Internet Usage

[andydis]

hi fellow geeks,

 

 

am looking for a way to track the total time spent on the internet for a IT Technician!

He always seems to be online and want to sit down and chat about this, but need some evidence.

 

 

Is there a quick and easy way to do this?

 

we have a 2006 ISA and netsupport if this helps

 

dnt really want to install anything on his PC as he is a domain admin

 

 

thanks in advance

 

 

cheers

 

 

andydis

[ahuxham]

You shouldn't install anything without getting permission from SMT/SLT regarding this issue, the best step is to discuss it with anyone above you and get permission to "stalk" them in essence. You shouldn't just do it on a whim and alone as this can be seen as victimization and can easily be turned around on you.

 

Secondly, from experience Technicians and Managers and the likes are friends, we work together, we joke together, etc etc. Wouldn't a kind word be enough? If he gets irate about it, at least you can than seek permission to-do this

[dhicks]

He always seems to be online and want to sit down and chat about this

 

So sit down and chat about it - a technological solution isn't going to replace proper management skills. Now is probably a good time, at the start of a new year and school term, as you have a good reason for wanting to plan out what you're doing. It might be that they don't have enough to do, or that they don't find the work that challenging, or they could be unsure of what they are supposed to be doing, or they could simply lack the necesary time-management skills / initiative / get-up-and-go or whatever you call it to work without being chivvied a bit. If the former then maybe work out some kind of work plan with them, give them some more interesting tasks to be done, maybe some training, if the latter then maybe help them plan out some kind of more structured, timetabled list of tasks.

 

--

David Hicks

[K.C.Leblanc]

You have checked that this isn't work related. I'm frequently looking stuff up on the net. That might just be because I've got a memory like one of those thingies you drain rice with, you know like a colander but with smaller holes.

[broc]

I would try to be diplomatic, at least at first.

 

Assuming you have something in your AUP regarding use of the Internet, I would mention in passing to the 'ICT team' that you are considering some form of audit of general Internet access across the whole school, and stress how important it is that the 'ICT team' are 'clean' & abiding by the rules. If you don't have an AUP that governs the Internet, get one!

 

This should enable you to tactfully remind the technician that there is an acceptable use policy in place, and that it can & will be monitored, and nobody is exempt.

 

Just as an aside, Both technicians that work with me make extensive use of the Internet for problem determination as well as helping with skill development; I encourage them to look for solutions online, to look for papers, documents, howto guides etc so I would be surprised to not see them accessing the Internet. They know that there are boundaries that limit acceptable use & as Network Manager I trust them to make sure that any personal access does not interfere with their work, as our AUP states. If there are periods of slack in their workload, I would rather they were using the Internet to broaden their skills than twiddling their thumbs

[andydis]

yea its not work related, thanks for these replys, think ill give it a mention in the next SLT meeting and take it from there.

[powdarrmonkey]

You're a manager, not a spy. You don't need technological solutions, you need to be able to trust your employee. Start by talking about it

 

 

edit: and thanks for shouting in the thread title.

Edited January 4, 2010 by powdarrmonkey

[dhicks]

think ill give it a mention in the next SLT meeting and take it from there.

 

Are you this chap's manager - is it supposed to be your responsibility to know what the technician is doing day-to-day? Are you teaching staff, or are you employed as a Network Manager or similar? Is he getting his work done okay?

 

--

David Hicks

[mossj]

So sit down and chat about it - a technological solution isn't going to replace proper management skills. Now is probably a good time, at the start of a new year and school term, as you have a good reason for wanting to plan out what you're doing. It might be that they don't have enough to do, or that they don't find the work that challenging, or they could be unsure of what they are supposed to be doing, or they could simply lack the necesary time-management skills / initiative / get-up-and-go or whatever you call it to work without being chivvied a bit. If the former then maybe work out some kind of work plan with them, give them some more interesting tasks to be done, maybe some training, if the latter then maybe help them plan out some kind of more structured, timetabled list of tasks.

 

--

David Hicks

 

This! Technical solution won't help...

 

If you ARE a MANAGER, MANAGE YOUR TEAM! Going to SLT without even talking to him first will lose you respect and is somewhat wimpish.

 

Been under a few managers now, only one of them has gained my true respect and that is because he tells it like it is. He will stand up for me or the department, he will put us forward for more advanced projects and courses, and he will tell me when I could be doing something better. Point is he doesn't try to be my friend, he tries to be my manager.

Edited January 4, 2010 by mossj

[paulst30]

I can speak for the person whose doing the surfing, as i was the one you'd see on msn, google chat and the like most of the day. My boss eventually said to me about it, and i was more mad with myself than anyone else as we all know its wrong until we're confronted about it.

 

Since then, i've had MSN, google chat, and any other chat programs taken away. I know how to change it back via websense however that's not going to solve anything. Its made me a better and more attentive person to work with i think, as my mind isn't elsewhere.

 

Talk to him/her or make subtle references to it and your worries may just fizzle away. If they get defensive then i guess they don't have much respect for others.

[pwds]

I'm going to echo that a quiet word in the ear is probably the least painful way to deal with this for all concerned- or you could subtly hint by general announcements along the lines of the "audit" suggested earlier.

 

Generally speaking if the time management of the person is poor then some encouragement of the work style you'd expect and support in that direction seems like a good starting point.

 

If that is ignored then by all means quantify matters by monitoring and consider taking more formal action.

[round2it]

have a word in his ear

 

or im sure its time to clean the projector filters

or time to service every pc in the school with the vac

he must have too much time on his hands.

 

get him out of the office.

 

work together as a team

[Flakes]

one suggestion is that if it is a time management problem or he cant find things to do is to create a "spare-time work list" so if you have some spare time you can look at the list and work on something from that, examples include:

 

1. Cleaning your desk/area

2. Checking the e-mail Spam Filter

3. monitor and block user websites as appropiate

4. work on a side project(obviously something that benefits those at work)

 

im sure you could think of a few more...

 

i agree with the others here that a word in his ear should be sufficent.

[ricki]

Hi

 

I would advice caution as well. I have seen what happened to one technician who got victimized due to half truths and ignorance and the amount of investigation county had to put in, only to prove nothing had been done wrong after months of work. If you want to start monitoring covertly everyone should be monitored and that includes you and that's only fair.

 

I will admit I spend a fair amount of time problem solving online.

 

Please be careful.

 

Richard