Too many people use their work email address for their personal business. There are many reasons why this happens; it is easily accessible, you do not pay for it and all your contacts most probably on your work computer or phone.
Using emailaddress@ke.airtel.ke to complain about an M-PESA transaction
Reading a story in the Cutting Edge in the Daily Nation earlier this week, I was reminded why it is a really dumb idea to use your official email for your personal business. A man working for Airtel wrote to complain that he erroneously sent KES 1,000, using the Safaricom money transfer service M-PESA, to the wrong person. He was furious that the M-PESA agent had refused to assist him retrieve the money. He listed his contact details as his work email address; firstname.surname@ke.airtel.com. I presume he sent his lamentation to the Daily Nation using that email address. I am not sure which is more offensive to his employer that he is using the 'wrong' money transfer service or using his work email address for personal business but I would be shocked if he was not punished for this.
Listing your work email address in an employment application or on your resume (aka curriculum vitae) is also really dumb. There are many other inappropriate uses of your work email address but I will not belabor the point.
Ownership and control of work email address
Your work email address is the property of your employer. Your employer created the email address, controls and owns it. They can monitor it in real time and read all your emails. If you leave on your own volition or you are dismissed, your employer will most probably immediately deny you email access.
You may think you have a cozy relationship with your immediate supervisor hence are safe but you have no control over the future. What if that relationship changes, what if you get a bad supervisor, or what if you do something that your employer frowns upon; like trying to move on to greener pastures.
Alternatives for Personal Email
There are many free email services; Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail etc. Please use these religiously for your personal email. They are really easy to setup and if your employer does not allow you to use the office Internet for this you can setup email on your phone.
Trust me the small amount you may pay for the Internet on your phone or at a cyber cafe each month is worth it; you can do your own personal business and not have it associated to your employer! You will spare your self needless embarrassment and you guard your privacy, at least from your employer.
Using emailaddress@ke.airtel.ke to complain about an M-PESA transaction
Reading a story in the Cutting Edge in the Daily Nation earlier this week, I was reminded why it is a really dumb idea to use your official email for your personal business. A man working for Airtel wrote to complain that he erroneously sent KES 1,000, using the Safaricom money transfer service M-PESA, to the wrong person. He was furious that the M-PESA agent had refused to assist him retrieve the money. He listed his contact details as his work email address; firstname.surname@ke.airtel.com. I presume he sent his lamentation to the Daily Nation using that email address. I am not sure which is more offensive to his employer that he is using the 'wrong' money transfer service or using his work email address for personal business but I would be shocked if he was not punished for this.
Listing your work email address in an employment application or on your resume (aka curriculum vitae) is also really dumb. There are many other inappropriate uses of your work email address but I will not belabor the point.
Ownership and control of work email address
Your work email address is the property of your employer. Your employer created the email address, controls and owns it. They can monitor it in real time and read all your emails. If you leave on your own volition or you are dismissed, your employer will most probably immediately deny you email access.
You may think you have a cozy relationship with your immediate supervisor hence are safe but you have no control over the future. What if that relationship changes, what if you get a bad supervisor, or what if you do something that your employer frowns upon; like trying to move on to greener pastures.
Alternatives for Personal Email
There are many free email services; Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail etc. Please use these religiously for your personal email. They are really easy to setup and if your employer does not allow you to use the office Internet for this you can setup email on your phone.
Trust me the small amount you may pay for the Internet on your phone or at a cyber cafe each month is worth it; you can do your own personal business and not have it associated to your employer! You will spare your self needless embarrassment and you guard your privacy, at least from your employer.
No comments:
Post a Comment