Cyber loafing
Cyber loafing has become a significant issue for companies today. Cyber loafing costs companies millions of dollars each year. As a result, some companies have chosen to use various technologies to either prevent or catch employees that are spending their time online or on their cell phones doing non-work-related activities such as shopping, playing games, or socializing.
Complete some research on cyber loafing.
What are the costs to companies? How much time do employees spend doing non-work-related activities? What are some of the tools employers are using? What are the laws in your state related to the use of these tools? Do you think the use of these tools is ethical? Why or why not?
Sample Solution
Cyber loafing is a significant issue for companies today, costing them millions of dollars each year. According to Gallup’s 2019 State of the American Workplace report, the average U.S. employee spends 2 hours and 19 minutes per day engaged in non-work activities at work. Cyber loafers are essentially using their time online or on their cell phones doing non-work related activities such as shopping, playing games, or socializing instead of performing assigned job duties.
These costs can manifest in decreased productivity, diminished quality levels due to lack of focus and motivation, training expenses for replacement workers if current employees are terminated for inappropriate use of company equipment and resources, lost opportunities due to slower response times from distracted employees who aren't focused on their jobs, increased stress and tension between coworkers who may feel deprived when one coworker is cyberloafing while another is trying to get their works done ,and legal fees if an employee sues the employer over wrongful termination based on monitoring tools implemented by employers.
To prevent or catch employees engaging in cyber loafing behavior some employers have chosen to use various technologies that monitor activity such as emails sent/received; websites visited; network traffic/bandwidth usage; IM conversations; keystrokes made per hour/minute; application usage; print jobs issued; file access attempts/file types accessed; and file transmissions (uploaded or downloaded). Companies may also require users to input passwords periodically throughout the day so they can be monitored against password logins during authorized periods. Other monitoring techniques include biometric scans such as fingerprint readers that track user identity when logging into a system or tracking mouse clicks which records how often a user moves within certain areas during particular periods of time .
The lawfulness surrounding this type of monitoring varies from state-to-state but generally these monitors must obtain consent before collecting data related to an individual’s work performance unless it's specifically stated within relevant company policies that all computer systems owned by the company will be subject to surveillance - including personal devices used for work tasks - then there's no need for explicit consent.. Employers should also consider implementing software controls which limit access privileges depending on job roles with established acceptable uses statements so that those accessing sensitive material know what constitutes authorized use versus inappropriate activities like cyberloafing .
The ethicality behind using these tools remain questionable because it relies heavily upon principles involving privacy rights and transparency since many employees don't even realize they're being watched until it's too late and disciplinary action has been taken against them either through dismissal or other forms of sanctions imposed by management staff members.. Although there may be valid reasons why employers wish to utilize these measures in order increase workplace efficiency - primarily reducing losses associated with cyber loafers - this could come at the cost freedom and autonomy felt by those affected giving rise potential moral dilemmas worthy consideration before implementation any form continuous electronic surveillance system..