Do you live on the edge? We’re not talking about trekking off on a bungee jumping expedition in Costa Rica. We’re talking about the seven out of 10 office workers who use office equipment for personal reasons, blatantly ignoring their employer’s warnings not to do so. Yes, we’re talking to YOU.
Lawyers.com had Harris Interactive conduct a survey that yielded the following results:
55% send/receive personal e-mail on their work accounts
69% use the Internet for non-work purposes
45% of respondents said they ignore their company’s warnings
And it gets even worse (or better!) for younger employees. Folks between 18 and 24 are taking even greater risks:
72% of workers send/receive personal e-mail on their work accounts.
77% use the Internet for non-work purposes
71% of workers maintain a personal Web site
13% visit dating Web sites
If you are unsure of your company’s electronic policy you have the right to ask for it. Depending on what you signed when you were hired, your employer could have the right to monitor not only your Internet activity and e-mails, but your voice mail as well.
I encourage each and every one of you to look over this document every now and then. Don’t be a stickler for every rule but know where the greatest risks lie.
Learn more about how companies spy and how far they can go.
COMPLETELY UNRELATED NOTE: What the heck was up with Paula Cole at last night’s All Star Game? There was a 90-second pause before she started singing a wacky rendition of God Bless America. Was it planned? A tech glitch? Best known for singing the Dawson’s Creek theme song, I was grateful to see she has shaved her armpits (which is my only memory of her from years back). I don’t know, for such a big event, and the fact that it was taking place on the Left Coast, there was no one better they could dig up to honor America?
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