Take the Time to Understand Technology Use Policies

Community Manager — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Learning how to use your new office-issued laptop or cell phone is no longer enough to keep you current in today's workplace. Today, we must understand when to use these devices.

If you've ever surfed the web at work or sent a personal e-mail or text from an office computer or mobile phone-and who hasn't?-you need to take the time to understand your office's policy of acceptable technology use.

Did you know that a quarter of employers have fired workers for misusing e-mail and nearly one third have fired employees for misusing the Internet? That statistic comes from the 2007 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey from American Management Association (AMA) and The ePolicy Institute. It's worth a read to see what other forms of technology use have landed employees in hot water.

Most corporate work environments have technology use policies in place. Consult with your human resources team or manager to be sure you're up-to-date. If your firm is small, and doesn't have protocols in place, encourage management to formalize guidelines.

Keep in mind that the landscape of what is acceptable and legal often shifts. The Supreme Court will soon decide if a California police department violated an employee's privacy when it inspected personal text messages he sent using a work-issued pager. Avid texters, and companies that issue handheld devices, will want to be well-informed about how the decision affects their workplace.

Workplaces need to minimize litigation, security and other risks. They also need to manage productivity. So scrutiny of employees' use of office technology is going to be an ever-present part of the modern workplace. Arm yourself with information to stay on track. That way, the next time you pick up your office-issued cell or get on the Internet, you can be confident that you're adhering to best practices in your usage.

Does your workplace have a clear cut policy on acceptable technology usage that you can share? What standards are most helpful in managing your day-to-day technology use? Share your thoughts here and on the Beyond Folders Community's Facebook and Twitter pages.

by Bradley Eggers

Imagining Life Unplugged

Community Manager — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:41:00 GMT

Since its premiere way back in 1989, MTV Unplugged has featured popular musicians performing acoustic versions of their electric repertoire (like this moving classic from Eric Clapton). I find the idea of unplugging to reconnect with the heart and soul of what we do and who we are very appealing.

But, it is also hard to imagine how this appealing idea can become a reality. Whether or not we are digital natives, many of us spend a huge amount of time tethered to our computers, smartphones and e-readers.

To give you a sense of things, according to a recent report, the average U.S. internet user spends about 68 hours online and visits nearly 2700 websites each month. We are also prolific smartphone users. So prolific that professors at M.I.T.'s Sloan School of Management have studied the affects of Blackberry overuse . Even the mainstream media alerts us to signs of smartphone addiction.

So, assuming we want to (and that is a big assumption), how do we make the break and unplug from technology - even for a little while? A post from the productivity blog Zen Habits offers a roadmap of sorts by detailing these 3 Ways To Claim Your Life Back:

Time yourself
Plan specific non-computer activities
Uninstall and remove unnecessary programs

You can also find some practical tips in this article on taking a vacation from speed and noise. Among the suggested escapes are:

Using foot power to get around
Setting no appointments, schedules or deadlines
Playing games
Reading books

We would love to field some real world tips and tools to share with everyone here. So, please let us know how you unplug from the technology in your life.

by Carly Fadako

Beyond Folders : communication, tecnology

Take the Time to Understand Technology Use Policies

Imagining Life Unplugged