For Employers ...
1. Be transparent about appropriate Internet use. Make sure that the office's policies on how to use the Web are known and accessible for all employees.
2. Anticipate dips in focus. Many employers expect lower productivity around the holidays and March Madness, or for other life events. "When I'm running a business, I'm going to expect productivity to go down if, for instance, someone is getting married," Lavinsky says. "What you need to do in a situation like that is put systems in place to keep employees accountable. For example, every week you could make sure that all employees, including the distracted engaged employee, make a to-do list. Be open with your employees that you know they have other things going on in their lives, but you want to work with them on what the goals for the week, and even the month, should be."
3. Stay flexible. Regularly update your company's list of banned or blocked sites, and welcome feedback from employees on what sites should and shouldn't be allowed.
4. Have perspective. A good manager is more focused on results than process. It's OK to cut some slack for your employees, particularly if the quality of their work isn't diminished. "You have employees doing work in off hours, so you have to expect that they're going to not be doing work during on hours," Lavinsky says.
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