Cyberloafing - good or bad??

I just came across this new word in the local newspapers (The Straits Times)a couple of days back; "Cyberloafing" - which is the use of the company's computer for personal matters during office hours.

According to the article, survey has found that employees in America actually spend up to 10 hours a week cyberloafing! And the time is spent on a varied of activities, such as browsing news, entertainment and sports websites, accessing personal e-mail. Some cyberloafers also run personal errands using company's internet access. Of course, some use the time to blog too! *Opps!*

So where's the evil in cyberloafing? It's all in the economics. Just as pirated software and illegal downloading is equvilent to stealing, cyberloafing is also in the same category as theft. The same article also points out that cyberloafing in the US cyts productivity by 30 to 40 per cent a year. That works out to about US$50billion annually. A hefty sum indeed!

Of course given today's technology, its not difficult to monitor cyberloafing at all; such technology already exist in the form of software that "spy" on internet usage. But seriously, how much good is that??

I used to work as an intern in a small consulting firm, where usage to the internet is closely monitored by the boss. There are only two computers in the whole office with internet access, one being in his offfice (of course) and another placed so that he can look out his office window and see what you are doing (or browsing). It was so stressful and felt so restricted working in there! *You must understand though, that being an Asian country, obedience is very much expected. As important as showing constant results. Anyway, more on that next time.*

The thing is, should employers clamp down so hard on cyberloafers? Or should they even be called loafers in the first place?

I think not. Not if their work is not affected. In fact, from my personal experience, employees might even be able to concentrate on their work better as they had the chance to sort out their personal matters. Isn't that even better?

Not to forget, as I believe many fellow bloggers must attest to, the internet has also led to work intruding into our personal lives. If that's the case, then all the more the line shouldn't be drawn so clearly!