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I think informing users that there are security policies in place gets peoples backs up and/or causes a Pavlovian type of reaction: they think, ?Well, there are internet policies in place now, so I?d better be good.? But this doesn?t seem to get at the heart of the matter, which is an employee?s attitude to work. If an employee knows there are security measures in place, then they will modify their behaviour according to the policy. But in that situation isn?t the employee?s attitude to work obscured because they are only being good because they have to? You can only know an employee?s attitude to work when they are given total freedom (both mentally and in practice) to do as they will. So I submit that web monitoring should take place with the utmost secrecy.
Let?s be frank about lawsuits: if a company decides to fire an employee because they have been eg. excessively using the internet for their own personal use, and if it?s clear to all that the charges are well founded,then what leg does the employee have to stand on for retribution against the employer? If an employer handed that employee the list of sites they visited and said ?You?re fired.?, is the employee really going to have the balls to take the employer to court and claim, ?You?ve violated my rights!? when the company has the goods on them? I think not.
Some have said that what really gets employee backs up is if they find out they?ve been monitored without their knowledge. This can easily happen if someone gets terminated because of internet usage: people talk. An employer can prevent that by never telling a terminated employee that internet usage was the decisive factor in their release. It can be safely stated to the dismissed that it was a lack of productivity that was the grounds for dismissal. And, really, internet abuse is very useful as a gauge and indicator of diminished productivity for jobs in which p
Let?s be frank about lawsuits: if a company decides to fire an employee because they have been eg. excessively using the internet for their own personal use, and if it?s clear to all that the charges are well founded,then what leg does the employee have to stand on for retribution against the employer? If an employer handed that employee the list of sites they visited and said ?You?re fired.?, is the employee really going to have the balls to take the employer to court and claim, ?You?ve violated my rights!? when the company has the goods on them? I think not.
Some have said that what really gets employee backs up is if they find out they?ve been monitored without their knowledge. This can easily happen if someone gets terminated because of internet usage: people talk. An employer can prevent that by never telling a terminated employee that internet usage was the decisive factor in their release. It can be safely stated to the dismissed that it was a lack of productivity that was the grounds for dismissal. And, really, internet abuse is very useful as a gauge and indicator of diminished productivity for jobs in which p
Internet Policy for Employee Signature: We put the Internet policy on the screen at sign-in, so each user can read it whenever they get on the network. They can just hit "enter" and the policy dialogue box disappears, but it is available for reading each time the employee signs on. Also, a policy warning users that there is no expectation of privacy is on our intranet page and our Internet home page. We augment these written warnings with training. The annual security refresher training includes the appropriate use of the network, and the initial general employee training (GET) spends 60 minutes on this subject. Having an employee sign a piece of paper puts a burden on the company to maintain that paper for the duration of the employee's term with the company. Putting the policy on the sign-in screen alleviates that burden and places the responsibility for proper use of the system back on the individual. --Meg Milligan, Chief Information Officer, Department of Energy, Carlsbad Area Office
Use of Monitoring Software: I used Elron Internet Manager at a previous position with the United States Navy. After briefing everyone who had access to the internet about the usage policy, we place the software into production. While the usage statistics were somewhat mind boggling, the ability to track usage and see the sites proved invaluable. Our Legal Officer had a great time filling out the paperwork for the fines some sailors received for surfing to "inappropriate" sites. One cluelessChief Petty Officer was caught in the middle of a porn surf, and tried to deny it! The bottom line is this, documentation. Document policy and before granting access to the internet, ensure the individuals have signed to acknowledge they understand the policy. Document the surf, if there is clear evidence of the violation, then your policy can be enforced. A bonus is also the "History" and "Temporary Internet Files" most browsers conveniently leave in place for us snoops. I also know fromfirst hand experience that if you suspect an individual is surfing inappropriate sites, they will continue until prosecuted. It may take you a few months, but sooner or later you'll catch them. I had busts up to a year after installing the software!
Oh, on a side note, the cost of the software was recouped in less than 1 month!
Oh, on a side note, the cost of the software was recouped in less than 1 month!
System Monitoring: In most cases the Company owns the network, software, and computers systems these employees are using. I thing the company has every right to monitor their employees for any inappropriate behavior. As far as privacy is concerned, the employee is being paid to work, not surf the net for non-business realated reasons.
Even before the IT age, companies provided employees with equipment and tools to complete their daily tasks. Whether it be machinery, hand tools or documentation, these items are property of that company for work purposes only. Many companies have the policy that company property and resources are not to be used for personal use.
Misuse of company time is "time-theft" the same as any other property theft. Time wasted on the internet by employees for personal use during work hours is "time-theft". This is costly to employers and affects the bottom line. In serious wide-spread misuse incidents can eventually effect employment of all employees by loss in profits and layoffs.
If employees do not want to be monitored on system usage even when they know they are being monitored, are they trustworthy in other areas?
Misuse of company time is "time-theft" the same as any other property theft. Time wasted on the internet by employees for personal use during work hours is "time-theft". This is costly to employers and affects the bottom line. In serious wide-spread misuse incidents can eventually effect employment of all employees by loss in profits and layoffs.
If employees do not want to be monitored on system usage even when they know they are being monitored, are they trustworthy in other areas?
System Monitoring: In most cases the Company owns the network, software, and computers systems these employees are using. I think the Company has every right to monitor their employees for any inappropriate behavior. If any one gets sued, it's theCompany not the employee. As far as privacy is concerned, the employee is being paid to work, not surf the net for non-business realated reasons.
You are very right. Am DuPonter myself, now retired.
A total different subject is filtering of internet data and news where a private individual at home and in his own free time tries to stay on top of what is happening in this oft not so butifull world. Issues like protecting kids from receiving certain info is parents responsibility. Do we really need such filtering?
You probaly share my ideas but ij I go the wrong way, please warn me.
Kind regards
Kees Kinneging
A total different subject is filtering of internet data and news where a private individual at home and in his own free time tries to stay on top of what is happening in this oft not so butifull world. Issues like protecting kids from receiving certain info is parents responsibility. Do we really need such filtering?
You probaly share my ideas but ij I go the wrong way, please warn me.
Kind regards
Kees Kinneging
Okay, I'll be the dissenter: I think monitoring for inappropriate use attacks symptoms, not the underlying causes, and can turn into a real waste of time for everybody concerned.
It's not a technology issue--it's a PEOPLE issue. If you hire for responsibility and ethics, and make responsibility and ethics a major criterion for continued employment, you don't have a problem.
A responsible employee will use the Internet the same way he or she uses the phone, the lunch room, the office supply drawers, and anything else that the company provides. An irresponsible employee will find ways to take advantage of the Internet, the phone, the lunch room, the office supply drawers, and anything else the company provides.
As long as employees understand the difference between harmless surfing and potentially harmful ones, and the reasons why something that looks harmless may not be (listening to Internet radio uses bandwidth), then why not even encourage employees to use the Internet on their own time? It can even be to the company's direct benefit, if it means that during lunch time, an employee buying books from Amazon from his or her desk, and is available for emergencies or questions, rather than heading down the street to the nearest bookstore! Or what if he or she has just heard from the doctor about a medical condition? Is it better for him or her to worry until he or she gets home to use the Web or gets out to the library to find out what X disease is, or to log on and find out then?
As a rule, companies demand more time and energy than before and work and life are blending. Me, if I've got an employee who just gave me ten extra unpaid hours last week to help out in a crisis, or who regularly works through lunch, there is no way in the world that I can look him or her in the eye and say, "Sorry, we just take more than
It's not a technology issue--it's a PEOPLE issue. If you hire for responsibility and ethics, and make responsibility and ethics a major criterion for continued employment, you don't have a problem.
A responsible employee will use the Internet the same way he or she uses the phone, the lunch room, the office supply drawers, and anything else that the company provides. An irresponsible employee will find ways to take advantage of the Internet, the phone, the lunch room, the office supply drawers, and anything else the company provides.
As long as employees understand the difference between harmless surfing and potentially harmful ones, and the reasons why something that looks harmless may not be (listening to Internet radio uses bandwidth), then why not even encourage employees to use the Internet on their own time? It can even be to the company's direct benefit, if it means that during lunch time, an employee buying books from Amazon from his or her desk, and is available for emergencies or questions, rather than heading down the street to the nearest bookstore! Or what if he or she has just heard from the doctor about a medical condition? Is it better for him or her to worry until he or she gets home to use the Web or gets out to the library to find out what X disease is, or to log on and find out then?
As a rule, companies demand more time and energy than before and work and life are blending. Me, if I've got an employee who just gave me ten extra unpaid hours last week to help out in a crisis, or who regularly works through lunch, there is no way in the world that I can look him or her in the eye and say, "Sorry, we just take more than
What if the IT is monitoring the IT...in-depth? I am the assistant admin and my team-mate is the admin hired on before my contract started. She works the day shift and I the cover the night shift. Should my co-worker be able to go beyond monitoring and crack a winzip password or use a keylogger to get into my daily task reports that I send nightly to our manager? Is this monitoring or should I take it as abuse? My task reports are work related and contain my daily activities that I communicate only to my manager or I would copy my co-worker in the email. What would you do in my shoes? I could just deal with it and be careful or could get my resume out again after only 3 months on contract. I feel that I have nothing to hide and have done my job well, but finding my password staring up at me on a sticky note on her desk is not a pleasant experience. I now work with the "knife in back" feeling while I pretend everything is ok and smile when I see her. It totally sucks!
Time Doctor uses a better approach to monitor employee internet usage at work.
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