Personal FB/Dis/Cell Phone use at work

[rascalmom]

I realize this may be a touchy subject (we are all HERE after all ) but what is your employer's policy towards using Facebook, internet discussion boards, IM Chat or personal cell phones at work.

We have a dilemma with an employee at work who uses FB to play Farmville or plays solitaire during her working hours frequently. It is not that she does not have enough to do; she pushes it off to other employees or just lets some things stack up in her "to-do" list.

I asked her to refrain from FB at the office a few months ago. And she did - for a couple of weeks. Since then, I discovered that she de-friended me on her FB account; presumably to "hide" her FB wall which is full of Farmville posts.

I'm about ready to let her go, but dreading the drama and extra work it causes for everyone else.

BTW - in case you are wondering, I don't "work" at the office nor do I draw any pay from the business. It is owned by my husband though & he pretty much relies on me for employment issues.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I realize this may be a touchy subject (we are all HERE after all ) but what is your employer's policy towards using Facebook, internet discussion boards, IM Chat or personal cell phones at work.

We have a dilemma with an employee at work who uses FB to play Farmville or plays solitaire during her working hours frequently. It is not that she does not have enough to do; she pushes it off to other employees or just lets some things stack up in her "to-do" list.

I asked her to refrain from FB at the office a few months ago. And she did - for a couple of weeks. Since then, I discovered that she de-friended me on her FB account; presumably to "hide" her FB wall which is full of Farmville posts.

I'm about ready to let her go, but dreading the drama and extra work it causes for everyone else.

BTW - in case you are wondering, I don't "work" at the office nor do I draw any pay from the business. It is owned by my husband though & he pretty much relies on me for employment issues.

Can you block the website? My employer allows it during downtime but you will face ramifications not for being on the websites themselves, but for not getting your projects done on time. If she is pushing her work on other employees and not getting things done maybe focus on that?

 

[The_Alice]

At my previous employer we blocked it from any computers at workstations, and it was only available at three computers in the break room. We also installed a monitoring device, and had everyone sign a waiver about internet usage and that they were aware their actions could be monitored while using company property.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I work for a hospital. We aren't allowed any message boards/facebook/etc according to the policy and most of those type of sites are blocked. We aren't supposed to use our cell phones or text in work areas at all, only on breaks but not in the nursing units or offices. They've started watching that a lot more closely lately.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I realize this may be a touchy subject (we are all HERE after all ) but what is your employer's policy towards using Facebook, internet discussion boards, IM Chat or personal cell phones at work.

We have a dilemma with an employee at work who uses FB to play Farmville or plays solitaire during her working hours frequently. It is not that she does not have enough to do; she pushes it off to other employees or just lets some things stack up in her "to-do" list.

I asked her to refrain from FB at the office a few months ago. And she did - for a couple of weeks. Since then, I discovered that she de-friended me on her FB account; presumably to "hide" her FB wall which is full of Farmville posts.

I'm about ready to let her go, but dreading the drama and extra work it causes for everyone else.

BTW - in case you are wondering, I don't "work" at the office nor do I draw any pay from the business. It is owned by my husband though & he pretty much relies on me for employment issues.

Do you mean that nobody minds her not doin' her job 'n doin' her work for her now 'n it would create drama if you let her go?

 

[handinpocket]

What is her position? I wouldn't take offense that she unfriended you. FB is for friends not employers, and I would never have my boss as a friend on facebook.

Also, you claim not to "work" at the office. If that is case, it certainly isn't your place to let her go, your husband should be the one doing that.

 

[Handbag Lady]

We are allowed on breaks or at other downtimes. Or when we are waiting for calls or some resolution that requires us to sit at our desks and not leave, or when we are covering phones for each other.

However, excessive use is monitored. At any time, it can be blocked.

If anyone wasn't getting work done, it would be all over. Your employee needs the boot or one more warning and then the boot. We would NOT be able to push work to others and it is indeed noticed when one's work is neglected.

 

[clh2]

Is there a formal policy about this? If not - put one in place, but pelase administer it fairly across all employees.
I also agree - the IT avenues to the sites like facebook need to be blocked.

If she isn't doing the job and pushing the work off to others, then it sounds like letting her go might be the best thing and a nice cost savings for the company. (Afterall - you said others are doing her work anyway.)

No - I don't dis at work, nor do I text, send personal e-mails, and absolutley no facebooking.

 

[njmom47]

We have firewalls on our computers at work that allow us to go on FB but can't play games (Farmville, etc). Is that a possibility for you? Either that, or let her go. I'm sure there are plenty of people who WOULD work. I do go on FB and the Dis, but my work is always done, and sometimes you just need a break from working. Our policy regarding cellphones is that is should be on vibrate...but since you always hear the same 2 or 3 musical tones, you know those people aren't adhering to the rules (but no one gets spoken to about it). It just annoys those of us who DO follow the rules.

 

[rascalmom]

Do you mean that nobody minds her not doin' her job 'n doin' her work for her now 'n it would create drama if you let her go?

Actually, they do mind and that is why *I* know about it. I have received several complaints from one of her co-workers. The co-worker (a different person) that she pushes things off onto is a part-time employee who is just very grateful for the extra hours.

 

[rascalmom]

What is her position? I wouldn't take offense that she unfriended you. FB is for friends not employers, and I would never have my boss as a friend on facebook.

Also, you claim not to "work" at the office. If that is case, it certainly isn't your place to let her go, your husband should be the one doing that.

Maybe not, but when my name is on the loans that paid for the building and equipment and he WANTS me to do it, that works for us. I hired her and trained her. I do not regularly go into the office but I do train staff, do payroll and bookkeeping and do the practice marketing.

If we let her go, I will be the fill-in person until we have a new person hired and trained and will be hiring her replacement. Family business. Things aren't always exactly as they are in the corporate world.

 

[Poohforyou]

Our network blocks message boards, facebook, personal e-mail (like yahoo) and other such sites.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I'm currently working in a reception-type setting, and while we have computers AND a lot of downtime at certain parts of the day, I am too afraid to go online! My co-workers quite openly DO NOT share my fears!

 

[Uncle Remus]

Actually, they do mind and that is why *I* know about it. I have received several complaints from one of her co-workers. The co-worker (a different person) that she pushes things off onto is a part-time employee who is just very grateful for the extra hours.

Think about the drama if you don't replace her.

 

[Rora]

If you've asked her to not FB AND she is neglecting her work, I'd let her go.

FB and all other social media is blocked at my work place (public school) but the DIS isn't. I DIS during my planning periods and lunch!

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

For the business my father runs, a child care center. Staff are not allowed to use either of the 2 computers in the center on company time for personal use. If they wish to check e-mail, facebook, twitter, myspace, and what not they have to go home during their lunch hour to do so.

 

[handinpocket]

Maybe not, but when my name is on the loans that paid for the building and equipment and he WANTS me to do it, that works for us. I hired her and trained her. I do not regularly go into the office but I do train staff, do payroll and bookkeeping and do the practice marketing.

If we let her go, I will be the fill-in person until we have a new person hired and trained and will be hiring her replacement. Family business. Things aren't always exactly as they are in the corporate world.

Well, if you hired and trained her, she must be front office staff in your husband's dental practice. I would think a replacement would be easy enough to find but I still think it would be more prefessional for the dentist, the one who actually runs the practice, to "let her go". JMO

Eited to add: You don't say if you KNOW she is using the computer at work, just that she unfriended you so you can't see her wall. Maybe she decided to have only friends on her facebook page. Ask yourself if you are angry that she unfriended you, because that is what it sounds like to me.

 

[KristaTX]

Hi there, stranger .

Is she a good enough employee/likable enough person that it is worth one more try at salvaging her by giving her one more chance and making it very clear to her by saying with the other boss (your husband) present, "Okay - Absolutely no Facebook or related sites at the office. Can you agree to that? This is your last chance."?

 

[rascalmom]

Well, if you hired and trained her, she must be front office staff in your husband's dental practice. I would think a replacement would be easy enough to find but I still think it would be more prefessional for the dentist, the one who actually runs the practice, to "let her go". JMO

Eited to add: You don't say if you KNOW she is using the computer at work, just that she unfriended you so you can't see her wall. Maybe she decided to have only friends on her facebook page. Ask yourself if you are angry that she unfriended you, because that is what it sounds like to me.

I couldn't care less that she unfriended me - she was the one that originally friended me. I would not usually "friend" an employee. We have had two employees complain to us about the amount of time she is spending on Farmville - it was only when I tried to go to her page to see if there were posts by her during the work day that I discovered she had unfriended me. When I confronted her about the FB use the first time, it was because of an extensive amount of FB (Farmville) posts on her wall during working hours. The two employees who have complained recently don't know anything about my prior conversation with her.

Would it be more professional if the dentist handled it? Maybe, but he's been practicing for 26 years and for 25 of them I have handled staff issues and marketing for him. I made the comment about not "working" there because I didn't want someone to think I was complaining about her being on FB while I was on the DIS during working hours. The point is not that I don't have a role in the practice, but that I don't collect a salary. I attend staff meetings and CE courses with the staff, most everything else I do by phone. DH hires, trains & reviews clinical staff; I hire, train and review front office staff.

We have decided to have our IT vendor install some blocking software when he makes a regular call to the office on Friday. Hopefully that will rectify the situation. If not, there are plenty of experienced office managers that would love to work.

 

[tvguy]

Odd man out here. We are REQUIRED to cruise FB, Twitter and other sites such as DIS at work. Some local police and fire departments have stopped e-mailing out information, and instead post it on Twitter. I am expected to post breaking news on FB, Twitter and if appropriate, any other site I frequent, in my case DIS.