Shortly after posting that last tip, I received intel on an impending new policy at our workplace.
Starting next month, MSN and all IM programs will be banned at work. Those requiring MSN for work can apply for it (on a yearly basis). MSN usage and content will be monitored and submitted to your manager each month.
How's that for shutting off any connection to the outside world....
Now I realise that this measure is taken in the interest of productivity, but seriously if there were any way to make your employees feel imprisoned at work, this would be near the top of the list.
I also hear that some floors have already started adhering to another impending policy: no meals taken at your desk. Well, that just sounds absurd. Many employees eat meals at their desk so they can work or nap, or maybe they bring lunch from home. Unless this is only about preventing food spills on $$$$ equipment (sounds more like a high school policy), I don't see their purpose for this one....
What's next, timed bathroom trips? (I do know of one company that restricts employees to 48 minutes per day. Not kidding.)
Just break out the orange jumpsuits....
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Ouch, that's harsh. At work, I can only get Gtalk working, and I'd have to steal Wi-Fi from outside the window/building (which drains my iPod battery anyhow). Other people here use Skype as their IM client, but I don't.
The real kicker for me would be if they blocked access to Gmail / Hotmail / Yahoo! Mail. They don't, but I'll bet they monitor everything else around here; every company seems to want to.
When I joined here, our company did say food was okay, but just don't disturb your neighbours (for instance, by eating stinky tofu at your desk). I eat at my desk a LOT, and sometimes the smell can be a little strong, but I think it's generally okay.
Geez, how did they figure 48 minutes a day? I mean, that's still quite a percentage of an 8-hour day (it's 10% of your time sitting on the crapper). But what if you spend 47 minutes on the john, and then 35 minutes going to and from because of watercooler talk and whatnot?
Yeah, Gmail has been blocked completely, and Hotmail outgoing mail has been blocked (but we can login and read incoming mail). I was able to send a test mail with Yahoo! Mail, but didn't try adding an attachment.
In terms of trafficking files back and forth it's not so bad, since USB ports are still open (I heard some place actually removes/blocks the physical USB port so that you can't put files onto a USB key).
The biggest influence is that I can't blog/comment at work, so most of my post times are at ungodly hours when I finally make it home.
Oh yeah, the main reason for the meal policy is environmental: generates a lot of take-out container garbage.
And maybe the cleaning staff are getting lazy. Who knows.
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