Use of personal e-mail at work: Are there situations where it's reasonable?

Question

There's been a great deal written about the dangers of sending personal e-mails at work, and for good reason. Many carelessly send e-mails from their work address without knowing that the workplace monitors their messages. Often the content has nothing to do with work, slams the workplace or individual employees, or is grossly inappropriate in some way. Like it or not, employers do have the right to impose guidelines for use of e-mail. Not surprisingly, this has stirred up some controversy. Do you like the idea of someone (you may not know who) reading every message you have sent and received? Aren't there times when it's perfectly reasonable to send a personal message? For example, suppose I sent this message to my wife, from my work address to hers: "I'll be working later than expected. Could you pick up the kids? Also, how about going out tonight?" Or, what I sent a happy birthday message to your brother through his work e-mail address? Alright, I confess. These were not hypotheical examples. They really were sent, and I was the perpetrator. But these types of everyday messages have been sent to and from work for years. In fact, they were communicated long before e-mail existed: through the office telephone. Were workers calling home or taking a personal phone call at the office worried about being fired for misuse of the company telephones? What's the difference with using more modern technology for the same simple purposes? You obviosly don't want someone at work overusing the phone or any communication technology for personal messages. In fact, I'll bet there were people in the 50 and 60s who were admonished or fired for having too many personal phone conversations. You have to drawl the line somewhere. But what's the price of surrendering to a more "big brother" environment with e-mail and other technologies? Are we giving up too much personal autonomy? Your thoughts? ...By the way, I didn't pose this question while at work. I'm home, on vacation :D

Here's a recent article which got me thinking and posting this question in the first place..

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/105525/7-Ways-Your-Email-Can-Get-You-Fired

Answer 1

I think it's absolutely reasonable (the emails you sent).  The contributor who said that it's hard to make personal phone calls in your cube is absolutely right.  Email just seems like the way to go. It takes less time away from your work & is not as intrusive or annoying as making a personal call in front of everyone.

I have to admit that I send some emails from work that I shouldn't.  (There is one private phone booth in my entire building and some dude eats his lunch in there every day!  wtf).  But I have worked there for about 10 years and never once have gotten in trouble.  I think with a big corporation, they have more to worry about than little old you - unless you put a word in the email that was a red flag to the IT guys.  (You know, stuff like "bomb" or "***" or steal, or p**n or something like that).  At the end of the day I delete all emails out of every folder, then retrieve them, them delete them out of the retrieve folder.

But I agree....companies have every right to look at them.  It's their property.  Our boss always says not to write something on email that you wouldn't want your whole team to see.  So true.  I guess you can use that as a rule to abide by - if you wouldn't be embarrassed for your boss to see it - it's probably fine.

Answer 2

You're absolutely right.  People have been doing personal things on business time for as long as there have been businesses.  Common sense must rule though.  My Significant Other and I email several times a week.  I sent him a birthday greeting email first thing in the morning earlier today.  But, I never talk about my company - good or bad, I never send anything inappropriate or sexually toned, I keep things short and sweet and so does he.  No one in the last 15 years has said anything to me about personal emails and I'm sure one company I worked for checked them all.

Answer 3

There are grey areas in this subject.  If the e-mail is important, you are on a break, caught up with work and known well in your job as a valued employee, ask permission first.  My husband has a law firm and one of our receptionists abused the priviledge and we let her go.  Don't think that they go unnoticed and it isn't worth risking your job.  If your Auntie's birthday is coming up and you never got to send a card I am always willing to allow the receptionists to e-mail once in a while.  Some employers are not as flexible as me.  

Answer 4

Where my wife works, they block all "outside" e-mail.  That means she cannot use a Yahoo mail, G-Mail, or our internet service provider's webmail service. She is very careful about what can go on her official work-related e-mail account.  

For people who work in cubicles, everybody around you knows when you make personal telephone calls, either on your company telephone or on your personally-owned cell phone.

There is the whole issue of not just work-related secrets but also of productivity.  The company wants you to be working when you are at your desk, not making personal calls, not shopping on Ebay, and not writing e-mails to your friends.

Answer 5

Workers have always used work phones for personal messages and now most of them use personal email at work.  I see nothing wrong with it as long as the privelege is not abused.  However, I know someone who is doing personal emailing and personal research nearly all day.  That is going too far and I can't blame employers for balking.

Answer 6

There are people who use their companies E-mails, more than they should. And it is a fact of live these days, those mails are kept on file, but the company IT guy or gal.

Now the first one you sent to your wife, about working late, and for her to pick up the kids, would be fine, with most companies. It is work related, Sending B-day greetings, isn't, and should have been done at home.My company to an occasional e-mail, that's is from you to a professional business, that you need to contact, during business hours. It's those personal 'love letter's that are the big cause of the trouble.

I don't see the point of those kind of E-mails, when we all or most of us, have Cell phones and can leave a quick message, or text to our loved ones.

There are still some idiots out there, that think, E-mail, is private, and confidential, between them and others. No such thing.

I know we have received, notifications, from headquarters, on E-mail protocol. So don't be surprised, if you are called in one day and fired for over doing it.

Answer 7

As someone who has had the undaunted job of enforcing these very rules.  I have to say that no usage would be best.  Since the phones, servers and computers all belong to the employer they have the right to determine how they are used.  Most employers provide the phones, computers and etc for the purpose of conducting business.  If your employer has removed public phones from your work location you may be able to argue more readily when making short calls to home, or other personal business.  The use of the computer is another story. Most of us have a cell phone play it safe use your own minutes.  Why risk your job.  Think of yourself as implementing a lean process.  This will save your employer money and this may lead to better pay.  It is worth a shot.