A whole host of problems can arise when employees use business equipment for personal purposes. Loss of productivity and the misuse of business resources can be curtailed with workplace policies that address the personal usage of business equipment.
Every business involves the use of some sort of equipment which employees need to do their job, and this equipment is generally provided by the business. While some personal use of business equipment is realistically to be expected, problems can arise when the personal use is excessive.
Problems that can arise in the personal use of equipment that belongs to the business, such as computers, tools, or vehicles, include:
No matter what your policy is or how much you try to control it, employees will probably use your equipment from time to time for personal purposes. The best way to handle the inevitable is to allow a reasonable amount of slack, but to be consistent and vigilant in creating and enforcing rules to make sure that the personal use doesn't get excessive.
For example, for many businesses, employees use computers for the most important aspects of their work. So, what happens when employees begin doing personal business on these machines?
Mark uses the computer in the course of performing his job duties. Every so often, Mark will use his break time to play games on the computer. You've never seen him playing computer games on company time, and it doesn't seem to be affecting his work or the work of other employees. Do you tell Mark to stop?
Asking him to stop is probably the wrong approach. Work rules that get too restrictive tend to have more of a negative effect than a positive one. If Mark is doing it on his own break time and he's not bothering other employees or tying up the computer, there's probably no harm in allowing him to do it. However, you might want to make a mental note to speak to Mark about it if the game playing gets excessive.
And if you do ask him to stop, be sure that all other employees who may be playing computer games on break time are also asked to stop as well.
The better path to take is to let it slide. If Mark is a good employee who always gets his work done, so long as his break time games don't disturb other employees, tie up computer resources or get excessive, allowing him to play games on his break time shouldn't cause any problems. Be sure to cut other employees in the same situation the same slack though, in the interest of fairness and consistency.
Personal use of equipment that doesn't interfere with work is one thing, but how do you handle situations where the employee plays games on the computer (or does some other kind of personal business) during work time? Your equipment and your employees' habits will guide your handling of personal use situations. Be sure that whatever use you allow or prohibit is clearly communicated to all employees and is consistently enforced.
The type of policy you create to regulate the personal use of business equipment will depend on the type of business you operate and the equipment used in your business. For example, if the equipment in question is a vehicle, then there is a different set of ramifications to think about, including employer liability if a person is injured or property is damaged when an employee is using your business vehicle.
Another example is controlling the use of work computers. For example, your policy regarding the personal use of business computers could state that:
You may not want to allow an employee to use the computer to create a flyer for her son's debate competition and to print 100 copies on your laser printer with your paper. On the other hand, however, you may want to allow an employee who is taking a night class to use the computer during lunch and break times to for school work. The key is to create a policy that allows you to determine acceptable use and to apply that policy fairly and consistently.
If one of your employees buys a great piece of scheduling software for use at home and also installs it on your business's computer, you may be breaking the law. Software has strict copyrights, and "pirating" software is tantamount to stealing and the company is liable. If you want the software, buy it and install it.
Some companies also place the policy on log-in screens to appear each time the computer is turned on, to dissuade employees from personal use of the equipment.