Dress Code in Second Life?
Posted on April 17, 2008
Filed Under Off the beaten path, Gen Y
The phrase; ‘your supervisor needs to see you and bring your laptop’, took on a whole new meaning recently. I saw a post on Riveting Rosie (hat tip) that referenced a recent post at Brand Flakes for Breakfast, which discussed a policy at IBM which puts certain rules around your avatars appearance on Second Life while at work. Still with me? That’s right, IBM wants to make sure that your avatar conforms to certain standards while you’re at work. Evidently there are certain departments that use Second Life in their jobs. Umm, OK…I guess.
This might be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard and seems totally ridiculous on several levels. One, that it’s OK with IBM to be on Second Life while at work. I’m trying to think of a job where anyone would have an argument to use Second Life as part of the day to day work. I’ve got nothin’. I have to assume that IBM knows they can block access to Second Life and hence remove the need for a special policy on it, as opposed to allowing it. It’s kind of like a company trying to tell employees that it’s OK to go to playboy.com for the articles, but not the pictures. Two, that IBM IT security has the time or inclination to police employees avatars while they are at work. I can’t imagine getting that assignment.
I get that Second Life is popular among certain losers….er….I mean groups, but seriously I’m still a little stunned that a company like IBM is choosing this path. C’mon IBM, you’re better than that and if you’re a Second Lifer, leave it at home, you’re better than that too.
Until next time…
That has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard of.
Think they play Guitar Hero at work as well?
Carla’s last blog post..When Reading Blogs Gets Expensive
Not sure about that, but it sound like more fun than second life.
Well… I can tell you this is becoming more and more the norm. As Fortune 100-500 companies are looking to hire employees and keep them enticed at their jobs a lot of places are creating super rec-rooms, onsite carwash, laundry service, kids day care, and yes even access to second life and other internet games.
In my own nameless Top fortune 100 company in our call center reps are allowed in between calls to play games on the internet while waiting for the next call to come in.
And policing..while this game access is allowed, absolutely no online chat or IM’s are allowed. IT categorizes all sites that do this, either through software like Yahoo messenger or Windows Messnger and either uninstall the app if you have it, and prevents you from going to their site. Also blocks web chat online messaging like meebo and many others. So you cant chat, but if you are in a call center you can play online games…all to keep staff and talent, mainly as call centers have the HIGHEST attrition rates of most any job, and its not cheap to train employees.
I think every company with call centers or similar jobs faces this sort of challenge. So I guess it’s either let them play games or send the jobs offshore?
Good point…, which is another major issue. These jobs are streaming offshore…