Beware! Using work tech for personal chats can backfire

In the era of remote work, casual conversations with your colleagues about things other than work using company-provided tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or email are very common.

Everyone does it for the sake of convenience; however, there are potential risks involved, which are often overlooked.

Before the pandemic, people used to have company emails or cell phones so that employers could communicate with their employees during work hours and sometimes after hours.

However, with technological advancements, instant messaging apps have replaced work emails, as they are easier to access, and with the Work from Home model, it gained more popularity.

This shift increased accessibility, it also blurs the lines between professional and personal boundaries, as employers may contact you outside worktime, and expect you to respond, making the traditional 9-to-5 workday a relic of the past.

Using work technology for personal tasks invites your employer into your personal space. Every message, online purchase, and social media interaction can be potentially monitored, raising concerns about privacy invasion.

While there is no legal right for employers to conduct surveillance on their employees if your organization has extensive policies related to social media usage or the use of work resources, your boss can certainly monitor your activities on work devices or platforms.

The risk of employers finding out about you using work resources for personal reasons isn’t limited to official sanctions. There might be more subtle consequences, like missed career opportunities, strained relationships with co-workers, bullying, etc.

The use of AI technology for monitoring messages has brought new challenges, as organizations have started using algorithms to assess employee morale and reaction to new policies. This could indirectly affect the projects you are working on and your career trajectory.

After reading all these things, you might be a bit nervous and thinking about all your past interactions with your work friends. Well, don’t worry, this doesn’t happen to all of us. However, if you are a whistleblower or are in employment disputes, you might face these consequences.

It all comes down to a question: is using a work-related device or platform for personal communications worth the potential risks?

The straightforward answer is no, it is not. So, instead of using company-provided tools for cribbing about your boss or any other personal work, try using a personal phone, messaging apps, and emails for that.

I know this could be a bit inconvenient every time you open your personal device to chitchat but trust me, it is more liberating and can save you from a lot of unwanted trouble and fear of misinterpretations.

Well, casual conversations on a hectic day can help you get through the day, but having those conversations on your work device could be riskier if you have a snoopy boss.

So, choosing personal channels for non-work-related communication can keep your privacy intact and ensure that a clear boundary between professional and personal life is established.

What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.