Trust Your Employees and They’ll Trust You

Wasting time on the Internet during work hours, also referred to as “cyberloafing,” is an all-too-common problem in businesses throughout the U.S. and around the world. Many managers have resorted to computer tracking software in an effort to make their employees more productive. Unfortunately, this doesn’t resolve the problem. In fact, Internet monitoring software often makes things even worse.

If you believe that your employees are using their online access for personal reasons during work hours, it’s important to carefully consider the ramifications of computer tracking software before you try it. Often referred to as “spyware” for good reason, this method is extremely invasive from the point of view of your employees. Once they realize you’re using Internet monitoring software, they’ll immediately assume – rightly so – that you don’t trust them. And once your workers believe that you don’t trust them to do their jobs, they’ll lose their lack of trust in you as well. In a business environment where a manager and employees don’t trust each other, productivity is certain to suffer. If you thought you had a problem to begin with, using spyware will only make matters worse.

The only effective means of combating cyberloafing is to approach the issue from a positive point of view. Find an effective way to measure how much time workers are engaged in productive tasks, rather than how much time they’re wasting. Then develop goals and rewards for employees to encourage them to improve their performance. Not only will you retain your workers’ trust, you’ll also increase their productivity.