New contractor brings PC from home

[Anonymous]

Hi, question on what to do...

Our company recently hired a contractor to help us. He seems nice and knowledgeable. But he brought his laptop from home and put it on the building's WiFi (not our company's) and has it setup next to his work PC.

He is new and has work to do and needs to do that, but I see him on it during the day too. He says its to connect to the contracting company's website and do things for them. But he should be getting emails from them to our email system and there's really no need to use it other than to surf the web. He hides it from / angles it away from my view.

I am his proxy boss because our boss is in another state but I asked her about it and she said that he should put it away when its not lunch/break time.

How would you phrase this to him to tell him not to bring it out at work? It sounds like an awkward convo.

Thanks.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

If he's getting the work done, is it really a problem?

I have all of my work files on my personal laptop (I'm a contractor) and prefer to use it (am faster on it). I've never been told that I can't use it.

[Anonymous]

Does your company have any regulations against outside computers? Personal devices on the public wifi? Security risks? Talk to your IT - you might be able to find something.

[Anonymous]

Is it really his personal laptop, or is it a laptop issued to him by his contracting company? If the later, then I think he might be telling you the truth. In any event, if he is getting his work done, why do you care? It is no different than employees who surf on their phone during work time. Why don't you ask the contracting company who sent him to you?

[Anonymous]

A couple of thoughts:

1) he does not want to tie his company emails to your company. You don't want him to do that either. If your company does not allow him to access corporate webmail, that is your problem.

2) There is a security risk: he could infect your network with viruses (unintentionally).

3) I do the same think: I use my personal computer at the company site; I am an employee, not a contractor. But, my computer follows all of the corporate security policies.

[Anonymous]

It is his own laptop he brought in from home.
He is a new employee, so he hasn't had measurements of whether he has gotten his work done.

No formal policy on personal PCs.

[Anonymous]

ETA:

It looks like a bad first impression.
Yesterday when he was supposed to be doing online training, he spent 1.5 hrs playing on it. So, in theory, he wasn't getting work done.

[Anonymous]

I'd just tell him that other employees aren't bringing their laptop, it sends a message that he's doing non company work on company time and you'd prefer he leave his personal laptop at home.

[Anonymous]

He's new, so explain it to him in terms of company culture. No one else has their personal laptops outs, it stands out as a point of curiosity that he has his and is on it during work hours.

[Anonymous]

He must have an insatiable porn habit.

[Anonymous]

Turn to your IT policy for backup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, question on what to do...

Our company recently hired a contractor to help us. He seems nice and knowledgeable. But he brought his laptop from home and put it on the building's WiFi (not our company's) and has it setup next to his work PC.

He is new and has work to do and needs to do that, but I see him on it during the day too. He says its to connect to the contracting company's website and do things for them. But he should be getting emails from them to our email system and there's really no need to use it other than to surf the web. He hides it from / angles it away from my view.

I am his proxy boss because our boss is in another state but I asked her about it and she said that he should put it away when its not lunch/break time.

How would you phrase this to him to tell him not to bring it out at work? It sounds like an awkward convo.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Sounds like he's following Hillary's IT policy. It was good enough for her, why not for him?

[Anonymous]

Dan, I've noticed that you've been spending a significant part of the work day on your personal laptop. Please remember that you should be doing most of your work and email on the computer that we've provided. You really should only be on your personal computer for a limited amount of time, breaks and lunchtime. As a matter of policy, if I see you doing too much personal work on billable time, then I'll have to comment to your contractor manager and I'd rather not do that.

I'm an on-site contractor for a federal agency and you really don't want the customer to have to comment back to your contractor management because then complaints become "official" and your manager has to track it and ensure that (s)he's addressed the issue and report back to the customer or it could get noted on the contract review period. So, start with a casual unofficial comment, but make sure to note that this was a warning and should the behavior not change, you will report it to the manager and make it official. Good contractors take note of this and stop the notated behavior before it becomes official.