Editorial: Finding the middle path

Perhaps you noticed the juxtaposition of stories in last week’s issue of Federal Computer Week. Most of the issue was filled with the tales of the Rising Star Award winners and a broader look at younger government workers. And then the lead story in the news section was about the potential pitfalls of instant messaging software. The instant messaging article, of course, was spurred by the lurid stories of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), and that case raised questions about the best use of the technology.

And next to that story was an article about Interior Department employees spending thousands of hours each week visiting auction, sex and gambling Web sites, according to an investigation by the agency’s inspector general.

Those stories are somewhat related. They deal with how people use technology — personally and professionally. The missing element in most discussions of personal use policies is common sense. Rather than addressing the real problems, the government has a tendency to do “lowest common denominator” management by setting rules that prevent common-sense personal use of government equipment. The challenge is establishing rules that deal with the vast majority of workers who do their jobs properly.

Good managers understand and appreciate the difference between use and abuse. No one should be looking at porn or gambling at work. But do we care if a a well-performing employee takes some time to shop online? Is it worth potentially losing a good employee because of some bureaucratic rule that says, “Thou shalt not shop online at work”?

Even beyond those management issues, draconian rules reinforce a less creative culture. As jobs become more competitive, we want employees and managers who are cognizant of the real world.

We know the private sector devises innovative new ideas. Government employees need to be aware of those ideas because some may be useful in government projects. For example, an Interior employee could go shopping at Amazon.com using the company’s 1-Click function, which lets regular users make purchases with a single mouse click. That government employee may then think to incorporate a one-click function into a system that makes reservations at parks. Or the function could be handy for applying for a government grant.

That example is simple. But the next good idea could be lurking in an obvious place. Given the government’s reputation as a stodgy work environment, agencies should create personal-use policies that encourage good, productive workers to come up with creative ideas for doing work better.