Unlock Internet or Risk Losing Staff?

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".'"

Comments

Re:So phones too?

[joshetc]

Tired of the tyranny? Their job is to WORK. Now, if it isn't a hamper on production I could almost see a reason for the employer to be interested in giving them access, not a right to the employee reguardless.

I'm a smoker but you don't see me bitching about how mean my boss is for not letting me smoke at my desk, is that any different? Maybe I should hire a lawyer..

We Don't Want You To Work For Us Either, So Eat Me

[eno2001]

The fucking Generation Y-ers need a reality check. It's NOT your fucking network assholes. It's your employer's. And if they say you can't hit Fark during the day, then so be it. If you want that kind of access, then get a certification in networking and work your way up the ladder to being in the network group of your IT department. Then you can do whatever you want as long as you don't get caught. If you're the sort who didn't go into IT, then suck it up jackwad. And keep in mind it's a matter of compromise. You can either have the corner office in a skyscraper and controlled internet access, or you can have unrestricted access and live in the basement with the janitors. You can't have both if you don't work for a company that isn't in the technology business.