Decent behaviour is of utmost importance for any company. It’s also important for employees. Tabassum cautions us against e-flirting and e-harassment at the workplace. A report for Different Truths.
God’s most lordly gift to man is decency of mind ~ Aeschylus
Modern technology has made communication easier but at the same time technology has given birth to new ways of inappropriate behaviour @ workplace. According to a Hindustan Times Article published September 29, 2004, “Technology seems to have spiced up the love lives of people at work.”
Decency is very important @ workplace. It is also important for self-branding.
The clear picture is that email, voice mail, multimedia, SMS, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, etc., have made it easier for people to flirt. But this can also lead to e-harassment if the relationship breaks down. E-flirting has the potential of damaging the atmosphere of company culture when such conduct is unwelcome by the recipient.
To protect the decency in the company, Authority might consider following actions:
1. Employers should include certain rules in policy to avoid e-harassment.
2. Computers including communicative devices provided by the company should only be used for company purposes.
3. The Authority should also have the right to monitor.
4. The ‘Authority’ would have access and check objectionable messages or contents or usages (In computers including communicative devices provided by the company) and no employee can have any objection or claim of privacy in this regard. (If an e-harassment complaint is raised via application in black and white by an employee).
5. Conveying the message to the employees that any violation of the norms in policy should be treated as misconduct which may lead to disciplinary action.
For decency’s sake @ workplace, an employee may do following:
1. Don’t send flirting emails, SMS, etc. And if you have sent one and then realise that it was a wrong thing to do, send a note of apology. You can always say sorry when the recipient expresses his/her feelings of humiliation. That may restore your image of decency and might help you to avoid probable coming up with official trouble.
2. If you receive such flirting objectionable e-mail, SMS, or other such contents from one in the workplace let the person know, by reply, that you don’t expect such email, SMS, etc., again. After your reply, if you again receive the objectionable contents via email, SMS, multimedia, notify your HR official. If your HR official insists that you submit a written complaint, use your instincts, and try to understand the aftereffects and then place a written complaint. Otherwise, your HR official may stop this by a verbal warning to the employee who is doing such indecent acts.
3. If you want to reciprocate such intimate or flirting email, SMS, etc., of interest don’t use company provided computers, cell phones and other devices.
4. Don’t download pornographic images or even visit such websites from your official computer or cell phone.
5. Make sure your PC is password protected and no one can log in (in your absence) and visit such websites. Later, you can be a victim of breaking “policy” and code of conduct (if your company has any).
6. Don’t send objectionable content (specified in your company’s policy and code of conduct) even to your friends from your official computer or cell phone.
7. Don’t view X-rated sites, pictures and messages sent to your official computer and cell phone by outsiders.
Use your company provided devices only for official purposes.
1. It is important to project a decent company culture. A simple e-flirting can lead to e-harassment. As an employee, it is one’s duty to reflect the best decent image of one’s company to the others. Sometimes, a company is known by the employees the company keeps.
2. By losing decency, one destroys his/her part of dignity. But there is still hope. We can always learn from our mistakes.
Add decency for your self-branding.
Reference Article, E-flirting at work, Hindustan Times, September 29, 2004.
Earlier published in LinkedIn, Jan 12, 2015
Picture design by Anumita Roy, Different Truths
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