Most councils allow employees to access social media. This is compared with only one-third of them allowing it two years ago, research by Socitm indicates. All employees potentially have access to Twitter in 44 per cent of councils and only some employees in 54 per cent of councils, with only 2 per cent offering no access, …

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Friday 24th February 2012 09:20 GMT EddieD

You can't stop it any more.

If folk want access, they can always use their phones, which would probably be more distracting than allowing it via their desktop. Besides, blanket bans breed resentment, which can lead to all manner of workplace issues, it's far more sensible to treat people as adults, and just keep a light check on how much they use such sites, and provided it's kept to a sensible level, ignore it.

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1. Friday 24th February 2012 17:16 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: You can't stop it any more.
  
  At least with their phones, they're paying for it and not tieing up the company internet connection for leisure reasons.
  
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2. Sunday 26th February 2012 22:26 GMT LarsG
  
  Re: You can't stop it any more.
  
  Now I understand why it takes so long for someone to answer a phone.
  
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Friday 24th February 2012 09:22 GMT Anonymous Coward

Says an awful lot about the type of people who work for councils, then.

Doesn't it?

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1. Friday 24th February 2012 10:07 GMT Z80
  
  Re: Says an awful lot about the type of people who work for councils, then.
  
  No it doesn't.
  
  Perhaps you're confusing levels of potential access with levels of usage?
  
  I could access all the services mentioned in the article. Please tell me the awful lot that tells you about me.
  
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  1. Friday 24th February 2012 10:53 GMT Anonymous Coward
    
    Re: Re: Says an awful lot about the type of people who work for councils, then.
    
    "Please tell me the awful lot that tells you about me."
    
    You're commenting here and not working?
    
    (cowardly for a damn obvious reason!)
    
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    1. Friday 24th February 2012 11:15 GMT Colin Millar
      
      Re: Re: Re: Says an awful lot about the type of people who work for councils, then.
      
      Yes - the reason is obvious - you want to be able to post snide remarks without a shred of supporting argument or evidence. Behaviour which you know to be chavvy but you can indulge your weakness so long as no one can identify you.
      
      Pretty much you are just like the vast majority of internet commentards - you want to shout but you don't want to think too hard.
      
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2. Sunday 26th February 2012 22:29 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: Says an awful lot about the type of people who work for councils, then.
  
  I've seen it, taking more time to reply to Facebook than deal with their work. That is a fact that cannot be disputed. There is no reason why I can't be stopped, except that the management are doing it as well.
  
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Friday 24th February 2012 09:30 GMT Khaptain

Do they also have playrooms.

I can't really see the "professional" justification for giving access to Youtube, Facebook, Twitter etc to all and sundry ...

Where will this stop, pastel coloured chairs, preheated coffee mugs, access to the "Directors bathroom", pre pause breaks, intimate talk time.

I am not advocating Taylorism for council employees but I just can't see how giving access to social media sites contributes to anything usefull to those for whom the council workers work, the taxpayer.

Given a choice between, twittering and facebooking with friends or doing some mundane task which would you choose to do ? Don't forget though that you are PAID to do the mundane tasks....

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1. Friday 24th February 2012 15:29 GMT despairing citizen
  
  Re: Do they also have playrooms.
  
  "I can't really see the "professional" justification for giving access to Youtube, Facebook, Twitter etc to all and sundry ..."
  
  Like all comunications tools it has it's place.
  
  For example you could use it as an extension of the consulting on a controversial planning application or policy, just the same way as your local planning authority now solicits e-mail and web site based representations. (they can read them, and it saves staff typing)
  
  But i don't know why "John Smith" in the VAT Accounting team might need it
  
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Friday 24th February 2012 09:46 GMT Anonymous Coward

So some council workers basically procrastinate, do as little work as possible, and ponce of their hard working colleagues good nature.

They're w*nk*rs certainly, but is it news? I think not.

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Friday 24th February 2012 09:47 GMT Anonymous Coward

Opening up access on systems is good

It allows the system admins to monitor use for HR, and deal with issues as they come along.

At my place of work we have a threshold which once triggered means HR move in, and have a chat.

Allowing it on workstations, means you can monitor abuse, whereas on mobiles you can't.

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1. Friday 24th February 2012 10:43 GMT Khaptain
  
  Re: Opening up access on systems is good
  
  Isn't that like putting a piece of cheese in the mousetrap and then silently waiting for the trap to spring and crush the mouse's head.......
  
  Gotta admit, it is a little sadistic.......
  
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2. Friday 24th February 2012 11:51 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: Opening up access on systems is good
  
  your forgetting this is the council where its hard to get fired. the union(s) would save your ass (through getting you 700 warnings of various levels) or threaten to strike.
  
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Friday 24th February 2012 10:59 GMT scifidale

I dont see a problem with allowing access to social media, by doing so it allows us to monitor it and providing someone isnt spending all day on FB and useage is moderate then whats the issue.

People are paid to do certain tasks and it doesn't mean they do it 8 hours a day 5 days a week, there may be lulls in workload so a bit of facebook or online shopping is of no interest to me if they do. If they spend too long on it though then I'm interested.

I've worked for both public and private sector and I'm quite interested to see how many of the posters who always say how little work public sector workers do have actually worked within the public sector, any seeming lack of activity in public sector that I have observed is generally spent following all the lawful red tape that goes with working within the public sector. Whereas in the private sector firms I have worked for if there is a delaying issue it has money chucked at it and the issue goes away.

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1. Friday 24th February 2012 13:31 GMT DanDanDan
  
  You said my point for me
  
  "I've worked for both public and private sector and I'm quite interested to see how many of the posters who always say how little work public sector workers do have actually worked within the public sector, any seeming lack of activity in public sector that I have observed is generally spent following all the lawful red tape that goes with working within the public sector. Whereas in the private sector firms I have worked for if there is a delaying issue it has money chucked at it and the issue goes away."
  
  In other words "Private sector workers who moan about public sector workers doing nothing and getting nowhere are right: They spend all the time messing about with red tape, when any normal business would sort it out and make it more efficient"
  
  This is why I have to wait so fecking long for anything I ask the govt to do. 2/3 months to get MY taxes back - wtf?
  
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Friday 24th February 2012 11:03 GMT Drummer Boy

Socail Media Usage

Says more about managers at public authorities than it does about people!!

All public authorities have acceptable usage policies, defining what employees can and can't do on works time.

If someone breaks the rules it's up to the manager to sort it out.

Unfortunately a lot (not all) of public authority managers are not very good managers.

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1. Friday 24th February 2012 15:47 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Over Promotion
  
  "Unfortunately a lot (not all) of public authority managers are not very good managers."
  
  I have had the good luck to work with some very talented and hard working staff in local government, but there are the a percentage of slackers and incompetant managers.
  
  However, a big problem in the public sector is over promotion and lack of training.
  
  For example, an EHO (the guys that make sure your food is safe) tend to be inteligent, well educated and motivated.
  
  Because they where a good EHO, they get promoted to head of food hygine/safety, managing the team. AND GET NO Management training, but they know the job so they cope.
  
  Because they did well as the team manager, they get promoted to division mangement, including stuff they've never done before, AND GET NO management training.
  
  If they do well as a division manager, they get promoted to Director, with a portfollio of departments ranging from Food Hygine, to Highways, Planning, and Waste Management, and still get NO Management training.
  
  If you are lucky, they will learn delegation, and have enough self confidence to rely on the subject matter experts that work for them, and not try and micro-manage or set policies on things they have little understanding of.
  
  This is also try in the NHS, where you can get very good nurses, and they end up over promoted to running an entire hospital, and get no mnagement training or mentoring (result good patient records, and poor accounting and stock controls)
  
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  1. Friday 24th February 2012 18:54 GMT Khaptain
    
    Re: Over Promotion
    
    The Principle of Peter, nothing more , nothing less.
    
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Friday 24th February 2012 11:17 GMT Anonymous Coward

I'm over 18

1. I behave like a sensible adult.

2. I have a job.

3. I own a house.

4. I am married.

I also have unrestricted web access at work.

Am I trusted?

See point 1 above.

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