Modern technologies can be a great asset to almost any business. The Internet facilitates the effective management of research and information, email allows for rapid internal and external communications, and social media can act as a great tool for engaging current and potential customers. However, the risks that these technologies can represent for a company have led many companies to impose general restrictions on the use of the Internet, email and social networks. While providing protection to businesses, these policies invariably have an impact on employee performance when effective company policies could help unlock the productive potential of technology.
But what are the specific risks that technologies present, and how can company policies mitigate these risks? One of the most well-known vulnerabilities in using the Internet and email is that it’s all too easy to accidentally download a virus or other piece of malicious software that could compromise computers across the network. This is often done by absently clicking a link in an email that takes the user to a harmful website, and a company policy could easily help deflect this threat. By informing employees of potential threats and setting limits on the types of websites they can visit, employers can set strict limits that minimize exposure.
Social media presents a host of complex and lesser-known problems that companies sometimes struggle to solve. One such problem is the way company social media accounts can be hacked, allowing a malicious attacker to tarnish the company’s reputation or spread misleading information. To combat this, companies must place a strong emphasis on password security and educate employees on what makes a password effective. Company policy should also make it clear that users must sign in to these accounts each time they use them, rather than allowing sites to “remember” passwords and automatically sign you in. This reduces the risk of unauthorized people accessing company accounts.
Sometimes, however, security breaches are not the result of malicious intent. Employees could inadvertently disclose sensitive business information through social media, simply because they were unaware of what constituted ‘sensitive’ information. While it’s nearly impossible to avoid the occasional mistake, a clear policy outlining proper use of social media and the types of information that should not be disclosed will help protect valuable information.
Finally, one of the biggest threats that technology poses is employee productivity. Every year, employees waste hundreds of hours checking their Facebook accounts, sending non-work related emails, and procrastinating online. One solution to this problem is to simply block access to any website that is not specifically required for work and apply strict penalties for inappropriate email use. However, this could have a detrimental impact on employee morale, so it may be worth considering more flexible terms in your company policy that avoid hard restrictions on usage and clarify company tolerance limits.
Aside from the specific problems that company policies solve, they are also important for more general reasons. Having strong policies that employees must subscribe to creates a “safety culture” that increases awareness and caution. Furthermore, a clear company policy is essential if companies want to protect themselves from potential legal problems arising from the actions of individual employees. The benefits of business policies that address the use of the Internet, email and social media are multifaceted and will help businesses realize the full potential of digital technologies.
