* Reader explains how personal use of corporate systems is managed in their organization
A reader of this newsletter responded to my recent article on e-mail policies with the following:
“We allow limited, personal use of our electronic systems: e-mail, Internet and telephone. However, we’ve had to take the following actions to control this use:
* Shut down all access to personal e-mail accounts.
* Shut down access to instant messaging (IM) except for a small group of IT individuals. We have software that allows us to monitor the use of IM by this group.
* E-mail/Internet/Telephone use policy statement that ‘comes up’ every Monday the first time an employee signs on.
* E-mail/Internet/Telephone use policy discussed in new employee orientation.
* The use of Websense to restrict access to inappropriate Web sites.
“I am responsible for monitoring activities as they relate to employee use of our electronic systems. I proactively and randomly conduct electronic systems use reviews and report any misuse to management. I also perform reviews requested by management in specific employee’s activities (the Senior VP of HR, Corporate Counsel and/or Audit Director must approve such review – at least two of them).
“We consistently encounter abusers of our policies and take the appropriate action. We follow progressive discipline except in extreme cases. As you can see, we’ve had to take a hard-nosed approach.”
Organizations must be serious about appropriate use of e-mail, IM and other systems. Misuse of corporate communication assets can lead to enormous liabilities for employers and individual employees, and can lead to a serious loss of reputation or money. However, as I also noted the recent article, most organizations do not have detailed e-mail use policies. They need to create and enforce these policies as the company in the example above has done.
Thank you to the individual who provided their comments for this and who asked to remain anonymous.
