GMAT Essays (AWA)

ESSAY QUESTION:
"Employees should expect no privacy while on the job, even when engaging in personal communication via telephone or e-mail. Employers are paying for their employees' time and have a reasonable expectation that this time is spent solely on work-related activities."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the position stated above. Support your views with reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.


RESPONSE:
The issue at hand debates whether employees should be given privacy when engaging in personal communication. The issue is very broad and can be perhaps interpreted differently in different contexts but as a general rule I believe that employees should be given privacy.

In my opinion, a relaxed atmosphere at work leads to greater efficiency. Employers should try to build good will and encourage team work. Having numerous restrictions will only lead to employee resentment. Also, employees cannot and should not be policed. It would almost be impossible to monitor every activity of the employees. Even, if the company were able to do so , it would be a total waste of time and resources which could perhaps been spent better.

Consider a day in which, an employee has to attend to an important task via the phone. If there is no provision for the employee to do it while on the job, he/she might have to take the day off to attend to the task. Would this not be more counter-productive ?

In some extreme circumstances, relaxing such rules might cause some employees to go overboard and abuse their freedom. For example, someone at their desk could be disturbing everybody around by making loud telephone conversations. If the employee does not act according to common office etiquette, action will have to be taken.

In conclusion, I believe that an employer should believe in the integrity and commitment of the employee. Employees should not abuse the employers trust. If an employee engages in personal communication while on the job, he/she will have an obligation to readjust the work day or even the week and complete his/her tasks without any loss in productivity. An employees privacy should be respected and accomodated for.