HR Industry News

Internet-related sackings on the rise

— 13 November 2007 —

Over 1700 employees have been sacked or disciplined for email or internet abuse in the past three years according to figures released this week.

The research highlights the popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, as well as the increasing likelihood that employers will ban their employees from using these sites in the workplace.

Government institutions in particular have been the most harsh. The Department for Work and Pensions has reprimanded 313 employees, while the Metropolitan police have disciplined 187 staff. Hertfordshire police gave formal warnings to 25 after an offensive video clip was circulated.

Whilst employers have clear internet policies they should always check enforcement as there is the possibility that Internet Addiction may become an ICD 11 (international classification of diseases) and as transitional ICD’s (from version 10 to 11) help employees’ conditions to qualify under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), employers should take care.

Paul Avis, Ceridian LifeWorks

The Guardian newspaper claims that £130m a day is lost in productivity because of social networking sites. It adds that Facebook members spend an average of 143 minutes a month logged on to the site.

Cary Cooper, Professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University, said that "Britain has some of the longest working hours in the developed world. Employers have created this culture. It is natural for people to have to use work computers for organising their personal life."

Ceridian's Paul Avis agrees, “Employers have to recognise that as long as the work is being done, on time and to budget, it often really does not matter when and where it is done. We are supposed to be engaging employees with work/life balance programmes but if weak management practices exist, and the work is not being done, Internet use by employees is a soft target to apportion blame.”

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