Sacked for excessive internet use !!

[Deleted User]

I 100% agree that personal internet use during work hours is stealing but I also think a warning would be appropriate and warn others they are taking note of time and usage

Torry_Quine

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That would have to be a pretty draconian policy and assumes you work somewhere that gives you breaks.

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I have a feeling that you don't have much experience of working in offices or on the telephone.

I don't think it's draconian to expect people to work at work.

KiKi

FATBALLZ wrote: »

I've worked in more than one target driven call center.

People chatted about non work topics during 'work' time.

Nobody got fired.

Every workplace is different - some will allow it, some won't. I think the point was more that there are places where even chatting will be seen as 'taking from the company's time', so you need to assess what is reasonable where you work.

KiKi

DCFC79

shrimper1 wrote: »

I 100% agree that personal internet use during work hours is stealing but I also think a warning would be appropriate and warn others they are taking note of time and usage

yes a warning would have been more suitable, we can only go on the info supplied by the OP. I know my last employers were !!!!s but they would have given warnings out to people who used the internet too much.

Oldernotwiser

starrystarry wrote: »

I don't understand why some people think using the internet for personal stuff is acceptable at work. You wouldn't sit at your desk reading a book when you were supposed to be working so why should it be ok to read the internet?

The only difference is that if you read a book it's going to be obvious to everyone around you. So you wouldn't do it, because everyone would know you were skiving. Reading the internet is the same thing, just less visible.

It depends when and how you're using it though. If you're waiting for someone to come to the phone or you've a client or interviewee coming in a couple of minutes it's a completely different situation from just downing tools for half an hour in the middle of the working day.

WeakHeart

Apart from saying that they used the net 'a fair bit' the OP has chosen not to be more specific than this. So, my assumption is that they were probably really taking the pi$$ and my comments are based on this assumption. OP please correct me if I am wrong.

I wonder if the OP owned a business, paid an employee to work from their own pocket but then found that this employee used the net 'a fair bit' whether the OP would still agree a warning first would be appropriate? Doubt it.

The OP has been a complete numb nut. It's no good crying that other people were doing the same, a warning first would have been fairer etc Bottom line is that the OP made their own choice and took the risk of spending 'a fair bit' of work time on personal stuff and is now facing the consequence. I do feel for the OP because being dismissed for gross misconduct in this climate ain't great but unfortunately the only person to blame is themselves.

SarEl

starrystarry wrote: »

I don't understand why some people think using the internet for personal stuff is acceptable at work. You wouldn't sit at your desk reading a book when you were supposed to be working so why should it be ok to read the internet?

The only difference is that if you read a book it's going to be obvious to everyone around you. So you wouldn't do it, because everyone would know you were skiving. Reading the internet is the same thing, just less visible.

I do also just wonder - when the OP was sitting on the internet at home whether they happened to browse some work files just to catch up on what they didn't do whilst browsing the internet at work? Or perhaps people don't think it's fair that employees should be expected to work at home on their own time? In which case what makes it fair to do personal stuff on work time?

PasturesNew

So ... the falsifying of worksheets.... what did that cover exactly?

scheming_gypsy

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It depends when and how you're using it though. If you're waiting for someone to come to the phone or you've a client or interviewee coming in a couple of minutes it's a completely different situation from just downing tools for half an hour in the middle of the working day.

yep, i spend the majority of my day sitting at my computer fixing somebody else's via remote control. So if i'm doing an install or a scan that's going to take an hour or more then i'll be on the net.
Even the team manager isn't bothered how much time we spend on the net as long as our work shows we're not neglecting our job to play.

scheming_gypsy

SarEl wrote: »

I do also just wonder - when the OP was sitting on the internet at home whether they happened to browse some work files just to catch up on what they didn't do whilst browsing the internet at work? Or perhaps people don't think it's fair that employees should be expected to work at home on their own time? In which case what makes it fair to do personal stuff on work time?

i wonder what would happen if you had to do unpaid overtime and spent all that time playing on the net instead of working...