The 2011 National Business Ethics Survey defines “active social networkers” as people who spend more than 30 percent of the workday participating on social networking sites. Such employees are much more likely to view their current jobs as temporary; 72 percent of active social networkers polled said they plan to change employers within the next five years, compared to 39 percent of non-active social networkers.
That feeling of transience may lead to such workers feeling like it’s no big deal to swipe a few things from the office supply cabinet: 46 percent of active social networkers said they thought it was acceptable to take a copy of work software home and use it on their personal computer, while just seven percent of non-active social networkers said the same.
Why do you think there is a difference in responses with respect to the use of company software at home on personal computers between active and non-active social networkers? Do you believe it is an ethics failing to take the software home without asking for the company’s permission? What about simply checking your Facebook page once a day?