For several people like Anu, having unlimited Internet access isn't such a good thing after all. When you're trying to work, it's a ready distraction. Don't concentrate enough, and precious work hours will vanish into the blackhole of cyberspace, never to emerge again. Assignments get delayed and the backlog increases.

"That happens," says Vivek Malhotra, "but only when you're new to the Net. Gradually the craving wears off." Slowly, you begin to define and focus on what you want from the Net, which is when it becomes an extremely useful thing.

Says Reema Chakravarti, working at Reliance Infocom, "The Net gives you the latest information in the latest formats today, saving much time. To ask someone to live without it today will be like asking him or her to live without reading a newspaper."

Usha Mani, editor of Salaam Mumbai agrees, "When I'm surfing aimlessly, I get so many new ideas for my magazine. Besides, I'm often in office for very long hours and can't keep working. The Net is a great stress reliever." Parinda Vakharia, who handles client servicing for FCB-Ulka Advertising Agency believes, "So long as you're doing your work, what's wrong?"

Most HR representatives of companies think so too, and few have an official policy regarding Internet use for personal purposes. Says Nikita Shah, Operations Manager for Forever Living Products India Limited, "You have to know your employee; a person can get as distracted by the Net as by a fly on the wall."

Ambia Murali, Senior Executive HR with Tata T D Waterhouse says, "Our people are constantly online since we are an online trading firm and they often need to surf for information. We rarely find them abusing the facility, and when we do, we just have a casual talk with them." Shreenivas C, working with a Tata company, puts it briefly, "Everyone's expected to self-regulate."

However, one culprit both employees and employers agree on, is chat. Says Mani, "Chat is definitely a drain on time. You don't realise how much time has passed and at the end of the day, you feel it's been wasted." An HR representative of Reliance Infocom says that the chat function is disabled in the company (except for a few people with independent connections). Dipok Ghosh, VP Operations at Zeus Systems says, "We prefer our employees to chat outside working hours, like during lunch hour or after six pm."

"Besides, if employees want to download music or something we ask them to do that after office hours too. This is partly because we have a DSL connection and don't want people to block bandwidth for work." Further, surfing porn is strictly disallowed in offices. "We have ways to track it and are extremely serious about implementation," says one systems administrator.

Then again, says Shreenivas, "In our office, following cricket matches on the Net is not allowed. But during an India-Pakistan match, who listens?"

Ultimately, the onus is on the individual to act responsibly. As Murali says, "You can't keep policing people all the time". The responsibility could be in terms of doing your work well and on time, and not blocking bandwidth by downloads. "So long as work isn't hampered, we don't mind," says Shah. Usually employees are conscientious enough and many like Megha Desai, working at Touchstone Advertising and Events, come slightly early to office to finish off their personal email/chatting.

If you're responsible, you will deliver. After all, Shreenivas retorts, "When you have a deadline to meet, you're not going to waste your time!"

Also Read
--- May I have your attention, please!