Doing Non-Work Related Things At Work (employee, employers, jobs, companies)

[LoveBoating]

While at work, do you do non-work related things?
Examples: going on the Internet to check out weather-news headlines-sports-check your personal e-mail, filling out Forms, making out your Christmas List...........just doing some things that are not at all related to your job?
As for me, I do! As for my wife, she doesn't! Yesterday, she seen a co-worker (girl) looking up something on the Internet. Later in the day, she seen the same girl filling out an Insurance type Form. She told me about this when she got home from work and she seemed a little angry over it. I told her to calm down that just because she doesn't want to do these things, doesn't mean that others in the office don't want to.
There were many times at my last job where, my supervisor was gone, the workload was pretty slow, so I'd play a game on my computer or do something else non-work related. I had my own office.
So, which are you, the "I do" or "I don't"?

[hnsq]

I defintely do...there are times I sit and work without a break for hours, and other times I just can't concentrate. So far my boss has been very happy with my results, so as long as I am getting good feedback, I have no problem taking breaks. If I was told I was not living up to my job description, I would browse the internet less and work more.

Besides, I see people standing around talking about their weekends all the time. I see smokers taking breaks a couple times a day, I really don't do any of that stuff, so these breaks to browse the internet are really nothing to complain about. Why is it that browsing the internet is bad while 30 minute conversations about politics is completely ok?

[PG77]

I am the "I don't" type, especially if there is work to be done. You don't know how many jobs I have held where I was working my butt off while others were goofing off all day. Reason why I left so many jobs. One job I held in particular, I sat next to a girl who was a soccer mom. We both came in at 8:00. I started working right away. She talked until 2:30 each day to each and every individual in the office about her kids soccer, etc. The only thing she didn't tell us was when they had bowel movements. I finally, after a year, asked to be moved and was turned down. The supervisor ended up disliking me because I asked to be moved (probably because she did so little in a day also). I ended up leaving because this girl was tormenting me constantly. However, it doesn't pay to get upset. As in my case, I end up leaving and these people keep their jobs forever.

[findingmesomeday]

I'm on the phone a lot and while I'm waiting to be connected, I browse the news sites or even C-D!

[Refugee56]

The idea that someone has to have their nose to the grindstone all day is silly unless you work on an assembly line. Especially when someone works in a professional position, how many hours one spends on something is not the same as results.

I remember when I worked as a professional trainer I would walk away from the office and hike in the woods behind the office and would sometime accomplish more in a period of deep thought in ten minutes then sitting at my desk all day. I would have a brianstorm and come up with great material for my classes walking around and talking to people. Not all work is at someones desk.

[Hungry For Cheese]

I do, but right now I am going to have a bowel movement. Is that okay PG77?

[gizmobizmo]

I did once and got caught by the "Company Internet Police" for looking at Mapquest. I never did it again. Once burned, twice shy, as they say!

If you think about it, you can understand why companies don't condone it. Not only do some folks appear to be slacking off to their co-workers and boss, they could also inadvertantly introduce a Virus', Worms, Trojans, Spam, Malware, etc.... to the company's system.

[tony23]

If you work a day job, how can you not?

It has been my experience that when employers allow a reasonable accommodation for employees to handle personal business - as long as they are getting their job done - the end result is happier and more productive employees, and a better employer/employee relationship.

[kaykay]

Originally Posted by tony23

If you work a day job, how can you not?

It has been my experience that when employers allow a reasonable accommodation for employees to handle personal business - as long as they are getting their job done - the end result is happier and more productive employees, and a better employer/employee relationship.

I agree. I obviously post while I'm at work. But, I am allowed to be on the internet at work (first job I've had that DOES actually allow that!) When I am on CD or elsewhere, however, I am also answering the phone and greeting people as they enter. (I am a bank receptionist.) I think my manager realizes that I don't have a complex job and just sitting answering call after call without something to do would get pretty monotonous.

Obviously, some jobs are so fast-paced and complex that this is out of the question for the most part. I think it just depends on the job. Can you get your work done and be doing something else or not? Most jobs do have some downtime though. Now internet security can be an issue. (My husband is a computer support manager for an architecture firm. So I do understand those issues.)

[Gue]

I do. I have to be available at my job to do troubleshooting. So either I am busy on troubles all day or there can be day after day that not much happens, but I still need to be in the building & accessible.