Why Your Company Needs An E-Mail Policy
Everyone at the office thought that using the company e-mail system to share jokes and funny stories was great fun. That is, until one offended employee decided to sue his employer for having helped to create a hostile work environment. Employee access to E-mail and the Internet can help to streamline communication among employees, and between employees and customers. But, just like conversations or information communicated on paper, E-mail messages have the power to create significant liability issues for employers who fail to adequately supervise how the medium is being used. Here are just a few of the risks that unregulated access to E-mail and the Internet can create: Loss Of Proprietary Company Information: Most business owners are extremely careful about the distribution of hard copies of company confidential information, and take great pains to ensure that such materials are kept secure. But, an ill-intentioned employee can easily attach electronic copies of confidential materials to outgoing e-mails, all from the comfort and convenience of their own computer terminal. Wrongful Access To Proprietary Information Of Others: Just as your proprietary information can easily slip into the hands of others, so too can employees tap into the confidential information of other companies, or misuse their copyrighted or trademarked properties. Such actions can place your company
in the direct path of charges of corporate spying or of infringement of intellectual property rights. Creation Of An Evidence Trail: As the Microsoft antitrust cases clearly demonstrate, copies of E-mails are increasingly being subpoenaed as evidence in legal cases. Seduced by the ease of E-mail communication, many users become surprisingly candid and may openly discuss business strategies and tactics that may come back to haunt your company. Contribution To A Hostile Work Environment: As we noted above, offensive E-mail messages sent to other employees can be just as problematic as the employee who begins every conversation with an inappropriate joke. Unmonitored use of the corporate E-mail system to circulate such material can land employers in hot water for contributing to the creation of a hostile work environment. Potential To Alienate Customers: Employees using the company's E-mail system to solicit for a favorite political cause or to proselytize personal religious beliefs place the company in the position of unknowingly supporting those positions. Such unwitting support can jeopardize relationships with customers, prospects and vendors. Increased Risk To Company's Computer Infrastructure: E-mail is the distribution method of choice for computer viruses that can cripple your computer network. Less devastating but no less taxing on your computer resources are the scores of junk e-mail messages received by employees that participate in Internet chat rooms and discussion groups that are unrelated to their work responsibilities. Lost Productivity: Although E-mail and Internet access can improve communications, they can also serve as diversions from an employee's work responsibilities for all of the reasons noted above. The best defense against such exposure? A policy that makes clear the restrictions on the use of the company's E-mail system and Internet access can go a long way to help your employees understand the power, and the danger, inherent in E-mail communications. And, while having a company E-mail policy won't insulate you completely from possible legal exposure, it can help to support your claims of having taken reasonable efforts to minimize such risks. William von Achen is president of Strategic Management Resources, an executive coaching and management consulting firm offering advice and counsel to business owners and senior executives. For more information visit our web site at http://www.smrweb.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Leaders Fallacy May Be Howard Deans Undoing
Howard Dean's tenure as chairman of the Democratic National Committee will be fleeting unless he avoids a common leadership trap I call it, the "Leader's Fallacy".
Multiple Channels, Multiple Times
I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human Resources manager. He's tired of having to answer the same questions about benefits over and over again.
The Leadership Alignment Model
Some time ago we had the privilege of working with a major UK government department to help them redefine leadership and to reappraise how they develop and encourage leaders. Faced with considerable challenges by the environment in which they operate and by their political masters, this department has decided that leadership is one of the keys to the achievement of the vision laid down by its chief.
Quality Improvement is Free
The point of a quality improvement program should not only be to improve a
product or the delivery of healthcare but it should also be to save time and money by reducing or eliminating waste or errors. For example, a doctor or nurse practitioner writes a prescription. We wouldn't deliver some of the best quality pills along with a few randomly chosen pills and we wouldn't completely incorrectly fill the prescription. To do either could create serious consequences. Rather, we want to only deliver the best quality. But there is another side to not achieving the best quality. If we incorrectly fill the prescription, even if there is no patient harm, there
is waste. Once the error is found, the prescription must be refilled and paperwork redone. Wasted time and money for the healthcare provider!
The Top Three Problems IT Managers Face and How to Overcome Them
Todays business environment has changed drastically from just a few years back. Rather than working exclusively with equipment, data, and systems, todays IT managers face issues such as cross training, personnel management, interdepartmental communication, and a widening job scope for all IT employees.
To Thine Own Self Be True--Its Better for Business: What Arthur Andersen Would Say to His Company
As a child, you probably heard, "to thine own self be true." But what does that really mean? When the newspapers are full of cheating and lying business owners, politicians, and academics, does it really make sense to maintain your integrity?
The Importance of Business Goals
For you to get where you want to go, there are four key steps for you to take. They are not difficult, but they are vital.
Management Team Section of Business Plans
Writing an award winning business plan is a great skill, but rather than winning any awards you need to get funded. In order to be funded the bank, venture capital firm or even family members need to be sure they will either be paid back or receive their required return on investment. To succeed in business you need a quality management team one, which can move you thru the rough waters of start-up and control the ship as you sail away from the competition.
Attract and Retain Positively Great Employees - An Action Plan for Employee Training
Everyday a business owner, CEO, or manager somewhere is complaining about the lack of good employees. On the same day, in a break room, employees are complaining about the lack of good jobs. Thinking that they can alleviate the problem with finding good employees, many employers have opted for lengthy applications and endless interviewing. In the process, the employee-to-be becomes frustrated before even starting the first day of work. The employer has spent a bit of money and the orientation process hasn't begun yet. It becomes a vicious cycle that you or your company may be experiencing. Here are four suggestions from other managers that might help.
Smart Staffing Practices: Don?t Confuse Activity with Results
Does your hiring process consist of proven practices or just a hodgepodge of activities that get into gear when someone says, "I need more people" or "Sally has left and we need someone to take her place NOW?"
Small Business Checking Accounts
ACCOUNTING AND BILLING
Your Appraisal System Can Be Better ? Overcome These Nine Serious Failings
This article is directed at senior managers. As a senior colleague you have the authority to make tremendous improvements. You can have maximum effect in improving your existing appraisal system or starting one that contributes to profits or other targets.
Productivity Through Positive Reinforcement
Most people just want to be appreciated. If you're a manager, that's something to seriously think about as you set the tone for maximum productivity.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Adapting Human Resource Functions
This article relates to the human resource functions competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It deals with employee feelings with regard to the quality and implementation of the human resource role within your organization. A human resource department that is properly informed of employee issues, demonstrates a high integrity level, and communicates effectively with staff and management supports a high level of confidence in the company, throughout the workforce.
Ten Top Ways for Managers to Motivate Their People
So to help start the ball rolling, here are ten top ways to get your people
motivated. Ten small steps for you to start with.
Rules for Running a Meeting
As an experienced manager, I can announce without a doubt that the primary reason for lack of effectiveness in the contemporary business world is that people don't follow the rules for running a meeting.
Thousands meetings are conducted each day and most of the meeting chairmen have not even heard of the rules for running a meeting.
Therefore, the following article includes a brief description of the basic rules for running a meeting.
Protect Your Computer System with a Comprehensive Security Policy
The most difficult part of creating a Security Policy for your business is determining what, exactly, to include in it. Never heard of a Security Policy before? You're not alone. But whether you are the only employee in your company or you have a small staff working for you, you need to learn what a Security Policy is, and then you need to create one.
The Role of the Machine Metaphor in Mixed-initiative Organizational Leadership
"Can This Marriage be Saved?" So reads the title of the cover story in the August 15, 2005 issue of BusinessWeek (www.businessweek.com). The article describes the seven-year (1998-2005) story of the merger of Daimler and Chrysler Corporation. As of this writing, the board of the merged companies decided to terminate the reign of the current chairman, Jürgen Schrempp. At the end of this year he will be replaced with Dieter Zetsche, the current head of the company's operations in North America. The article identifies the following five critical challenges facing the new chairman:
Riding the Waves to Success
Last week I was confused and frustrated about a few things
related to one of my businesses, and a bit upset with myself
and "The Universe." As a result, I went into a deep
meditation to get some clarity and help.
3 Ingredients of Highly Profitable Organizational Change
As waves of organizational change sweep across the business landscape, a huge question arises: What must a leader do to make sure change produces highly profitable results?
|
