“What would you do as a manager if you came across two of your employees reading their friend’s status updates on Facebook when they should be working?...Many reasons are given by employees for why they are spending time surfing the internet on websites unrelated to work. The number one reason was that they do not feel challenged enough in their job. Other reasons include (2) they work too many hours, (3) the company does not give them sufficient incentive to work harder, (4) they are unsatisfied with their career, and (5) they are just bored.
Although these may seem like fun and harmless activities, it is estimated that such technological distractions cost businesses over US$54 billion annually in the US alone. In Australia, internet filtering specialists SurfControl has estimated that if just one employee spent an hour a day on Facebook, it could cost their business $6,200 a year. With 800,000 businesses in Australia, these figures translate to $5 billion a year.”
A. What are the ethical issues in this case for both the employer and the employees?
B. Examine the benefits of social learning theory. How can this theory be used to address the ethical issues in this case?
C. Is this case relevant to Generation Y? Discuss your response and provide examples.