TL:DR; I want to complain about the overuse of blocking websites on company wifi due to the illusion that we are being “productive” at all times.
I (27F) work a job that gives me a lot of downtime and alone time. Generally, processing samples doesn't take a lot of time or brain power, and when we don't have samples to process or paperwork to complete, it's kind of a waiting game on a twelve hour shift. Thus, like most people my age, I tend to do things on the internet to pass the time. Now, I work in the dead center of the building, so I don't get cellular data, and have to use the wifi they offer at work. And it. Blocks. EVERYTHING. For a while, there were a handful of websites you could still access (YouTube, Amazon, even Fantasy name generator b/c I write when I have free time), but as of a few days ago, all of those websites are blocked too.
Thankfully, I have a laptop and know how VPNs work, so it's not like I can't get around these blocks. But what frustrates me is that they feel the need to block every website under the sun because we apparently never have time to do anything on the clock. This is the second job I've worked where they want this illusion that we're being productive at all times, even when there's no work to do. I never fall behind or miss deadlines, so it feels like I'm being punished for working efficiently. I even got chastised at my first job out of college because “other employees complained that I got to watch videos and do other things on the clock.” I was done with my work. I wasn't going to sit there and pretend to research or create work for myself. That's not worth how much I get/got paid. It's that stupid “if you have time to lean, you have time to clean” bullshit. No, Mr. Manager, I'm not wiping down the same piece of unused equipment so you feel I'm working hard enough. That's dumb.
I get that some people can get “distracted” with access to social media or “entertainment” at work. Fine. There are also things that DEFINITELY should be blocked. Fine. But most people can get their work done and do whatever to round out their time as long as they're available. You need me to be here for twelve hours? You don't give me enough to do for twelve hours. It's a ham fisted attempt at control through the guise of an internet browsing tracker. Trust that I can do my job in the parameters you gave me and let me watch YouTube videos while I'm alone in the lab not disturbing anyone.
I'm looking for a new job that can actually be worth my time. Because this is getting annoying.