Could it actually pay to let employees shop around for deals, catch up on MySpace or play a few hands of Texas Hold ‘Em?
The key is to limit the Web wandering to 10 minutes per day.
According to British researchers, a short, online break can do wonders for your workers’ morale and productivity.
Why? When many companies are tightening up Internet usage policies — banning certain sites and policing Web activity — in an attempt to ramp-up productivity, greater online freedom can foster a more trusting and pleasant work environment.
So if productivity hasn’t spiked after clamping down on your employees’ Internet use, maybe more leeway is the answer.