Set guidelines to protect company technology

If you’re like most business owners or managers, you make every effort to provide the best available technology – within your budget – to those performing services for your company. In this regard, the company has installed or purchased, at substantial expense, equipment such as computers, electronic mail, voice mail, copiers, faxes and cell phones to enable the profitability of the company.

Establishing and following some simple guidelines can improve the productivity of your staff, ensure trade secrets are maintained, and assure the appropriate use of company equipment.

To begin, establish guidelines regarding procedures on the proper use of company equipment. If you already have established guidelines, review them annually to assure you’re keeping up with the technology available to staff. Ask yourself questions such as “Is incidental and occasional personal use of company computers and voicemail permitted?” “Will that information be treated as confidential?” “Can e-mail be used to solicit for commercial ventures, religious or political causes, outside organizations or other non job-related solicitations?” “What will we do about offensive or disruptive messages?”

Employees should understand that the technology is intended for business use, that all usage is subject to review and that all communication is considered company record.

Establishing guidelines, clearly communicating them to staff through an employee handbook, and having employees sign off on their understanding, are important steps to assuring the appropriate use of company property.

Computers, e-mail, Internet usage and voicemail have all received a great deal of attention over the course of the last several years. Typically, incidental and occasional personal use of company computers, Internet, voice mail, and e-mail have been permitted, but utilization is restricted to noncompany time such as lunch breaks.

Most companies provide certain codes to restrict access to protect the system against external parties or entities trying to obtain unauthorized access. Employees should clearly understand that these systems are intended for business use and can be accessed at any time by the company. Guidelines related to the usage of this equipment should include statements regarding discipline or termination for improper usage.

Personal telephone calls, mail and copying are also often made available to staff members. However, guidelines should clearly indicate that they are available for effective communication with company clients and business associates, not personal correspondence needs.

A note that company stationery should never be used for personal correspondence and that your office is not a post office complete with stamps, might be considered for your guidelines.

Helping employees understand how much time is taken away from productive business by receiving personal calls or doing personal business on work time is key to obtaining their buy-in and cooperation.

Cell phones and picture phones also merit guidelines. If trade secrets are important to your business, and if your trade secrets can be photographed, perhaps you should sit up and take notice here.

Additionally, use of picture phones for sexual harassment purposes has cropped up, and guidelines with strict repercussions (for instance, suspension or termination during investigation) need to be established.

The bottom line is this. Carefully establish guidelines, communicate them to your staff, and consistently adhere to your policy. Implementing sound practices will increase your company profitability, decrease lawsuits, protect your business and establish appropriate employee boundaries.

Lynne Haggerman is president/owner of Haggerman & Associates, a retained search, outplacement, in-house management training and human resources consulting firm.

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