Ethics and the Misuse of Workplace Technology

Thomas Friedman’s seminal work, The World is Flat, presents compelling evidence of the impact technology has had on organizational structure, the nature of work, the velocity of change, and the expansion of the traditional definition of network.  Research validates the increases in efficiency, economic opportunity, and productivity that result from integration of technology in the workplace.  Moreover, data from the Pew Research Center confirms that advancements in technology yielded increases in overall productivity and economic development (Madden & Jones, 2008).  Despite the strong data correlating workplace productivity with technology, continuing questions persist about the ethical use of technology in the workplace.  Specifically, what types of personal web-based activities constitute unethical employment practices? Further, does use of the internet for personal reasons during work time constitute employee theft? As more and more people discuss abuse of technology in the workplace, little consensus exists on what actually defines “workplace misuse of technology”. 

These complicated legal and ethical questions are compounded by growing evidence that suggests a blurring of the definition of workplace and work hours.  In a recent report, legal expert Carolyn Burnette highlights the growing use of personal technology use in the workplace.  The report revealed “85% of employees use office email for personal reasons and that nearly 65 percent of internet usage in the workplace is not workplace related” (Burnette, n.d.).  Moreover, the report for the Pew Internet and American Life Project confirmed that nearly half of all Americans conduct some work from home (Madden & Jones, 2008).  Clearly, the definition of the traditional workspace has grown increasingly complex in recent years.  No longer are people simply working a traditional forty hour week.  Many individuals log on and conduct work related business from home.  While employee use of technology for personal reasons may arguably threaten workplace productivity, little research has been done on how the use of technology at home may alternatively enhance workplace productivity.  Thus, as technology enables more individuals to access information – for personal and professional use – the time, and place of such information gathering has become increasingly fuzzy and little data exists to suggest how this affects overall productivity.  Productivity gains should not longer rely solely on the traditional forty-hour work week model of measurement.  How does one account for gains achieved through the ability to connect to work from home?  How much work are individuals conducting at home for work-related business?  How does this balance employee time used at work for personal business? 

Defining workplace misuse became somewhat more complex because of a recent legal case involving a New York department of education employee who was removed from his position for surfing the internet during work hours.  Specifically, the judge suggested, "It should be observed that the Internet has become the modern equivalent of a telephone or a daily newspaper, providing a combination of communication and information that most employees use as frequently in their personal lives as for their work” (USA Today, 2006).  Thus, this case provides precedence to suggest that some personal use of the internet is acceptable in the workplace. 

In contrast to this example, clear cases of the misuse of technology exist in the workplace today.  For example, use of workplace time and space to promote hate, sexism, or other forms of discrimination are clear violations of workplace ethical standards.  Moreover, the use of the internet to surf pornographic sites or engage in other surfing that fosters workplace unease is clearly unacceptable.

As use of technology continues to evolve, Norbert Weiner’s methodology for identifying important ethical questions related to technology may be complimented by Kohlberg’s theory of moral development (Zalta, 2011).  Ultimately, Weiner asks that question of whether the information technology is good.  Does it enhance the good and well-being of society (Zalta, 2011)?  Using Weiner’s methodology, organizations may be best served by developing clear policies and codes of conduct related to information technology in the workplace (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).  The second step in his methodological approach would require the company to leverage legal precedent related to appropriate use of technology.  For example, legal rulings that describe workplace harassment, or alternatively permit collective bargaining activity or personal surfing of news-related sites, clearly provide a framework for what could be included in an acceptable use policy.  Moreover, employees should be informed of job expectations and performance goals.  If employees fail to meet these employment goals due to “cyber-slacking” or for other reasons, the employee may be removed for simply failing to meet performance expectations.  If surfing the net jeopardizes performance than the employee risks losing his or her job.  In these cases, clearly articulated performance outcomes accompanied by well-defined technology-use policies will clarify difficult gray areas related to the use of technology in the workplace.

Moreover, human resource personal may be advised to consider the potential application of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development to technology ethics.  In level one of Kohlberg’s theory, “individuals have not yet come to understand societal rules and expectations” (Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998).  At level two, “individuals identify with the rules and expectations of others” (Forney etal., 1998).  While in the final level, “individuals separate themselves from the rules and expectations of others and base their decisions on self-chosen principles” (Forney etal., 1998, p. 174).  Organizations that equip employees with acceptable-use policies assist the individual in raising his or her moral decision-making to level two or level three. Thus, as workers are informed of the expectations related to performance, they may choose to alter their behavior to focus more on desired employment outcomes as opposed to personal information gathering.  Similarly, as the evidence suggests, as people become more engaged in their work, they begin to develop a set of principles, which guide their decision-making.  An acceptable technology-use policy as well as by workplace culture and expectations provide an important framework for this decision-making. 

Ultimately, organizational leadership establishes an organizational culture that clarifies the acceptable use of technology in the workplace.  As the definition and location of “workplace” continues to evolve, so will the ethics involving decision-making related to personal and professional use.  While organizations should have no-tolerance policies related to harassment and other clearly defined illegal uses of technology, leaders must be continuing to adapt to how the intersection of personal and professional obligations, learning, and workspace may continue to reshape the technology policies related to acceptable use.

Evans, N., Forney, D., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998).  Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.  In Student development in college.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass.

Friedman, T. (2007).  The world is flat.  New York, NY:  Picador.

 

Madden, M. & Jones, S. (2008).  Networked workers.  Pew Internet & American Life Project, Washington, DC.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org

USA Today. (April 24, 2006).  Judge:  web surfing worker can’t be fired.  Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-04-24-websurfing_x.htm

Zalta, E. (2011, Spring).  Computer and information ethics.  Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy.  Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-computer/