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Email misuse and sackings for indiscrete communications are never far from the headlines. This week is no different, as the mainstream media rushed to cover a BBC telling-off for a group of lads who compared notes on their favourite eye-candy. Debating lists of desirable bed-companions seems pretty tame, and apparently, the BBC thought so too, since a reprimand seemed to end the matter. But with email and instant messaging filling the gaping void usually known as work-time, everybody, even contractors, are having to temper natural inclinations to gossip and flirt. According to analyst firm The Radicati Group, European email traffic is set to rise from 26 billion messages per day in 2005, to 49 billion messages per day in 2009, and several surveys have uncovered the depth of Britain's flirting problem as it takes advantage of the explosion in email. A study conducted by Concepts & Ideas on behalf of the online flirting community SmartFlirts, revealed that the work place is fast approaching bars, clubs and pubs as the top venue for flirting. Flirting at work exceeds traditional pulling hotspots like the supermarket (54 per cent), holiday (66 per cent) or the gym (45 per cent) as the most likely place for people to flirt. What's more, women (69 per cent) are just as likely to flirt at work as men (72 per cent). Another survey of over 5,000 women found that three out of four had flirted with a colleague at work, and 28 per cent had taken it a step further and had a sexual relationship. But if you think this is the chance you've been waiting for - that now's the time to ask that dishy bloke on the database team or the smouldering beauty manipulating .NET, to help you erect a steamy business service, then take heed. The same survey reported that while 80 per cent said that if a male co-worker, boss or client made a pass at them, they would feel flattered and laugh it off, 13 per cent said they would lodge a complaint. How you are treated for flirting is a lottery, and while it is not illegal to send flirtatious emails from your client's equipment, company policy will determine the extent of any punishment should your advances be unwelcome or exposed to the wrong person, according to law firm Pinsent Masons. Robert Wallace, contract software developer, recalls being marched into his boss's office when a string of "sexy" emails were found whizzing back and forth between several contractors and the IT manager's PAs. "It was the first email system we'd ever used," he says. "I don't think it occurred to anybody that this wasn't appropriate behaviour. The content and number of emails had just escalated over a period of weeks until it was getting out of hand. "Oddly, the boss was more worried about the time wasted writing the emails, than the sexual content." Wallace counts himself lucky not to have been marched from the building, but times have changed, and these days no company should be operating without an email policy setting out acceptable use. Pinsent Masons advises that a lack of policy "makes it difficult for the employer to achieve a united approach, to maintain security and to take effective disciplinary action if necessary." Contractors must be aware of client policies, these effectively make up part of the contract, and a client is perfectly within their rights to monitor your communication even if you consider them private. Regulations that came into force in October 2000 provide circumstances in which a business can lawfully intercept emails (and telephone calls) made on its own systems. These include policing unauthorised use. So while few contractors are terminated for gross misconduct involving email, the easy availability of company tools makes indiscretion just fingertips away. William Knight Nov 2, 2005 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
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