Workplace Internet and E-mail: Do you have an Acceptable Use Policy in Place?
If you don't have a solid Internet and e-mail Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in place in your workplace for employees to follow, your business could be at serious risk.
An AUP should be drafted with care so as to minimise the risks posed by the use of internet and e-mail within your business; risks that could lead to legal proceedings and a serious slow down on your business operations.
It is important, particularly in the smaller business, to be realistic when putting together your policy. Your priority is the safety and security of your IT system and data and of course upholding the good name of your business; however it is important not to make rules overly stringent so as to stop your staff being able to do their jobs properly, or indeed affect morale.
The policy should be updated regularly, and should address the specific needs of your business.
Here are some tips on what a fairly drafted policy could cover:
Do not allow employees to:
- Use internet radio; this saps bandwidth which leads to slow internet, which can slow down working processes
- Use peer to peer file sharing sites; this poses the threat of viruses which can bring a halt to a network operation
- Use social networking sites during business hours; working time should be spent on work, not socialising
- Visit sites or send or forward e-mails that have content related to sex, gambling, violence or racial hatred as this can lead to costly litigation
- Download freeware or shareware – the virus risk is high
- Download copied software – this is illegal and could lead to serious litigation
- Use e-mail for personal use; it is time wasting and e-mails are still generated from and stored on business servers which could lead to legal issues should the content of those e-mails be dubious
Do:
- Restrict personal use of the internet to lunch time or outside business hours
- Use a firewall with programmable content restrictions
- Make it clear that your company owns any e-mail communications stored on your company computers and that you have the right to access them at any time
- Clearly set out the disciplinary process that you will follow should there be a breach of your policy
- Ensure all members of staff are issued with a copy of the AUP and monitor supervisors and managers on its implementation
High profile court cases concerning the use of corporate equipment for personal, social or dubious actions are well documented for costing employers considerably. If you don't want that to happen to your business, get an AUP place sooner rather than later. And appreciate the knock on effect that seemingly innocent actions can have.
Taking time to draft a strong Acceptable Use Policy that is tailored to your company is an important investment in the future of your business. Make sure you have one in place, and ensure it is enforced!
Questions and Answers
Article Tags:
acceptable use policy
,aup
,email acceptable use policy
,internet acceptable use policy
Discussion of policy and guidelines for personal Internet usage in the workplace. What is acceptable use at work? Creating a company standard can help limit or restrict inappropriate activity.
The unmonitored and unguarded use of email by employees poses a multitude of risks to organizations. The distribution of inappropriate or offensive content, malicious emails, and the risks of data leakage all threaten working environments, IT resources and an organization’s reputation. A comprehensive, transparent and enforceable email acceptable use policy (AUP), combined with robust email security solutions, dramatically reduces exposure to these risks.
Clear and simple guidance for managing your email infrastructure
Blogging is a new frontier for the corporate world and requires security, awareness and education considerations in a corporations acceptable use policy.
It's a fact that we can't always scrutinize our employees as thoroughly as we'd like to. Implementing internet management software and internet monitoring software is one way a company can stay on top of potentially harmful actions, and breaches of AUP.
An in depth look at the new MMORPG from Blizzard Entertainment known as Diablo III, a long awaited release for Diablo fans.
Most small businesses take advantage of computer technology, and it certainly can make things a lot easier for everyone within the business when you do so properly. Unfortunately, there are also a number of different problems that can occur as a result of the technology that you are using.
For any restaurants, it is very important to have vigilant end to end point of sale and service. If someone is new to the business of making and serving meals, it's very important to have a clear cut observation on point to point service to sale.
Small business financial software plays a vital role in the operations of an organization especially the small enterprises. This is where you get the opportunity to keep the record of all the financial activities that are occurring in your organization.
Wireless is one of the best ways in order to get internet to a laptop or a computer, but if you want to sell wireless items in the US or Canada, you need to be sure you pass the wireless testing and you get the FCC certification to prove it.
Is your PC running too slowly? Does it sometimes freeze or crash? The problem could be caused by unwanted programs cluttering up your computer. The obvious solution is to remove any programs you no longer need. But how do you do it?
Remote working, when people do some or all of their work at home or in other locations away from company premises, can bring benefits to all concerned. But it can also cause problems for individuals and businesses if working systems are not thought out carefully from the start. Here are some of the possible pitfalls and their solutions:
The Apple iPad: is it a large iPhone? Is it a small laptop? What can you do with it? More importantly, what can’t you do with it?
Is the standard e-mail package offered by your Internet Service Provider adequate for all your business needs? Are you certain that it is completely reliable and secure? It might not be as streamlined and efficient as it could be.
Imagine standing on a packed station platform; it’s freezing and you’re waiting for a train that will never arrive. You couldn’t get the car out of your road this morning and your children’s school is threatening to close for the day. You have urgent deadlines to meet and getting into work is looking bleak.
Discuss this Article
