And at Microsoft we didn’t need any approval at all for things done in our own time and own equipment - provided it wasn’t competing with anything the company was working on.
It gets better: during the Windows 8 launch and for the life of Windows Phone 8/10 we were actively encouraged to build own apps for their respective App Stores (cynically this was in-part to boost app count numbers, but also to make us motivated to dogfood the platform, provide feedback, etc). IIRC we were expressly permitted today use company hardware too - just not during core business hours. That said, I openly worked on my never-released clone of “Lose Your Marbles” during my downtime in our teamroom office during the day - right in front of our team’s Partner-level director who didn’t bat an eyelid...
It gets better: during the Windows 8 launch and for the life of Windows Phone 8/10 we were actively encouraged to build own apps for their respective App Stores (cynically this was in-part to boost app count numbers, but also to make us motivated to dogfood the platform, provide feedback, etc). IIRC we were expressly permitted today use company hardware too - just not during core business hours. That said, I openly worked on my never-released clone of “Lose Your Marbles” during my downtime in our teamroom office during the day - right in front of our team’s Partner-level director who didn’t bat an eyelid...