Let me surf or watch me leave

Companies want to give their employees access to the latest and greatest technology to help them do their jobs, but one of the basic building blocks on most computers is the Internet. Yet, most firm owners panic that their employees will spend more time goofing around on the Internet than they will surf it to find information they need to do their jobs.

But, if push came to shove, would an employee walk out the door if they couldn't use the Internet for personal surfing at work? The answer is yes, according to a recent survey by Telindus, an information and communication technology company. Almost 40% of workers under 30 said they would consider looking for another job if their employer banned personal surfing.

Surprisingly, however, about half the workers surveyed said they wouldn't mind a policy restricting personal Web use to lunch breaks and time before and after normal business hours.

My view on the whole "surfing at work" issue is this: If your employees are getting their work done, letting them decompress with a little mindless Internet surfing is not worth the trouble of keeping them from doing it. Employers who give their people Blackberries and encourage them to be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, need to be mindful of the work-life balance, especially when everyone is reminded constantly of the sluggish economy and rising unemployment rates.

Have any thoughts? Let us know!

Ed