The abuse of office automation equipment by employees not only costs businesses millions of rand off their annual bottom line, but most bosses either don't know what to do or neglect what needs to be done to stop the flagrant abuse of company resources.

With the downturn in the economy now firmly on every company radar screen, those that do not have a strategy in place to cut costs and run efficiently can only be deemed irresponsible. Inappropriate use of company property is unlikely to ever be eradicated, but it can be managed to the benefit of both employer and employee. Office automation constitutes businesses' sixth biggest spend and companies now have little option but to include the management of this environment in their overall cost control strategy. Managers must accept that people who spend all day at work will occasionally need to make a copy of a document or send a fax. And while a prison camp environment is not the answer, bringing the use and cost of printers, fax machines and photocopiers under control certainly is.