[co-authors: Cinzia Pietrolungo, Laura Carrington]

As the Beliebers of Australia will tell you, tickets for Justin Bieber’s 2017 “Purpose World Tour” were released in Victoria on Wednesday, 12 October at precisely 1pm.  In a frenzy, fans across Victoria were using their employer’s time and resources to purchase (or miss out on) tickets.

As society becomes increasingly digitalised, it’s now common for employees to use their employer’s internet access for non-work related purposes. Referred to as ‘cyber slacking’, can be a source of frustration for many employers who endeavour to limit recreational internet usage for staff. On the other hand, many employees feel that due to the increasing demands of work life, such as long hours and weekend work, personal internet usage ‘on the job’ should be accommodated. Is workplace flexibility just about leaving work 15 minutes early for an appointment, or does it include personal admin tasks that are done during working hours?

In an age where flexible workplace arrangements are becoming increasingly popular, how far should this leniency stretch, and perhaps more importantly, what is deemed as “appropriate” personal administration? Is personal banking OK? How about perusing the latest shoe sale? Facebook? Trawling Broadsheet in search of Melbourne’s most perfectly poached 63° egg? Reading the newspaper online? Does the scope extend further to include personal printing of documents? Home calls on company phones?

For employers, drawing the line can be difficult. Frustratingly, there are no hard and fast rules on how to deal with employees using work resources for personal reasons. But, employers are entitled to impose and specify reasonable limits. In assessing how to balance these competing interests, it is important to take a practical and realistic approach. Employers are able to maintain some control over employees personal admin tasks through workplace policy and lawful and reasonable direction. All organisations are different and time apportioned will depend on the culture of the business.

What is clear is that it is unrealistic to never-say-never to employees in relation to personal admin tasks performed during working hours. Just as employees are increasingly expected to answer emails out of traditional working hours, employees expect employers to allow for some aspects of their personal life to intrude into work hours.

How is your organisation dealing with these challenges?