A few weeks ago, I discussed the perils of using a work computer for personal purposes. (Allow me to summarize: Don't do it!)
Now, let's look at the converse situation: what issues surround the use of a personally-owned computer for work?
Your employer may not look kindly at this practice, either. From the company's viewpoint, it loses control of business data when it moves from a company-owned infrasructure to a "foreign" machine (i.e. yours). Many companies have written polices forbidding this.
Also, companies typically have software and hardware standards that help the I.T. department manage computer resources and keep costs down. Your PC or notebook may not meet these standards. And no company in its right mind would allow you to install company-licensed software on your personal machine. Why, if you should leave, they'd never get it back! (Bought any business software lately? It's expensive.)
Of course, it's not terribly likely that you would bring your home PC to the office to help out your employer on a long term basis, but things get murkier when you look at portable devices like cell phones, PDAs such as a Palm or a Pocket PC, or notebook computers. Opportunities for casual intermingling abound!
But just because you can doesn't mean you should. In a perfect world, you should not mix business technology with personal technology.
Okay, you're right. Things aren't perfect and this type of thing happens all the time. What is the pragmatic thing to do?
Write an agreement with your company that sets forth the terms for using your equipment for business purposes. Be sure to include what you're loaning to the company and what it is providing for you. And be certain to place a dollar value on the arrangement from both perspectives. And--still in writing--consider worst-case scenarios: What if your co-worker accidentally crushes your notebook in the office? Who pays? I know for certain who won't pay--your homeowners insurance, that's who won't pay. What happens if you leave the company's employ? Or it leaves you?
Don't assume that your employer will be reasonable in the event something bad occurs. Your immediate supervisor may be great, but that person may not have much influence if a problem should arise, particularly if it involves a chunk of $$.
