity on the job, that may not be the greatest concern. The potential for employees accessing adult content, and other employees seeing that content and hitting the company with a sexual harassment claim.
“Bill Gates said years ago that if you worry about internet productivity, you’re worrying about people stealing pens from your stationery cupboard there are bigger things to worry about,” said Kirah.
For most people, an open Internet means access to sites and services of a much tamer nature. Catching up on sports scores, entertainment news, and personal emails draw greater interest.
People tend to be inventive when it comes to keeping up with personally important information. Mobile devices with text messaging, Web browsing, and even streaming video provide ways of bypassing the dictates of a fanatical network manager.
Judging workers by their productivity and contribution to the company looks like a more sensible way of measuring their accomplishments than worrying about them trading for a running back for their fantasy football team during working hours. Of course, if businesses adopted sensible solutions all the time, Scott Adams would run out of material for his Dilbert comic.
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David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
