Does your company montitor Internet Usage? 4

[bradpa77]

Ok, I'll admit it. I use the internet at work for personal reasons. I can't help it. It's just so easy to do and when I'm stuck on a boring project, it's really tempting to surf for a bit. I'm pretty sure that my company has a way to monitor our internet usage here at work but I don't have any solid proof to back it up. I'd never ask my manager if they are watching. I might as well just tell him that I spend time on the internet when I should be working.

So how about you managers from other companies? Do any of you care to share the secrets of your own companies internet monitoring? I'm dying to know what other places do.

I've never once been warned for using the internet. So that either tells me that (a) my manager knows and doesn't think that I surf enough for it to be a problem, (b) my manager has no idea what I'm doing on the internet (c) my manager knows, it bothers him, but he just doesn't feel like bringing it up for some reason. It makes it much easier to do when you're never yelled at for doing it. I remember when I first started here, I was terrified to even touch the internet explorer button because I was afraid I'd get fired for messing around. But just as us humans do, we test the waters and the boundaries slowly until someone in charge says "that's too far". Well, no ones said anything yet, so are they even watching? Or am I unknowingly racking up points against me everytime I surf?

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[AndrewTX]

Both companies I've worked for monitor the usage. The last one simply logged URLs in a history file. The file sizes were limited so after a set size old URLs would be deleted.

My current company does something similar. As far as I know these logs are only used if the employee's use triggers a flag (unauthorized web sites like gambling or pornography) or if there is an issue with the employee not doing his/her work.

I have yet to be sanctioned for coming here, looking at various news sites, or my university's site.

The internet can be very useful and it can be the mother of all distractions.

 

[RDK]

It’s not an issue for me since I have a one man company. I can do anything I like because at the end of the day I am only responsible to myself.

My next door neighbor is the IT manager for an insurance company. They have some restrictive policies set on their connection, no pictures all porno sites blocked many non work sites blocked (Caribbean travel, etc). They started doing this when they had a dial up connection and restricted bandwidth.

Now the policy is that any site that they come across with a long list of key words is automatically blocked and they will unblock any specific site upon request from any supervisor. This is so that if say someone wanted to do some work related research on breast cancer the site would not be blocked due to the word breast.

So far no supervisor has ever requested a site be unblocked and the policy has been in place 10 years since the net started to become popular and useful for the average person.

He also resisted having any reporting and tracking software installed. He claims that if a supervisor does not know what an employee is doing then it is a managerial and supervision problem and not a technology problem. They could just as easily be reading a novel as a work related document and no technology will ever catch the employee.

When I had a staff working for me I always allowed a little leeway for personal time and trusted in my people to give a full days work for a day’s pay. My trust in them was never violated. They always came through for me, just sometimes needed a little break to recharge their concentration which I looked upon much like stepping out for a smoke or a cup of coffee.

Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[wes616]

We just switched technology providers (actually outsourced our IT). Now they are monitoring... We all got an email last week from the dir of eng. stating that we should not fool around on the internet... and should under no circumstances use im... now some of us use im to communicate internally... but who knows what is happening now... my supervisor reitterated it.... but another supervisor said that "they could fire him". So I'm a little confused... especially since I'm a contractor... Well, I figure that as long as I am productive beyond their expectations then I'm OK... if it actually came between getting work done... well, i'd probablly be let go for that on it's own merits...

just remember... "Bob,... Bob... In any given week, I probablly do about 15 minutes of real work."

Wes C.
------------------------------
When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions...

 

[HgTX]

In theory, my employer monitors. I know people who have been called on the carpet for non-work-related internet use. I've always thought it stupid that I can use the phone to call the movie theatre to find out tonight's time or to arrange a dinner date, but I can't look up the movie times online or drop someone an email. But basically it comes down to the phone conversation not leaving a record that can be dug up via the Freedom of Information Act. Not that all state agencies have this policy, but mine does.

I don't think they monitor as much as they used to--right before I got here, people were being called on to justify their internet usage left and right, and a number of engineers just found it easier to give up their web privileges rather than keep having to justify what they did. They still get on people about personal emails, but I think most of those these days are reported by other users rather than caught by some kind of monitoring.

I've never run into trouble, even when I was on the IT people's merde list, but I also never visit sites that couldn't have some kind of work justification. (I stay out of the Pub during work hours.)

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[RDK]

Wes616

Ever think that the only reason the outsourced IT guys are monitoring your usage is to justify their own existence?

If you are not working at work than that is a management issue not a technology issue. A supervisor should know what his people are doing and what they have to do to finish the task that they are working on as well as how long it will take them to complete it. The supervisor should also have additional work lined up to keep his people productive but not overwhelmed.

Lazy managers monitor the internet. Good managers monitor their people’s productivity and morale.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[gnomus]

I have two stories from previous employers that happened:

One previous employer monitored and filtered everything through filters that would also automatically block sites based on key words and automatically send emails to your supervisor that you were improperly using the Internet.

I was working diligently late at night on a behind-schedule project and found several modules would not mount properly into my chassis. I realized I needed different hardware planned and began to visit the various custom hardware sites.

Suddenly I was hit with a flurry of network messages that I was improperly using my computer, my Internet access was going to be suspended, and that I was going to be reported to my manager and HR! Apparently the automatic filters thought "Accurate Screw Machine Company" was a porn site. I had to wait until the next day to source the swage spacer I had been looking for, and it ultimately delayed a $50K shipment an extra day!

At another previous employer the restricted internet access. The management consisted of a group of lords-on-high who looked down at the “peons”. One of this “group” was the IT manager who was charged with monitoring all internet usage. Needless to say, the work environment was bad and I soon left (to the company mentioned at the top of this post). A few months after I left the FBI raided the company – it turned out the IT manager was big-time trafficking in kiddy porn using the company server. This begs the question – who checks the checker?

 

[johnsmith2]

In my previous company, IT department manager will monitor all the web sites and phone call for every employee, of course, except the big boss and CFO, CEO. One story is that one guy visit monster and hotjobs so often during the office hours. The manager reported to his boss and the guy was questioned why he want to leave. Of course, the guy said nothing, but the next day, he was fired first.

Another story is that one engineering guy use MSN or ICQ to send out all the drawings and some confidential informations to his personal computer. Of course, he is caught, and it is found that he accepted the offer from our competitor.

 

[FACS]

RDK Said:

"Lazy managers monitor the internet. Good managers monitor their people’s productivity and morale"

I agree, I can tell what my people are doing because I am involved with what they are doing. I walk around a lot.

Charlie

http://www.facsco.com

 

[RDK]

Management by wandering around.

That’s my style. On a construction site I’ll make a point to walk through as much of the site as often as I can, back to the office trailer push some paper, make a couple of calls and then walk around some more.

Generally I know to the board where the carpenters are, when they will be finished and if they will be out of the way when the electricians want in to the area.

Mostly I wander around until someone wants me to do something. Often it’s simply to ask them what they want to do and then smile and nod my head and then wander off. Sometimes it’s simply to get out of the way and sometimes they actually want me to make a decision.

The trade guys know who I am and that they can approach me with an issue. Once I am comfortable with the contractor and the site supervision I’ll give them the answer on small issues and then find the super and tell him, before that I will find the super first and tell him. Big issues I’ll always go through the super first.

I make a point of having coffee with the super at least twice a day and we talk about what has happened and what will happen next and what has to be done to get ready for that to happen.

It’s a lot less stressful than sitting in the trailer and waiting for someone to come and tell me something and not knowing if I am getting the straight goods or not.

Point is I know what is happening and when the next thing will happen and I know what the treats are to further productivity. It takes experience to be able to do this and self confidence that you know what to do without any fancy formatted reports that are out of date before they are printed.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[HDS]

They probably focus more on monitoring your output. They only have time to worry about if you get the job done. If you are worrying about spending too much time on the internet you probably are. So don’t leave it up to them to tell you to stop slacking off decide for yourself if you need to do something.

BTW I have seen people fired when inappropriate content (porn) was found on their computer so never allow that at work.

 

[MElam]

My company monitors.

My boss gets a list of every site I visit with the number of hits per site (I get a copy). I am also the only one in the engineering group with any access at all - due to my support role. Everyone else must use seperate computers set up just for the internet (conveniently located in front of the manager's office). We also have Websense to keep us out of sites categorized as travel, personal, entertainment, vehicles, military, etc., etc.... We can call IS to clear a site if they deem it acceptable. Had to do that for Goodyear belts we use on drives because they were catigorized as "vehicles"

This is the message showing up in the Google ad at the top of this thread right now (note the category!!):

Your organization's Internet use policy restricts access to this web page at this time.

Reason:
The Websense category "Adult Content" is filtered.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

URL:

http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8000425157908189&d

t=1141250361123&lmt=1141250361&format=468x60_as&output=html&url=http://www.eng- tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=732&page=1&color_bg=ECF8FF&color_text=6F6F6F&colo r_link=0000CC&color_url=008000&color_border=B4D0DC&ref=

http://www.eng-tips.com/

viewthread.cfm?qid=148110&page=1&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=740&u_aw=1024&u_cd=32&u_ tz=-300&u_his=110&u_java=true

 

[ewh]

We were just absorbed by a larger company, and I've been told that they do moniter, but don't yet control where we go. I'm just waiting to get my hands slapped.

 

[controlnovice]

Yes, our company watches what we surf. And they take notes.

Our manager passes everyone's surfing sites to the whole group so everyone can see what others are surfing. This is probably the best method to limit peoples surfing even though the company does block the unwanted sites.

I think Eng-Tips shows up on my list right after the Britney Spears fan club site.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[ziggi]

Mine probably does, I haven't heard of anyone being reprimanded though. I figure as long as I keep to the engineering and education websites during company time and the rest on my lunch hour I'm ok.
Actually alot of the sites I visit on company time, forums, catalogs, university lecture notes, are probably some of the most valuable resources I have. If my work had a program wherein alot of this was blocked I doubt I would be as productive.
Plus my employer gets a double bonus in that when I take a 10 minute brain breaks halfway b/w lunch and home time I usually got onto Eng-tips where I learn how to be a better engineer.......although not always

 

[Jabberwocky]

Controlnovice - that is Brilliant! Don't look at anything you wouldn't want everybody to know you were looking at. Unless you have severe corporate culture issues then this is a supremely efficient solution.

I think it applies to general life as well - the respect of one's peers will keep ANYbody in-line. I think the problems can come when the entire peer group is 'compromised' i.e. gangs, militias, mobs etc.

 

[kchayfie]

Our company posts lists of those who spend the most time on the net and the most visited websites (separate lists - no correllation). Unfortunately, there is no differentiation between people surfing and people with internet access to client networks who are just doing their day-to-day spreadsheets/documents/drawings over the net so the name-and-shame principle doesn't quite work.

 

[bradpa77]

So, my company answered my question for me earlier this week. Everyone in the company got an e-mail announcing that internet access will be taken away from all employees. They mentioned that less than 10% of all internet activity in the company was work related. So obviously they keep track of this sort of stuff. Also, I'm obviously not the only employee who does some non-work related surfing during work hours. Anyone who needs internet access for their job duties is supposed to fill out a request for permanent internet access. I wasn't going to fill one out. The internet is more of a distraction than a help to me. I think I'd just be better off without it. My boss sent me an e-mail asking me to fill out an application for internet access though because he thinks it's needed to do my job. So it looks like I will still be able to go online. Actually, it sounds like everyone is filling out the request for internet access so it will interesting to see what the IT department decides to do. Are they going to just let everyone who fills out a form to have internet access? If so, then this is nothing more than an annoyance and an empty threat. If they are going to reject people, how are they going to determine who is allowed to be online and who isn't? I'll tell you what. Office politics can be annoying, but sometimes it's quite humorous if you think about it.

 

[electricpete]

speaking of filters getting confused - I can't get to the F.A.G. bearing website.

=====================================
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[epoisses]

Even if less than 10% of internet activity is work-related, how can anyone claim that that 10% can easily be done without?
IMHO anybody with a job that involves regular contacts outside the company (like mine) couldn't do their work properly without the internet. How on earth are you going to get e.g. vendor information without internet access? Imagine yourself running down the corridors looking for the Yellow Pages...