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

---

Performance Evaluation: How To Create Change

STEPS TOWARDS GIVING A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW: Give specific feedback.... Read More

Better Management Performance - The Easy 3-Step Way

Managers make three mistakes when they try to run businesses.... Read More

Innovation Management ? idea selection, development and commercialisation, what are the differences?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Dialogue: the Four Dialogic Principles For Successful Communication

"But you don't understand!" exclaimed the manager, "this new initiative... Read More

Using the Six-Sigma Methodology to Improve Wafer Fab Productivity

As a result of consolidation of operations and significantly increased... Read More

Re-Discovery Procedures for Building Effective Management Systems: Phase V

Now we turn the corner to our final phase: Re-Discovery.Last... Read More

Virtual Assistance: A Money Saving Opportunity For Employers

What is a Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant is a... Read More

Can Your Business Run Without You?

If you are a business owner or a business owner... Read More

The Ins and Outs of Internal and External Relations

INTERNAL PUBLIC RELATIONS: Never overlook an opportunity to do internal... Read More

The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - Competitive, Not Complementary Action

A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that... Read More

Intercultural Management

The role of a manager is evolving in response to... Read More

Change Behaviors, Change Performance

Every organization is looking for the holy grail of performance... Read More

3 Ingredients of Highly Profitable Organizational Change

As waves of organizational change sweep across the business landscape,... Read More

Selecting a Business Broker or Intermediary to Help You Sell Your Business

As crazy as it seems, some people spend more time... Read More

Thoughts on Empowerment

People are empowered when they are given the authority and... Read More

The New Five Truths of Employee Motivation

Motivation is a term that is so widely used, yet... Read More

Develop Your People and Make More Money

What is the no. 1 asset in your business beside... Read More

Managing Motivation

"Without the chance to meaningfully participate in steering one's own... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Competition versus Collaboration

There is much confusion as to whether competition or collaboration... Read More

The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - Conflict Becoming the Norm ? Part 2

A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that... Read More

Is Your Company in Need of Family Therapy?

How Companies Are Like FamiliesLike a family, a company is... Read More

Think Time... Its Now Or Never

I recently read an article published in the June, 2005... Read More

Punctuality in Business: What it Says About You

"Nothing inspires confidence in a business man sooner than punctuality,... Read More

Unlock the Hidden Creativity of Your Employees

To release creativity in employees, managers must get involved in... Read More

Prepare A Winning CV

There is every chance that elements of this article may... Read More

Why We Judge

Judgment is the process of forming an opinion of something... Read More

A Facilitators Guide to Running a Stakeholder Analysis Workshop

This facilitator's guide to running a stakeholder analysis workshop is... Read More

Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness

Results of Poor Cross Cultural Awareness. Having a poor understanding... Read More

Managing Rebellious Employees

Surveys of executives reveal that many companies fall short of... Read More

Managing Performance: Don?t Let Slackers Bring Down Your ?A? Players

As a manager, it is your job to ensure that... Read More

Inventory Management 101

Inventory management may seem complicated to some, but if one... Read More

The Diamond Cutter

Geshe Michael Roach is a Princeton graduate and a Buddhist... Read More

Meaningful Diversity: Creating Cultures of Inclusion

In the fitness room the other day, I caught a... Read More