Work: Billable Hours vs. Internet Fora Hours

We have (had, at this point) a new employee in the office ... beginning in August. As with any new employee, his productiveness was rather low at first, but with this fellow, it never really picked up.

Rather quickly we became aware that he was devoting up to five hours a day to his favorite website -- posting comments on their various fora -- yet was turning in 8+ hours of time billable to his assigned project.

I had a talk with him ... he denied time spent in activity other than work ... even as his preferred Internet site was present on his computer screen (albeit diminished). As I got up to leave, I reached over and clicked restore ... to let him know I hadn't missed seeing it. I then tracked his time very closely and confirmed fully what we expected ... yet still he denied it. I even installed a small mirror (ostensibly for the purpose of feng shui) but which allowed me to see his monitor from an empty desk ... which I proceeded to occupy from time to time. Sometimes he'd be at the site for an hour or more without a minute given to work.

Well, he was fired ... at which time he finally confessed, "I'm sorry, I'm addicted to 'Internet Forum Debate' and can’t stop.”

Anyone here addicted … or care to comment about it?

Honestly, this is why the American economy is on the brink. People don't work anymore, they go to People.com and watch reruns of The Today Show.

Lord knows I spend my fair share of time on SF, but I also get my work done. Also, I'm salary, so there's no conflict with any hourly I may/may not be billing.

Originally Posted by RSS

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Rather quickly we became aware that he was devoting up to five hours a day to his favorite website -- posting comments on their various fora -- yet was turning in 8+ hours of time billable to his assigned project.

But was he spending 13 hours in the office?

Originally Posted by Concordia

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But was he spending 13 hours in the office?
No ... he wasn't. He worked our standard office hours ... 8:30 to 4:30*. Moreover, he usually arrived a few minutes late ... took a bit more than an hour for lunch ... and left a few minutes early. He really wasn't his resume ... which implied dedicated professional.

* Correction: I should have said he was turning in 7 hours of billable time a day ... as our work day is 7 billable hours. With 8 hours I was remembering days of old.

Meh, this is very standard, esp with facebook. were you looking at his visited sites?

but back in the day it was minesweeper.

X1000000. no asshole would sit at their desk reading a magazine. nothing gets done anymore.

Originally Posted by Connemara

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Honestly, this is why the American economy is on the brink. People don't work anymore, they go to People.com and watch reruns of The Today Show.

Originally Posted by Teacher

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Lord knows I spend my fair share of time on SF, but I also get my work done. Also, I'm salary, so there's no conflict with any hourly I may/may not be billing.

Pretty much sums me up as well.

Originally Posted by RSS

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We have (had, at this point) a new employee in the office ... beginning in August. As with any new employee, his productiveness was rather low at first, but with this fellow, it never really picked up.

Rather quickly we became aware that he was devoting up to five hours a day to his favorite website -- posting comments on their various fora -- yet was turning in 8+ hours of time billable to his assigned project.

I had a talk with him ... he denied time spent in activity other than work ... even as his preferred Internet site was present on his computer screen (albeit diminished). As I got up to leave, I reached over and clicked restore ... to let him know I hadn't missed seeing it. I then tracked his time very closely and confirmed fully what we expected ... yet still he denied it. I even installed a small mirror (ostensibly for the purpose of feng shui) but which allowed me to see his monitor from an empty desk ... which I proceeded to occupy from time to time. Sometimes he'd be at the site for an hour or more without a minute given to work.

Well, he was fired ... at which time he finally confessed, "I'm sorry, I'm addicted to 'Internet Forum Debate' and can't stop."

Anyone here addicted ... or care to comment about it?

Are you the one who fired ?

Originally Posted by romafan

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Are you the one who fired

?
I am not s/he. Different field entirely.

Edit: But I know nothing about this ... I mind my own business ... well, most of the time.

Originally Posted by romafan

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Are you the one who fired

?

Wow.. is this true? That's too bad... I am not one of the regulars on SF, but I have read MC enough to know who Mafoofan is...

i would help you throw stones but i just windexed my glass house

Originally Posted by Teacher

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Lord knows I spend my fair share of time on SF, but I also get my work done. Also, I'm salary, so there's no conflict with any hourly I may/may not be billing.

Sums me up too. Plus I take work home, attend various civic/charity events for the organization on my own time, etc. And I actually am often doing paper work, or one sort or another, while cruising here. You can tell when I'm really multi-tasking, as I've noticed I leave entire words out.

Foo got fired?

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Sums me up too. Plus I take work home, attend various civic/charity events for the organization on my own time, etc. And I actually am often doing paper work, or one sort or another, while cruising here. You can tell when I'm really multi-tasking, as I've noticed I leave entire words out.

Foo got fired?

is this true? i thought you guys were just joking. if it is, sorry to hear about it. im sure he can quickly find another job though.

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

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is this true? i thought you guys were just joking. if it is, sorry to hear about it. im sure he can quickly find another job though.

Easy there Sho'Nuff. Just because the holiday season is coming up and malls across America are going to be hiring the height challenged as elves, doesn't make it right to tell Foo that he has plenty of job opportunities out there for him.

In all seriousness, if this is true I wish Foo all the best and I'm sure it will end up working out for the better.