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Unlock Internet or Risk Losing Staff?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the productivity-still-the-bottom-line dept.

Dan Warne writes "People don't want to work for employers who heavily restrict internet access, a senior Microsoft executive said in a keynote speech at the opening of Tech.Ed 2006 Sydney today. From the article: 'These kids are saying: forget it! I don't want to work with you. I don't want to work at a place where I can't be freely online during the day," said Microsoft Senior Design Anthropologist Ann Kiera. She dubbed internet-wary employers "digital immigrants" and said the new wave of younger workers were "digital natives".'"

2 of 519 comments (clear)

  1. What is the "right to" browsing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    "If people have projects, and they complete them on time, with good quality, then what does it matter?"

    You know you all should consider yourself blessed to have a job were you can even entertain the notion of surfing the internet. Let alone complain about it being restricted. The majority of workers don't have that privilege, even if they have a computer in front of them.*

    *I've worked customer service and I can guarentee you I had zero time to be browsing the internet. Same with my job as a repair tech. PC in both cases, and if you knew the magic incantation you could get internet access. Didn't miss it in either case. Work is work, and play is play. That's why I had internet access at home.

    "THe real problem is that most management and large companies do not have effective project and work measurement systems and expect their employees to work like robots."

    Try working in a factory some time. I swear this forum sometimes comes across as a bunch of softies. Heaven help you if life ever starts taking a turn for the worst. Some would fold like a deck of cards. Whaaa! They're making me work too hard. *replace* Whaa! They just gave my job to a foreigner.

  2. Re:This is a great litmus test by permaculture · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."
    Groucho Marx.

    P.S.
    Read 'Harpo Speaks'
    http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=ha rpo+speaks&btnG=Search&meta=
    It's a wonderful biography :)

    --
    Environmentalism is the new Victorianism. Everyone ties on a green corset and pretends we're virtuous.