TECH BEAT

By Robert Beckerdite

All of the basic concepts and ideas that follow are the product of my experience, and your employer can offer a more lenient or more conservative Internet use policy based on the needs of the business or your terms of employment. As you prioritize your Internet use in the office, it is important to contemplate how it fits into your value system. It is ultimately your decision whether an extra hour of YouTube or Facebook use in the office is worth risking the continued income and benefits your employer provides.

Hint - Any behavior that could jeopardize the business through your action or inaction should be avoided.

What web is okay?

This depends on your role for the company. There are many roles that require web usage to accomplish their day-to-day tasks. Marketing and sales staff may be required to review competitor or customer sites. Administrative staff and buyers may need to review vendor sites or portals to accomplish their jobs.

Hint - Ask your manager and they should provide clear guidance. Human Resources (if you company has someone in that role) is also a good resource.

What email is okay?

Most companies with acceptable use policies also state that everything created on business computers and network is the property of the company. This means that they have the right to capture that data and review it as well as to use it as evidence should any legal action take place. If you take your privacy seriously it is probably not in your best interest to use your work email for personal use.

Hint - There are many free email services small businesses can use so it is best for the business for employees not to use their personal email for business communication.

Hint 2 - Remember every email you send is easily sent to your boss and your spouse.

What is never okay?

Try to consider your coworkers’, employer’s and customers’ feelings and perspectives while at work. Any action that doesn’t take them into account is likely inappropriate. Anything that makes your fellow employees uncomfortable should be avoided. The workplace is intended to be a harassment-free environment without bias for ethnicity, gender, religion, etc. That means those topics are of great risk in the workplace, so websites or emails that advocate positions in regards to these subjects can alienate your co-workers.

Hint - If you would be uncomfortable asking your boss if browsing eBay or Amazon.com was okay with them, your conscience is telling you it’s not right.

What could happen?

In many offices across the community and country I have seen personal use of the Internet unnecessarily expose businesses to viruses or spyware which cost the employer time in lost productivity and money to fix the issue. There are both compliance and legal requirements that are important to understand.

Harassment-free workplaces are necessary in the modern day for a business to be successful. An offended employee could sue the business. The legal fees and damages could be more than a lot of small businesses can afford. Beyond the legal or financial risks I think it is important just to help everyone have a good workday.

Another potential problem would be that your supervisor’s opinion of your work could be tarnished. There is no more critical element in the success of your continued employment than keeping a positive relationship with your supervisor.

But I want to let my employees use the Internet - what then?

I think it is important to have clear expectations by setting clear parameters around use of the Internet. A so-called “acceptable use” policy is needed that defines the amount of time and type of content that is both forbidden and allowed. In an effort to ensure it does not lead to computer viruses or spyware, it is important to have antivirus software, antispyware software, computer and perimeter firewalls, and up-to-date browser and operating system patches.

If you as an employer do not set clear expectations it will only lead to confusion and dissatisfaction in the long run. There are numerous technologies that allow you to create technical boundaries around Internet usage but they are only intended to support good policies.

Hint - There are Internet resources that can help draft an acceptable use policy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptable_use_policy

Robert Beckerdite provides local technology services focused on technology, legal and healthcare business sectors in Humboldt County is a member of the Redwood Technology Consortium, and can be reached at robert@beckerdite.com.