SOCIAL NETWORKING      WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

Philippines - More than half of employees polled in the Philippines spend at least two hours on the internet during office hours searching for information and e-learning related material.

Most out of 1,033 respondents also admitted to using the Internet for non-work related activities or "cyberloafing" at least once a day. Two thirds were even aware that their companies are monitoring their internet usage at work with 75% reporting that their companies do have an existing IT policy on what websites are off-limit at work. Employees were also more open when their company tracks their online activities rather than looking at the content of what they are doing, reported Philippine Daily Inquirer.

However, the survey by Ateneo Center for Organization Research and Development in partnership with the Open Net Initiative-Asia project added that 80% would use the Internet for work-related matters when at home. It cited that managers could be delegating them "additional work" and requesting submission via email. It said, "Organisation and leaders must be able to manage their expectations of their employees because of possible repercussions on employee burnout, work-life conflict and turnover."

As for violations on existing corporate IT policies, respondents seemed to think that it would warrant "disciplinary measure but not necessarily dismissal". The usual sanctions would include a warning and a public reprimand via email to the entire company. But there is no "consistency" on the disciplinary measures handed out by various companies. Violation for visiting pornographic websites would range from termination, suspension, verbal reprimands or removal of Internet access.

The survey suggested that companies should educate employees on the ethical use and possible repercussion of using internet for personal usage at work. Education should include how information in blogs and social networking sites can be used against the employee and even the organisation. The key would be "striking a balance between the rights of employees to privacy versus the right of employers to secure information resources".

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