What should employers do to employees who spend their work shifts surfing the web?

[JakeStarkey]

First of all, employees who waste company time and money posting and surfing the web all day are dirtbags. Particularly during these times when so many company's are struggling to stay afloat. But, even if they aren't struggling, they are in no way obligated to provide these dirtbags with jobs. An employee has an obligation to the company who hired them to do their jobs, and not waste company time and money.
Many company's, both small and large are monitoring their employees activities on company computers, and the instances of being caught are on the rise.
What should a company do when they catch these dirtbags?

Immediately terminate them?
Damn right!
Recommend a denial of unemployment benefits, too include providing computer logs as evidence?
Damn right!
Use computer logs as evidence in order to file suit to regain ALL lost wages paid to employee?
Damn Right.
Refuse to give said employees positive references when said employees apply for new jobs?
Damn Right.

There was an interesting discussion on one of the business shows this past weekend. The amount of money being wasted by these types of dirtbags was staggering. Over 100 million a year is lost in wasted company time and money. Businesses need to be alert, and watch for this garbage going on.
There are plenty of people in this country who are desperate for jobs, and would not engage in that bullshit.
What say you?

WJ, I agree that you should fire them. You will not collect what you are owed from them in you sue them. Let them go and forget about them. That is what I do.

 

[jillian]

I give a shit about our economy, and the companies that drive it.
I owned a restaurant here in so-cal until a few months back when I received an offer on it that I couldn't possibly refuse. Still own the controlling interest in a restaurant in vegas, but my sous chef/business partner runs the day to day.

I know what employee theft costs businesses. And surfing the web all day on company time is tanamount to theft. Businesses need to be on the lookout for it, and prepared to take action when they find it occuring. And they must do whatever they can to prevent it.

All well and good. And there are, of course, jobs that, by their nature, would keep one from going online at all... my husband has one of those.

There are then jobs which sometimes are so busy that you don't have time to look at your computer for amusement purposes, but at other times are slower. Most jobs in my field are like this because law is very much "hurry up and wait". If I am at my desk, my computer is always on, whether I am doing research, writing, reading/watching the news; or surfing the web for fun. There are certain sites that are blocked here... facebook, youtube and hate sites are inaccessible. I figure that's fair. On the other hand, I work hard; help anyone who needs it and do my job very well. No one has EVER accused me of slacking.

Bottom line -- one size doesn't fit all. If I didn't have access to the web, I would probably have my laptop hooked up and then I WOULD have all those blocked sites.

Mostly, if you're happy with people, a good manager doesn't destroy morale by being an overly dictatorial jerk.

 

[chanel]

If I got fired for surfing the web I would claim interent addiction and have them send me to a fancy rehab in Palm Beach. Then I would return to work and demand that all computers be removed from the premises so I am not attempted to re-offend. If they fail to comply with my request I will sue them for damages and then go on permanent disability.

Ah to dream the impossible dream...I

In all seriousness, internet addiction is a serious problem.

 

[rightwinger]

If I got fired for surfing the web I would claim interent addiction and have them send me to a fancy rehab in Palm Beach. Then I would return to work and demand that all computers be removed from the premises so I am not attempted to re-offend. If they fail to comply with my request I will sue them for damages and then go on permanent disability.

Ah to dream the impossible dream...I

In all seriousness, internet addiction is a serious problem.

can I come with you??

 

[Care4all]

take the internet access away?

Seriously? If you have employees on your payroll that you can't trust to not waste your time and money and you feel like you have to controll their behavior by limiting access to things or places, perhaps they shouldn't be working for you in the first place. Fire them.

Well, honestly, there are alot of steps that would need to be followed, if I were an employer, who had an employee that spent my dime on the internet....

And being on the internet would NOT be the SOLE reason for me to fire any of my employees, especially if they WERE producing, or were surpassing what I expected them to produce for me...

competent workers and trained workers are always worth more than the newbie...and I am sorry, but the employee not having their hand in the cookie jar, the cash register is worth a lot more than you may give credit....and is not the same as surfing the net, as far as theft goes.

What I would do if I did not want to let my employees surf the net due to the nature of the business, is tell the employee that i am changing my rules and making it policy and part of our policy that surfing the net while on the job is not permitted and make them sign off on the new policy procedure...date it, and every 4 months have your company policies reviewed and signed off on by all employees....with the specific consequences and order of such, also writen out in policy and signed off on.

If i catch one of my good or incompetent employees doing such, then I would write them up and counsel them on it, have them sign off on the counsel. If it happened a second time...same thing, write them up and remind them, as policy, the next write up for it, results in mandatory termination, without unemployment....that you will fight the unemployment and them having 3 write ups for the same action will make your case to win, in unemployment 'court'.

I never was on the internet when I worked for an employer, though I did have access...I just NEVER HAD THE TIME...way too busy planning on how to earn the company, their next dollar.

But this does not mean, as strolling mentioned, there are not meaningless jobs, like a clerk in a small shop when all the duties of shop cleanliness are done, and there are no customers...what's a girl to do?

or as Jillian said, working in a Law office, there are hotter than heck periods and other times you are just sitting and waiting to hear back from the client's husband's lawyer...

Care

 

[dilloduck]

take the internet access away?

Seriously? If you have employees on your payroll that you can't trust to not waste your time and money and you feel like you have to controll their behavior by limiting access to things or places, perhaps they shouldn't be working for you in the first place. Fire them.

Well, honestly, there are alot of steps that would need to be followed, if I were an employer, who had an employee that spent my dime on the internet....

And being on the internet would NOT be the SOLE reason for me to fire any of my employees, especially if they WERE producing, or were surpassing what I expected them to produce for me...

competent workers and trained workers are always worth more than the newbie...and I am sorry, but the employee not having their hand in the cookie jar, the cash register is worth a lot more than you may give credit....and is not the same as surfing the net, as far as theft goes.

What I would do if I did not want to let my employees surf the net due to the nature of the business, is tell the employee that i am changing my rules and making it policy and part of our policy that surfing the net while on the job is not permitted and make them sign off on the new policy procedure...date it, and every 4 months have your company policies reviewed and signed off on by all employees....with the specific consequences and order of such, also writen out in policy and signed off on.

If i catch one of my good or incompetent employees doing such, then I would write them up and counsel them on it, have them sign off on the counsel. If it happened a second time...same thing, write them up and remind them, as policy, the next write up for it, results in mandatory termination, without unemployment....that you will fight the unemployment and them having 3 write ups for the same action will make your case to win, in unemployment 'court'.

I never was on the internet when I worked for an employer, though I did have access...I just NEVER HAD THE TIME...way too busy planning on how to earn the company, their next dollar.

But this does not mean, as strolling mentioned, there are not meaningless jobs, like a clerk in a small shop when all the duties of shop cleanliness are done, and there are no customers...what's a girl to do?

or as Jillian said, working in a Law office, there are hotter than heck periods and other times you are just sitting and waiting to hear back from the client's husband's lawyer...

Care

Oh go back to work and buy a damn wood stove.

 

[Care4all]

Seriously? If you have employees on your payroll that you can't trust to not waste your time and money and you feel like you have to controll their behavior by limiting access to things or places, perhaps they shouldn't be working for you in the first place. Fire them.

Well, honestly, there are alot of steps that would need to be followed, if I were an employer, who had an employee that spent my dime on the internet....

And being on the internet would NOT be the SOLE reason for me to fire any of my employees, especially if they WERE producing, or were surpassing what I expected them to produce for me...

competent workers and trained workers are always worth more than the newbie...and I am sorry, but the employee not having their hand in the cookie jar, the cash register is worth a lot more than you may give credit....and is not the same as surfing the net, as far as theft goes.

What I would do if I did not want to let my employees surf the net due to the nature of the business, is tell the employee that i am changing my rules and making it policy and part of our policy that surfing the net while on the job is not permitted and make them sign off on the new policy procedure...date it, and every 4 months have your company policies reviewed and signed off on by all employees....with the specific consequences and order of such, also writen out in policy and signed off on.

If i catch one of my good or incompetent employees doing such, then I would write them up and counsel them on it, have them sign off on the counsel. If it happened a second time...same thing, write them up and remind them, as policy, the next write up for it, results in mandatory termination, without unemployment....that you will fight the unemployment and them having 3 write ups for the same action will make your case to win, in unemployment 'court'.

I never was on the internet when I worked for an employer, though I did have access...I just NEVER HAD THE TIME...way too busy planning on how to earn the company, their next dollar.

But this does not mean, as strolling mentioned, there are not meaningless jobs, like a clerk in a small shop when all the duties of shop cleanliness are done, and there are no customers...what's a girl to do?

or as Jillian said, working in a Law office, there are hotter than heck periods and other times you are just sitting and waiting to hear back from the client's husband's lawyer...

Care

Oh go back to work and buy a damn wood stove.

oh, just shut up already!

 

[Big Black Dog]

What should employers do to employees who spend their work shifts surfing the web?

I used to fire the employees that worked for me that spent too much time playing around on the web or playing games. I'd get rid of them and find somebody that really was interested in a job. I didn't have to do that but a few times and people wised up pretty quickly. Fair warning was given at company meetings but it just seemed like there were a few that didn't take the warnings seriously. Was I being a prick? Maybe but I wasn't interested in paying somebody more that $20.00 an hour to goof off.