![\"Managing_force\"](\"https:\/\/berkonomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Managing_force.jpg\")
<\/a>[Email readers, continue here…]<\/span> \u00a0Let\u2019s consider counter arguments<\/em>.\u00a0 Attracting great employees often requires us to offer special incentives, including flexible hours, unsupervised time off, and access to perks\nsuch as free food and soft drinks.\u00a0 Often, employees just expect some degree of freedom when they work, to be able to quickly shop or communicate with friends in the middle of their day.\u00a0 In times past, older generations were perhaps more discrete when making personal phone calls (how ancient this sounds).\u00a0 But they often did so anyway, and often spending more time and more company money in phone bills than today\u2019s typical employee distraction.<\/p>\n
How about the counter to the counter argument?<\/em>\u00a0 There is no way to sugar-coat the fact that paid time is for work, not for outside play.\u00a0 The cost may seem small until someone calculates the combined cost over a year of time and screams \u201cthief!\u201d<\/p>\n As in all two-sided arguments, there usually is a middle ground. The boss who requires complete adherence to the work-every-minute ethic called for in the employee handbook generates ill will when enforcing the rule.\u00a0 But the manager, who openly ignores the behavior, encourages more of it from employees who will fall in to follow the example they see openly acknowledged.<\/p>\n My solution is to acknowledge the fact of life, equate it to personal time once used for personal calls, and define a \u2018limits of acceptability\u2019 publicly.\u00a0 \u201cWe recognize how difficult and intense your work is.\u00a0\u00a0 We think it prudent for you to take breaks as often as every hour if you need them.\u00a0 We expect your breaks to be self-policed and no longer than ten minutes, to be used for all personal issues including personal use of your workstation.\u00a0 Remember not to stray out of bounds of corporate decency and confidentiality, and be safe in protecting corporate security.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s a big issue within any company.\u00a0 With easy access to Internet shopping, games, social networks and more, employees are able to find many ways to focus on personal issues while at work, detracting from productivity and demonstrating a dis-respect … Continue reading