The study found that those allowed to participate in WILB (workplace internet leisure browsing) produced a 9% greater productivity level than those that were prohibited from doing so. Seems a bit shocking…or does it?
I have found most of my life when I am faced with a challenge that I can’t solve quickly, it is often only by stepping away from that for a time and allowing my mind to ‘be freed’ of it, that I am able to return to that challenge and solve it successfully. Many times I can attest to this process working. In fact, it works so well, I think I have trained myself to perform this cycle without even thinking about it at times. However, I am not using leisure surfing as my ‘freedom’. Usually I eat lunch, use the restroom, or more commonly, pick up a different problem and try and tackle that one instead.
It seems foolish to mandate workplace leisure internet surfing as the total solution for everyone. Employees do need breaks however, and each of them needs to be allowed to take the break they need to clear their minds and return to effective productivity levels.
My recommendation remains as it always has…use employee policy to restrict the types of content that you are uncomfortable with your employees taking in while on the time clock. Then first, measure their productivity, not their leisurely internet usage as a means of ‘keeping tabs’ on their performance. Secondarily, you can watch their internet usage, if they are performing well, but able to WILB 60% of the day away, they probably could produce more effectively for you. But based on this study, a WILB of 20% might be worth tolerating. Although, it may be difficult at times to allow, this study may actually have some validity.
The days of total denial of leisure browsing could be numbered…but my guess is, it will be a while before employees are forced to surf for fun at work…
-BEH
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