The First Facility Management Blog

In February 2005, TFM “Tricks of the Trade” Columnist Jim Elledge responded to a question from a facility manager about cell phone usage policies. He made reference to a sample policy to assist frustrated fms.

In light of the recent news announcement that porn has started to migrate to the cell phone world, the question about company policy regarding cell usage becomes even more relevant. The “phenomenon” has taken off overseas, but deals are already in the works to bring more porn to the handheld world (no pun intended). There are even places where porn ringtones can be downloaded. Sure, it’s a business, but what will happen when (and I don’t even say if) it starts creeping into business…first as a novelty or joke, and then, well, who knows?

Late last year, it was reported that good bit of Internet porn is already being downloaded at work. Apparently, those numbers are on the rise. There is a product out there called Snapshot Spy that’s supposed to help employers “take a proactive approach to prevent some of these situations from happening to you at home and in the work place.”

What’s a facility manager to do?

Friday the 13th seems like as good a day as any to start a Blog, especially with the news of major base closures looming around the country. The announcement, which was officially released today, was actually leaked to our offices yesterday by someone who knows someone who works in the facilities department of our local military neighbor, Fort Monmouth. Naturally, this was all taken with a grain of salt, but sure enough, the local rumor mill was actually right for once.

As one of my friends (who happens to work at the Fort) said to me in an e-mail today, “I’m not listing my house anytime soon.”

Clearly, the impact on local communities will be felt in everything from restaurants and other retail establishments to schools and hospitals that support the bases. Is this ever an easy process or decision to make?