INTRODUCTION
Internet Addiction covers
a range of behaviour around use of the Internet and includes accessing
of pornographic websites. From an employers perspective, if occurring
during employment, this involves some or all of the following:
- Extensive accessing of
sites that may or may not have relevance to the employers business,
but has detrimental effects upon the employee
- Accessing sites that
are inappropriate for the workplace, such as pornography, gambling,
chat-room use and others.
EFFECTS FOR THE EMPLOYER – EFFECTS ON THE EMPLOYEE
Effects for the Employer
Consequential effects for the employer include reduced efficiency for
the business due to absence as a result of illness, over-stress, poor
focus of employees to the task, need for reallocation of tasks and responsibilities,
increased staff turnover and impacts on staff culture development. In
addition, there may be the possibility of liability because Internet
usage may be an integral part of the employees job, and that warnings,
promotion barriers or even dismissal will not discharge an employers
obligation around a healthy or safe workplace, let alone foster a caring
culture when mental health issues arise.
Effects on the Employee
Accessing sites extensively as well as simply accessing prohibited (by
the organisation or by law) sites, will have costs and effects for the
employee. These effects may include over-tiredness, irritability, reduced
efficiency, isolation from support of colleagues and employer, family
disruption, increase susceptibility for illness, and negatively effect
opportunities for promotion. Where the behaviour is in respect of prohibited
websites and is excessive the likelihood that an addictive process is
operating is enhanced.
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYERS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES
Impacts of the Health & Safety in Employment Act (HSE Act) as to
how Internet usage will be a responsibility of the employer are currently
unknown. The Gilbert case, before the proposed amendment, found that even
on Appeal that the employer was liable for aspects of harm resulting from
volume or nature of the work performed. Invitation to access many prohibited
sites are a common hazard for anyone using the Internet, and do not require
intention on the part of the employee. The HSE Bill extends the terms
of harm to include mental harm, and hazard
to include the effects arising from physical or mental fatigue
(section 2 as amended by clause 4 of theAct). The Act defines hazards
and harm in a comprehensive way, sets requirements that all
practical steps (are taken) to ensure health and safety, and that safety
issues are best achieved through co-operation (amended s5). Where
employees have access to the Internet during the course of their employment,
and especially where Internet use is integral to their job, the responsibility
of the employer to be aware of and manage the risk of Internet addiction
may be required under the HSE Act.
OPTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS
Many Codes of Practice for Internet Usage may result in punitive outcomes
for those employees who breach these codes. The draft code on the Department
of Internal Affairs Website ( www.dia.govt.nz )
identify behaviours to be discouraged. They include Internet gambling,
activity that violates New Zealand law, or extensive
private usage. Although care is taken not to define extensive,
the site suggests that this will be likely if it interferes with
production of business unit outputs or costs the business unit an unacceptable
amount of money. This description of excessive is likely
to be seen as reasonable by most employers. However, what may violate
New Zealand law is a little less easy to identify as the law around pornography,
namely the Films, Videos, and Publications Classifications Act 1993, depends
upon the degree the publication amongst other things, demeans
others. Publishing of objectionable material (and downloading of such
material was determined as publishing recently by New Zealand Courts)
can result in fines and/or imprisonment, with over 450 investigations
and 100 prosecutions, over 95% successful, in the last four
years.
A prosecution will have substantial negative effects upon the employer
if it occurred while at work. Whereas it may be expedient to dismiss an
employee who is accessing pornography over the Internet, especially if
continued employment may appear to attract unwanted publicity or criticism
(eg female employees of a males behaviour; or all other employees
of an employees accessing child pornography sites, even if irregular),
the appropriate response may be less simple. If the employee has developed
an addictive behaviour, then a more caring and responsible approach may
be to provide assistance to the employee to change that behaviour. This
would engender a culture that helps rather than punishes those who fall
prey to processes that were not conceived of a decade ago and are little
understood now. This may also be appropriate under the HSE Act.
A CODE THAT RECOGNISES HUMAN FRAILTY
A Code of Practice for Internet Usage could therefore require that any
employee who breaches the Code through accessing inappropriate sites such
as pornography or gambling, or extensively accesses other Internet sites,
should receive appropriate coaching from their manager, and receive free
assessment from a qualified therapist in order to identify addictive processes.
This should not be necessarily treated as an immutable barrier to promotion
within the organisation otherwise this will in itself act as a barrier
to disclosure.
Early intervention is a goal of all addiction behaviours, resulting in
a much better prognosis. This can be encouraged by information to employees
and employers that all are at risk of developing addictive behaviours,
especially if there is poor understanding of the risk that newer electronic
environments offer. In respect of Internet pornography addiction an understanding
of the risk is important and also, that the sex drive is a powerful and
primitive drive that can provide the first reason for the behaviour, but
that this may be replaced by the need to escape negative self-views
and stress as the addiction progresses. The focus away from punishment
and social ostracism can encourage self-identification and help-seeking
while the contrary results in convert continuation of the behaviour until
control effectively is lost.
AN APPROPRIATE THERAPY
Addictions are common behaviours, whether associated with gambling, alcohol
or drugs, compulsive spending, and many others. Most people realise late
in the process that an addictive behaviour has developed, and have added
other negative symptoms as the behaviour has intensified. Depression and
anxiety are commonly associated. This supports the focus upon early identification
through an understanding and non-punitive work environment. The first
step to behaviour change will be to motivate a desire to change and belief
in change. Addictions are often identified in part by unsuccessful attempts
to stop the behaviour in the past. Others may not be motivated to change
but may commence the process due to a required participation. This is
not uncommon, and therapy may focus upon raising insights around costs
and ambivalence.
A comprehensive assessment is an important first step and may assist
motivation. It is important not to label but rather provide information
for both the employee and the therapist.
Some will require interim medical interventions for depression, especially
as self-harm resulting from shame and guilt is common around addictions.
Following assessment, several therapeutic approaches offer the likelihood
of relatively prompt behaviour change, often with brief interventions.
Therapy should be delivered by counsellors with addictions training and
an understanding of the Internet and its ability to contribute to
addictive processes.
ADVANTAGES
Dismissal for breach of a Code has negative consequences for both the
employee and the employer. For the employee: if the behaviour is due to
an addictive process that they have unwittingly entered into, and for
which they no longer have the ability to escape from, then not only can
the behaviour be understood but also the harm minimised. For the employer:
the costs for the organisation of losing skilled and experienced employees
and consequential re-employing and training are considerable. A caring
employer can enhance employer-employee relationships while a punitive
approach may potentially result in prosecution under the amended HSE Act.
CONCLUSION
The Internet is a powerful tool and will continue to grow in its usefulness.
With its speed of access, its infinite depth of information, entertainment
potential and advent of virtual reality, there is the possibility
of overlooking its ability to control peoples behaviour. A Code of Practice
for Internet Usage should distinguish between behaviours that may indicate
an addictive process may be developing and, for want of a better term,
a simple breach. In these circumstances a caring process that recognises
this possibility and offers help rather than punishment fosters a positive
culture within organisations and ultimately reduces costs. The response
should include referral to an experienced therapist for assessment and
assistance. In addition, awareness and understanding of the risk for such
addictive processes should be available for both employers and staff in
order to reduce risk and to encourage understanding for those who do develop
such behaviours. For many, the fear of social ostracism is as great a
discouragement of disclosure as is a punitive code, and motivation for
help-seeking at early stages of the process will be lost. |