Internet management software from Websense

A few years ago, the telephone posed a problem for most employers - nothing got on their nerves more than seeing employees natter on to friends and family ... during work time.

But these days, with the advent of the Internet, employers are facing a new problem: Employees who would rather check the weather around the world, play the stock market and book their holidays - on the Internet - rather than work!

These days, most people working in offices, have their own PCs and more often than not, they are equipped with the Internet.

So how can employers control how much time workers spend surfing the net?

Well, they could trust them to use it just for work purposes. Or, they could install a new product on the market from the U.S.-based Websense.

The product has the ability to block access to certain subjects, websites, and alter this throughout different times of the day, if needed.

Presently the product is represented in the region by Dubai Internet City-based Paramount Computer Systems.

During a visit to Dubai, Geoff Haggart, who is the regional vice-president for Websense, said that the product was an effective way for companies to manage how employees use the Internet.

As an employee - and one who does enjoy a bit of web browsing - the idea of being stopped was concerning! But Haggart sees it differently.

"By using this product, companies can decide what they do not want their employees to look at. This can include pornography, gambling and weapons," he said.

"Or they can say these things are blocked but people can do personal surfing for emails, real estate and travel for one hour a day - or after working hours."

By having the product, employers do not have to worry about workers not working. "This product allows people to have the Internet but it takes the worry away from employers about people spending too much time on it."

Research has shown that employees with Internet access on the job tend to focus less on work when there is so much online to compete for their attention.

According to a survey by International Data Corp, up to 40 per cent of Internet access is spent on non-work related browsing, and a staggering 60 per cent of all online purchases are made during working hours.

Another survey, conducted for Websense by Taylor Nelson Sofres, found that nearly 90 per cent of employees feel the Internet can be addictive.

And 41 per cent admit to personal surfing at work for more than three hours a week.

According to Haggart, his product has the support of many employees.

"About 70 per cent of employees believe that there should be Internet management because there is hostility in the work place about people misusing the Internet," he said.

By using the product, it rules out employers getting nasty with each other about how much - or how little - work they are doing.

Haggart drew attention to the fact that in open plan offices, it is reasonably easy to go unnoticed while managing shares via the web, reading international newspapers and catching up on Hollywood gossip.

But in contrast it is easy to detect when people are using the work phone to chat to family and friends. That is why he believes the Websense product is important for the workplace.

So far, the product has been popular in the U.S., Europe and the UK. "That is probably because these areas are a bit ahead - last year our business grew by more than 100 per cent worldwide."

In the region, Paramount will aim the product at banks, oil companies, multinational groups and educational institutions, said Harish Kunnath, managing director.

"Before we made this deal we had input from big companies saying they wanted this sort of product."