TAC or A.K.A. TAC Americas is the company where I am employed. When I joined to company 10 years ago it was Texas USA born with a great philosophy and freedom of always doing what was right. That creed went toward its customers as well as its employees. I am pleased that the customer is still the focus and we always do what is right for them. But after the 911 attack occurred, TAC U.S. employees as well as all Americans began slowly trading the American right of freedom for big brother security. I believe we are now getting far too accustomed to losing personal freedom. I understand the reasons but as a veteran I do not have to like them.
TAC was originally named Control Systems International (CSI) when I came aboard and it was as I said… a red, white and blue blooded American company. About 5 years later the company was purchased by the Swedes and the name changed to TAC, just the letters, no acronym. We are now owned by the French (Schneider Electric) and TAC has become a very major player in the Environmental Controls and Building Security markets. Ironically, we are growing rapidly in the world security market because of greater feelings of insecurity, great for business.
With this international growth has come a more “international corporate culture” for the employee. The young new hires think it is wonderful. I agree with that feeling about 95+% of the time. TAC is still a great place to work.
Our offshore owners fear open Internet access for employees is a security risk. I believe most international companies feel this way. It was a change I noticed when we first became TAC. Our owners are also paranoid that we will waste excessive amounts of our company time exploring an open Internet. I can see how this can be a major business concern. The fact is the company owns my time, my computer and pays me well. That does give TAC the power (as recent as a few days ago) to take away personal access, read my email and block many web sites I could previously visit (including this one). I think this is happening in many large business offices.
So… just because I understand the reason for change doesn’t mean I have to like it. But I will accept the change and can live with a a little dissatisfaction. But that’s how freedom loss begins, a tiny bit at a time. Besides, I do know another way in here if I really need it! 🙂
Don’t feel bad, my company has been doing this for years! ~Shel
Errosion of personal freedom. The price we pay for choosing to work within big business. Thankfully everthing else is too good to be worth cutting off our noses! Ha!
Yeah, I look at it this way: it’s their sandbox and thankfully they let me play in it. Gotta follow their playground rules while I’m there. 😉