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Subject:RE: How many have this problem at work? From:"George Hinman" <techwriter -at- my-deja -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>, "Carnall, Jane" <Jane -dot- Carnall -at- compaq -dot- com> Date:Mon, 17 Apr 2000 04:28:27 -0800
>In my experience of UK IT companies, it's fairly common, though it is often
>down to the individual manager to enforce general company policies. Normally
>the rule is "only work-related use". If your manager tells you to stop
>wasting your time reading messages sent from outside the company, are *you*
>going to tell them that they're packed full of useful info that may possibly
>contradict their cherished opinions? Particularly as no mailing list, except
>perhaps those that focus on one tool only, will ever be entirely free of
>non-work-related information.
>
I believe this kind of shotgun approach to managment, "no personal messages, ever" is symtomatic of an old fashioned, authoritarian management style that is in reality self-defeating. Does the manager even know what a mailing-list is, and why employees might be interested in subscribing to it. Probably not, so just ban it and make sure the employees are "working". I believe this kind of heavy handed rule from above stultifies creativity and drives away talented people.
Or the managers are monitoring this kind of superficial behavior and not paying attention to real problems, like how a lone trader could single-handedly bring down an old and respected Commercial Bank. I just saw the video "Rogue Trader" and was impressed at how ignorant management can be of real issues. Probably they were too busy watching what kind of email messages their secretaries were getting.
MHO
Techwriter -at- my-deja -dot- com
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