tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post7619960788680659804..comments2024-03-06T04:31:53.093+11:00Comments on Just in CASE: Are bloggers robbing their employers?Trevor Cairneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10743409298855125040noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post-90503596865365605492009-04-22T17:19:00.000+10:002009-04-22T17:19:00.000+10:00Thanks Greg, a helpful addition to the discussion....Thanks Greg, a helpful addition to the discussion.Trevor Cairneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10743409298855125040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post-63180508257812214282009-04-20T13:24:00.000+10:002009-04-20T13:24:00.000+10:00As a Christian, of course I agree with your reason...As a Christian, of course I agree with your reasoning on this issue, Trevor. We should strive to honour God in all areas of our lives, and work is no exception. This means that it is unacceptable to do anything at work which equates to stealing from our employers, or acting dishonestly in any way whatsoever. On that basis, spending time posting blog comments, surfing the net, etc, when one ought to be working, is no better than stealing items from the stationery cupboard.<br /><br />I stress “when one ought to be working” because I don’t think it’s quite as simple as “don’t blog or read the paper online, etc, at work”. I am going to suggest that the principles we ought to follow on this issue might “look” different in their application from person to person. Among other reasons, workplace conditions and rules vary enormously. I happen to be blessed (as I see it) in that my employers are relatively liberal in the area under discussion, with “reasonable” internet usage allowed. I know of a company where even the receipt of personal emails is forbidden. Furthermore, my work hours are reasonably flexible, within certain parameters. <br /><br />The key point for me is striving to give my employers value for the money they pay me, which means that over the course of a month or a year, I will aim to spend at least a little more productive time at work than I am strictly required to according to the terms of my employment. In practice, this means, for instance, that I might occasionally spend a little time composing a blog comment (as I am doing now!), but might do it in lieu of taking a lunch break (or take a shorter one). Alternatively, I might stay later in the evening to compensate. <br /><br />I am also sympathetic to the idea that regular, short breaks might actually increase a person’s productivity. I suppose I would add the caveat that it is all too easy to rationalise from such a position and find ourselves abusing the practice.<br /> <br />Having said that, I certainly respect the views of people who like to be able to account for every minute they spend at work, and who would find a system such as the one I use too difficult to manage. I’m certainly not recommending my method as a model for everyone. <br /><br /><br />GregGreg Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516178577146775301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post-64815245800231557272009-04-18T14:39:00.000+10:002009-04-18T14:39:00.000+10:00Interesting comment Cam, thanks. I agree with your...Interesting comment Cam, thanks. I agree with your notion that non-work related interactions might well help to put a spring in your step, but I'm not so convinced by your take on work. True, if you did a straw pole in the street, you'd get few to disagree that we should work to live, is this biblical? From where do you derive this view? We work to earn money so we can be generous and not a burden to others. We work to avoid being idle. We work to honour God and bear witness to him. But does the Bible teach that we 'work to live'? I don't think the Bible says this, but I'm happy to be corrected.Trevor Cairneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10743409298855125040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post-36499342916123109662009-04-18T14:12:00.000+10:002009-04-18T14:12:00.000+10:00I would tend, like Hinch, to see some kind of bala...I would tend, like Hinch, to see some kind of balance between integrity and effectiveness. I know it's a little mundane, but a low-tech example illustrates this well: a (non-work related) phone call from my wife discussing dinner plans could either be a distraction or a motivation to be more productive and then more fully enjoy our time together. The cost to my employer is a two minute phone call and not work related. The benefit to my employer is likely to be much greater, especially if the uncertainty of dinner plans was more of a distraction.<br /><br />I also would point out that Paul's emphasis on being productive is not as an end in itself: rather it is in order to contribute generously to others. While I imagine that he would expect Christian employees to demonstrate that generosity towards their colleagues and employers, it would definitely be a misuse of his counsel if it resulted in the idea that we live to work, rather than work to live! This is a novel idea for many - both employees and employers!CJWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10715644165768403835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post-6346727015960138852009-04-18T10:43:00.000+10:002009-04-18T10:43:00.000+10:00Hi Hinch, thanks for your comment, and for the lin...Hi Hinch, thanks for your comment, and for the link as well. I left open this possibility in my first paragraph. I'm sure that for some people, in some jobs, this might be the case. For example, employees in the professions who work flexible hours (and at times too many hours) would no doubt benefit from planned breaks. But I'm not sure if this would be equally as relevant to all types of work and work conditions. I'm also unsure how well we monitor the time we spend in this way. Dr Coker also recognises this when he warns that web surfing at work needs to be done in moderation, as "internet addiction can have the reverse effect", which he estimates affects 14% of Internet users. Cheers, TrevorTrevor Cairneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10743409298855125040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6160916.post-62813374026928538192009-04-18T10:09:00.000+10:002009-04-18T10:09:00.000+10:00The key question is number 3: Does my online readi...The key question is number 3: Does my online reading distract me from what i'm paid to do, or reduce my effectiveness in any way. If not, i don't see the harm in engaging in such activity, and hence challenge the relevance of questions 1 and 2. A little timeout in the office may actually be beneficial to our productivity:<br />http://voice.unimelb.edu.au/news/5750/Hinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06918222846101532722noreply@blogger.com