Phone Sex is Bad for Business
On August 3rd/2005, Reuters reported that a German man had colluded with a phone sex operator to defraud his employer's company out of approximately 16,000 Euro or almost 20,000 US dollars, by making 160 phone calls over a year and a half from work. He apparently split the profits 50/50 with the phone sex operator. The courts convicted the man and gave him a suspended sentence of eight months. Does your company have a written communications policy, and are your employees aware of its existence? Most phone systems these days are highly sophisticated and access can be easily controlled and usage monitored. An employee abusing valuable telecommunication resources is an unnecessary problem to have these days. A quick call to your communication provider will reveal a plethora of information that is available to ensure your systems are being used, not abused. In the United States, except California, it is perfectly legal for employers to monitor business-related calls, even if it is unannounced. It is important to note that counsel recommends employees be aware of all communication policies, preferably in writing. Phone sex aside, we are more apt to hear these days about employees abusing internet privileges. In fact, an entire sub section of the software industry has developed to provide companies with internet monitoring software. Some software will just monitor employee's internet usage and provide management with interesting reports to bring up at the good old annual review. Different software will allow management to filter what websites can be viewed, thus only allowing employees to visit sites that pertain to their industry. What's the big deal? 37 % of people said they surf the internet constantly at work.
32 % of people said they surfed a few times per day.
37 % of US workers have visited an X-Rated Website from work. When an employee abuses company communication resources it reduces productivity, stealing valuable time and resources that do affect the bottom line. Ask any stock holder if they would be happy realizing the employees of XYZ Company's phone or internet usage are the result of their reduced dividends this quarter? I doubt you would get a happy response. The conversation that often comes up when anyone discusses employee monitoring, and specifically phone calls, is privacy rights. It is Federal law in both the United States and Canada that when an employer realizes the call is personal, he or she must immediately stop monitoring the call. This is a very good thing indeed, but one that as well could cause some confusion. Wouldn't phone sex sound like a personal call? By Lee Raito, CFP, FMA
Co-Author of Business Sexcess
Business and financial expert Lee Raito is a Certified Financial Planner and Financial Management Advisor. Lee has teamed up with Internet marketing expert Sam Heyer to provide you with information that will take your business success to a place it has never been before. Their recent book, Business Sexcess, is the much talked about book that will transform how you look at business. http://www.BusinessSexcess.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Knowledge Mapping
This module focuses on the basics of Knowledge Mapping, its importance, principles, and methodologies.
People Are Our Most Important Asset!
How many times have you heard or uttered this phrase in the last 5 years or so. As a "reformed accountant" this phrase makes me cringe more than any other business euphemism being espoused today.
Building the Trust in Your Employees - 12 Easy Tips
In Stephen Covey's great book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", he talks about the 'emotional bank account', where you have to build a credit in your relationship with the individuals who you work with (and everyone else as well!).
Management - Mary Poppins Style!
Mary Poppins describes a style of management which has for too long been hidden in many
businesses and organisations.Think about it.She's "Practically
perfect in every way" - is that not what we want from a boss? Someone who is
almost brilliant at everything - yet with a hint of not being absolutely
perfect? Someone we can trust and depend on - yet who is truly human with is and falls down occasionally too?And then there's
the cut to the chase with, "Bert, what utter nonsense. Why do you always complicate
things that are really quite simple." How often do we, often inadvertently (especially
the more senior an executive we are), make things so, so complex. Recently working
with a client who already had over 125 books on systems, when all they were doing
was selling things to people...And then there's all the fun, like..."Of course,
you can say it backwards, which is dociousaliexpilisticfragicalirupus, but that's
going a bit too far, don't you think?"...a satisfying ability to have fun and, I
think perhaps just a hint of a smile at yourself, Mary, in that..., as Bert says
"Indubitably.!" Not forgetting either, that if we look hard enough, with the right
viewpoint..."In every job that must be done, there is an element
of fun. You find the fun and - SNAP - the job's a game!"
Employee Discipline: How to Nip Problems in the Bud
Are you uncomfortable with delivering disciplinary action, even involving employees you know deserve it? You're not alone. Disciplinary action is one of the least favored tasks a supervisor must occasionally perform.
Business Innovation ? Organizational Culture
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
Are you NICE or do you CARE?
Are you NICE or do you CARE?
Most people and most managers want to be nice. After all, it's easier to be nice than to not be nice. But when we talk about being a manager, there is a difference between being nice and being NICE. A NICE manager can be pleasant to be around. They're friendly and helpful and avoid even the most remote semblance to confrontation.
How do you spot a NICE Manager?
When someone brings them a problem, a NICE manager provides them with a solution.
When a report is late because the employee in question and their spouse went to a movie instead of completing the assignment, a NICE manager understands. After all, it's important to balance work and home.
When the presentation lacks clarity, or the conclusions aren't supported by the facts, a NICE manager thanks them for their efforts and doesn't dig any deeper.
And when the production numbers for the month are down for the 3rd consecutive month, a NICE manager clearly understands the reasons that are causing the problems and knows that they are not the fault of the employees.
A NICE manager avoids the controversy and confrontation that goes along with employees who are not quite performing up to par. A NICE manager defends their employees regardless of the situation, because there are always extenuating circumstances.
And that's the problem with a NICE manager. They always understand and always relieve the employee of the responsibility.
What does it mean to be a NICE manager?
N - Nothing
I - Inside
C - Cares
E - Enough
Nothing inside cares enough to hold the employee accountable for their own actions.
Nothing inside cares enough to tell the employee when they are falling behind or failing.
Nothing inside cares enough to be willing to upset the employee even if it is for their own good.
Nothing inside cares enough to help the employee achieve everything that they are capable of achieving.
Frankly, being a NICE manager doesn't really help the employee, because it leaves them without any accountability, and it does no good for the manager either, as they now have more work to do.
Being a NICE manager is a "lose - lose" scenario.
As a Manager, it is your responsibility to the company and to your employees to see that peak performance is achieved. You also have a responsibility to your employees to maximize their talents and growth, to see that they are ready for the promotions that may come their way, and to ensure that they learn the skills to achieve and succeed at higher and higher levels. You owe it to your employees to give them honest feedback on their performance so that they can develop their own skills and prepare for their future. And you can do it all in a positive, reinforcing manner.
That's the difference between being a nice Manager versus a NICE Manager.
Instead of being NICE, I suggest that you CARE.
A Manager who CAREs will coach an employee on a problem, not assume the work for him.
A Manager who CAREs will communicate with an employee when their work does not meet expectations and coach them until it does.
A Manager who CAREs will identify the talents in their people and help cultivate those talents to even greater levels and coach them in areas where they can still develop.
What does it mean to CARE?
C - Coaching
A - Allows
R - Real
E - Excellence
So you have two clear choices. You can be NICE to your employees, or you can CARE.
Which will you choose?
Productivity Through Positive Reinforcement
Most people just want to be appreciated. If you're a manager, that's something to seriously think about as you set the tone for maximum productivity.
A Renewed View of the Modern Business Culture
Life can sometimes be unexciting if not refreshed by the will to create according to one's own conscience and freedom. Often, the power of passion fuses into unexciting or appealing activities. One sometimes expects to be free from the demands, the macro-strings of the society, so that one could do what one wishes. In many different ways, one could say that freedom of this nature may bring about towering creativity though it can also breed chaos. How to find a method that could encourage a pleasing freedom as well as bring about the desirable creativity is very important for the society in general and for business in particular. In short, a balance needs to be sought and erected. But the balance, as I will show, is the one that encourages conceptual creativity to soaring heights while it limits dispositions or practice in line with the prevailing macro- or micro-culture.
Preventative Maintenance of Company Delivery Vehicles
If you have company delivery vehicles at your small or medium sized business you should have a preventative maintenance schedule and procedures for employees who are drivers of these vehicles. When discussing preventative maintenance over the years with business owners the first thing which comes to mind is 'Oil change' and usually the business owner who is on the hook for the loans on these vehicles is more than aware of that fact. Yes, you should change the oil. Obviously you should. How about every 3,000 ?5000 miles. After all, that kind of driving is hard on a vehicle, not to mention:
The Fairness of Office Politics... Integrity and Political Motivation!
I hear many complaints daily about the "unfairness" of politics in corporate America. Employees say that their managers "lie" or issue "personal attacks" against them. Indeed, based on the pure ideals that we are taught as a child, this might appear to be the case. However, the corporate culture is not the "real world" in which we live out our personal lives. Each corporate culture is its own world with its own rules and reality. To understand this, one must understand the directions and desires of this world and learn how to best adapt to achieve the vision and mission of the corporation.
Nine Vital Lessons For Avoiding Training Fads That Waste Time, Money and Enthusiasm
Unfortunately, at least two thirds of much of the training and development effort undertaken by organisations to develop their people is wasted.
Innovation Management ? Emotion, Habit, and Culture can be Hard to Change!
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
Solve Problems Permanently - Ask WHY
As Albert Einstein said:-
The High, High Price of Distrust
A paper manufacturer with over 300 employees once announced that it was planning to move to more spacious and attractive premises thirty miles down the road.
Productive Meetings: How to Make Your Meetings More Productive
There's one simple secret to effective meetings: set an agenda and stick to it. The agenda drives the content and outcomes of the meeting and, where appropriate, should reflect the needs of all attendees so everyone has a buy-in and an interest in the outcomes. Follow these simple steps for planning and running meetings and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve. And, just in case not everyone in your organisation is following these steps to great meetings, I've included some key questions you should ask before you accept any meeting invitation?yes, you do have an option and you can say no if joining in the meeting is not the most effective use of your time.
Creativity and Innovation Management - Turning Ideas into Action
The phrase "turning ideas into action" is a Russian doll.
Delegate, Dont Abdicate
One of the key skills for the leaders of growing businesses is to 'get' the distinction between delegation and abdication.
Leadership: Stoking The Success Train
Everyone wants to succeed yet everyone has a different perception of what success means and what it will bring into their lives. It is a means of gaining financial freedom for some and for others it means a healthy, happy family life. There are others who define their success by the power that their job title brings and others who feel successful when they believe their leadership skills excel above others.
Performance Reviews That Actually Improve Performance
Employee performance reviews are one of the most dreaded tasks by most managers. It is hard to win here ? you can never say enough good things, and one word of criticism is generally the only thing they will remember.
|
