Comments on: Issuing employees laptops, cellphones and PDAs brings risk http://brianbowman.ca/2009/03/02/issuing-employees-laptops-cellphones-and-pdas-brings-risk/ Your source for business information on privacy, access to information and other cutting edge legal issues Tue, 25 May 2010 22:26:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Clear2Go http://brianbowman.ca/2009/03/02/issuing-employees-laptops-cellphones-and-pdas-brings-risk/#comment-14 Clear2Go Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:43:27 +0000 http://brianbowman.ca/?p=646#comment-14 The last two companies I worked for, attempted to keep my PDA just for 'business' purposes. I made it a condition of hire. I am not carrying two devices (unless everyone from the CEO down is doing it as well). If the company wants me to be available 24x7 (which they both did), then there is a cost associated with that. The cost is that everyone has personal lives and people in their personal lives are going to contact them. It's part of life, deal with it. I am a reasonable person when it comes to using company property for personal use. However, I expect the company to be reasonable as well. More importantly, I expect the company to trust me to do the right thing, make the right decisions, and back up decisions that I make. That is why they hired me in the first place. If the company is not able to trust me or me them, then it is time to move on. The last two companies I worked for, attempted to keep my PDA just for ‘business’ purposes. I made it a condition of hire. I am not carrying two devices (unless everyone from the CEO down is doing it as well). If the company wants me to be available 24×7 (which they both did), then there is a cost associated with that. The cost is that everyone has personal lives and people in their personal lives are going to contact them. It’s part of life, deal with it.

I am a reasonable person when it comes to using company property for personal use. However, I expect the company to be reasonable as well. More importantly, I expect the company to trust me to do the right thing, make the right decisions, and back up decisions that I make. That is why they hired me in the first place. If the company is not able to trust me or me them, then it is time to move on.

]]> By: Brian Bowman http://brianbowman.ca/2009/03/02/issuing-employees-laptops-cellphones-and-pdas-brings-risk/#comment-11 Brian Bowman Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:00:41 +0000 http://brianbowman.ca/?p=646#comment-11 Doug, Thanks for sharing your thoughts! You're bang on when you say that the line has become blurred. Brian Doug,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! You’re bang on when you say that the line has become blurred.

Brian

]]> By: dougcornelius http://brianbowman.ca/2009/03/02/issuing-employees-laptops-cellphones-and-pdas-brings-risk/#comment-9 dougcornelius Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:16 +0000 http://brianbowman.ca/?p=646#comment-9 Brian - Computer use and internet access has become ubiquitous and the line between personal and professional use has become blurred. Companies need to set reasonable expectations about their use and abuse or they risk getting themselves into trouble. Brian –

Computer use and internet access has become ubiquitous and the line between personal and professional use has become blurred. Companies need to set reasonable expectations about their use and abuse or they risk getting themselves into trouble.

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