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

---

Three Foundation Stones for Building Organizational Integrity

When the stock market crashed in 1929, there were a... Read More

Discover the Astonishing Power of Words Today!

Picture all the people you know who are dynamic, successful... Read More

How To Conduct Effective Meetings

Before you call your next meeting, the FIRST step is... Read More

Boost Your Leadership Skills Simply By Answering The Question, What Does Our Organization Really...

The difference between leaders is ears. Good leaders not only... Read More

Employee Success! - 7 Ways Feedback Works

By sharing how well you are doing and how well... Read More

Million Dollar Support System For You and For Your Business

Whether you are a consultant, coach, business owner, doctor, professional,... Read More

The Professor Makes A Minus Power Move

If you think the power move has costs, consider the... Read More

Making Meetings Work

We have all attended meetings that were boring, mindless and... Read More

Your Organization Is Only as Good as Your People

Let's begin by singing the jingle from an old US... Read More

The 5 Obsessions of a Passionate Employee

A recent report entitled "How Google Grows?and Grows?and Grows" stated... Read More

Steps in Using the Critical Incident Technique

STEPS IN USING THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TECHNIQUE:1) The incident. Read,... Read More

Performance Management Made Easy

Performance Management is a process that both employer and employee... Read More

Developing Your Mission

"The best Leader is one who knows how to pick... Read More

Nonprofit Performance: Outcome Measurement Can Be A Good Thing

Does the idea of program evaluation make your stomach churn?... Read More

Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing in a Business Perspective

Business IntelligenceBusiness Intelligence has become a very important activity in... Read More

Appraisal Systems - Not Living Up to Their Objectives

Almost, if not all organisations have them, they've been around... Read More

Knowledge Management - Lessons Learned and How To Identify Them

Many organisations use the term "lessons learned" to describe the... Read More

Leadership Styles - the Ten Top Qualities the Best Leaders Show

Top leaders...Are Visionary Top leaders have a very clear understanding... Read More

The Comfort Zone

The Comfort Zone I... Read More

Have You Always Thought That The Best Ideas Come From Research Or Management? Think Again

Many entrepreneurs and chief executive officers are unaware that there... Read More

Delegation Obstructions

OBSTRUCTIONS: 1. Staff deficiencies. Lack of confidence in employees quite... Read More

Can What Someone Does Off-hours Affect Your Business?

Q: How much do I have to worry about what... Read More

Management Team Section of Business Plans

Writing an award winning business plan is a great skill,... Read More

The Power in Praising People

One of the keys to success is to have successful... Read More

How to Approach Group Decision Making

GROUP DECISION MAKING -- IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM: Tell specifically what... Read More

How to Say No

Rejection hurts. No one likes to give it or to... Read More

Why Saying Well Done Works

Encouraged by the recognition, Sarah Lewsiton went home from work... Read More

Get Down With OCP: Evaluating DBA Job Applicants in an OCP World

Not long ago, weeding through DBA applicants with a tech... Read More

Innovation Management: What Problem Is Being Solved?

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

Organizational Capital in Politics, War, Sports and Business

Intangible Corporate Assets such as Organizational Capital, Blue Sky and... Read More

The Role of the Machine Metaphor in Mixed-initiative Organizational Leadership

"Can This Marriage be Saved?" So reads the title of... Read More

Preparation: Your Companys Best Defense in Case of Catastrophe

You've hung out your shingle and are ready for business.... Read More

A Tricky Supervision Challenge

Many managers believe that treating their team members as responsible... Read More