Big brother may be watching at work, but that's not deterring today's workers.
Despite the fact that nearly one-half (45 percent) of office workers have been explicitly informed that their at-work technology usage is monitored, a majority still use their employers' technology resources for personal reasons, according to a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by Martindale-Hubbell's lawyers.com from LexisNexis, the most comprehensive and trustworthy online resource for finding lawyers.
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Moreover, 73 percent of office workers are either as or more likely to use the Internet at work for personal reasons than they were two years ago; 68 percent are as or more likely to send or receive personal e-mails on their work accounts.
"It's not a mystery to most employees that their bosses may be reading their work e-mails or checking out the Web sites they visit on work computers, yet employees apparently are more willing than ever to ignore that potential scrutiny and engage in risky work behavior," said attorney Alan Kopit, legal editor of lawyers.com. "Using employers' technology for non-work purposes can be the same as stealing in some instances, and may be grounds for termination. Employees should have no expectation of privacy at work, and are well-served to learn and abide by their offices' policies on such matters."
Young Workers Vulnerable to Personal Exposure at Work
Today's young office workers are making their private lives available online, leaving themselves vulnerable to unintended exposure to employers.
Seventy-one percent of workers age 18 to 34 maintain some type of personal Web site, the most common of which are personal blogs or networking accounts such as those on MySpace or Facebook maintained by 52 percent of young workers. Thirteen percent currently have an online dating account.
"We've seen instances where current or potential employers reviewed content of personal Web sites, and held employees accountable in different ways for what they post," said Kopit. "Young people tend to live lives very openly online, which may have unintended repercussions when it comes to their employment."
Young workers are also the most likely to use their employers' technology for personal reasons. Seventy-two percent check their personal e-mail accounts during work (compared to 61 percent of the general population), and 77 percent use their work Internet personally (compared to 69 percent of office workers overall).
"Younger employees are generally more comfortable with technology than their older counterparts, and are in the habit of continually using the Internet and e-mail, at work or not," said Kopit. "They may not differentiate between 'work' and 'personal' when it comes to some activity, which can put them in potential hot water with employers."
Secure Your Business
According to Kopit, employee violations of technology usage policies directly affect the bottom line of small businesses.
"Diverted employee resources hurt the productivity of the business, and in some cases the installation of certain technologies on employer equipment, such as instant messenger services, could compromise the security of employer communication systems," he said. "Employers should evaluate current practices in place regarding technology use and, as necessary, implement additional systems to ensure the business is protected."
