How can we prevent the internet from harming employee and team productivity without depriving them of internet access, which is so important for staying up to date? Is an internet ethics manual sufficient? This is a dilemma that most organizations, team managers, and IT managers face today.
It's common for employees connected to the internet to browse websites unrelated to their professional activities. Besides representing financial losses for the company due to wasted time and use of technology and internet resources, the bandwidth consumed can compromise the internet speed and activities of the rest of the team, resulting in double losses for the employer.
But how can this situation be addressed? Preventing Internet browsing is not a recommended practice, as it's virtually impossible for a company and its employees to remain disconnected. On the other hand, granting unlimited access to any website or online service can pose risks, create problems, or compromise team performance and the company's information security .
Therefore, a good alternative is to develop rules for Internet use within the company, through a Manual . This document will help adapt the behaviors, practices, and actions of all employees, protecting the company against potential setbacks.
The biggest challenge, however, is finding the balance between defending the company's interests and respecting employee privacy. To prevent abuse on both sides, the manual should ideally be prepared by a committee composed of representatives from various areas of the company. This ensures a collectively authored document with the participation of Internet users themselves.
The work of preparing and implementing the ethics and proper use of the internet manual at work must be carried out in stages , which can be:
Step 1: Defining the responsible team/committee
Participation should be encouraged by company management, with employees from all departments and sectors submitting suggestions and needs. Responsible individuals should come from different areas of the company, and the participation of Human Resources and Information Technology managers is essential. This prevents regulatory errors and potential blockages in areas that require unobstructed access to perform their work, for example.
Step 2: Defining rules and access policy
Those responsible for creating the manual, following the guidance of the HR and IT manager, should define the internet access rules, which types of content and websites can be accessed, and which will be blocked. The suggestion is to maintain a balance and flexibility between the needs of the company and its employees.
For example, set times for accessing certain sites, such as social media , messaging, and email . It's also recommended to create user groups, with rules tailored to their needs and activity profiles. For example, the press, communications, and marketing departments could have broader access to social media, and the administrative department could have access to technical content related to accounting and administration.
Step 3: Preparing the manual
The document must present the following points in an explanatory and clear manner:
- Permitted uses for the internet and corporate email;
- Prohibited practices and access rules, detailing what cannot be accessed;
- Alerts for the possibility of monitoring the employee's navigation;
- Appropriate ways to mention or publish company photos on social media and websites;
- Employee rights regarding privacy;
- Sanctions and penalties for those who fail to comply with the rules established in the manual;
- Types of devices that can be used on company premises;
Step 4: Preparation of a document with the company's technology usage policy
When implementing an internet access and technology resource use management policy, the company must formalize this procedure and inform employees. To this end, it's important to create a document detailing the rules and conditions for internet and technology equipment use, outlining the penalties for noncompliance, and formalizing employee awareness of the company's policy.
You can use this corporate internet usage policy template . It's important that employees sign this document, attesting their understanding, thus protecting the company in the event of any disputes or privacy breaches.
Step 5: Defining a tool for control and monitoring
For the Internet's proper use policy to be implemented and function properly, it's essential to use a service to control and monitor Internet access. This tool can be used to implement the access rules defined in the manual, and it can also monitor your employees' browsing activity.
Through access and navigation reports and graphs, it is possible to verify whether the rules are being followed by employees and use this information to prove misuse and justify the sanctions and penalties provided for in the manual.
There are numerous alternative tools and services for managing Internet access, from local servers with Linux and Proxy/Firewall services, customized solutions such as SonicWall , Fortinet Fortigate and several others, control programs to be installed on computers, to more modern cloud-based solutions such as Open DNS and Lumiun .
You can find more information on this topic in the Internet Access Control Guide for Businesses .
Step 6: Dissemination of the manual
All employees should receive a copy of the manual. If possible, the company should organize an event where the document will be presented, defining the effective date of the policy described in the manual. This event can be the start of an awareness campaign on responsible internet use in the corporate environment. The company will create the conditions for the manual to be available at any time online, on bulletin boards, or in the Human Resources department.
Step 7: Orientation and training
The Internet usage policy document should be included in the materials received by all new employees, along with appropriate guidance on the conditions and rules for using the Internet and technology resources within the company. It is the Human Resources department's responsibility to emphasize the importance of complying with the rules established in the manual.
The manual's implementation should be the target of ongoing company campaigns. The HR department plays a key role in fostering a culture of responsible use of the company's technology resources, not just the internet. Topics such as downloading pirated material, disseminating pornographic content, or digital-related crimes should be included in seminars, courses, and training activities for employees.
Step 8: Sanctions and Penalties
The goal of implementing an Internet compliance policy should not be to punish employees , but to create a culture of responsible technology use. Therefore, it is not advisable to apply sanctions abruptly. During an adaptation period, it is recommended to inform employees if they are not following the rules set out in the manual. If the misuse practice proves to be recurrent, the company should then apply the appropriate sanctions and penalties.
Extra tip: Home office employees
The pandemic brought about significant changes worldwide. In companies, the main one was the adoption of remote teams, working from home to avoid the spread of the virus.
Many companies have seen improvements in results and have permanently adopted this work model for part or all of their teams. However, this favorable scenario hasn't been seen by everyone. Many still face productivity and corporate data security issues due to a lack of control over employee access while working from home . Therefore, it's important to extend policies for responsible and safe internet use to employees' homes as well.
Access control and secure remote access tools for companies can play an important role in ensuring that a company's internet usage policy is maintained.
To conclude
Companies and employees have responsibilities and rights when it comes to using the internet and technology. Clarifying everyone's roles and promoting the proper use of technology generates benefits for all parties. Properly developing an internet usage policy and a manual for its documentation should aim to build a corporate culture, benefiting everyone involved, making employees more productive, and improving the company's bottom line.
If your company is experiencing issues related to inappropriate internet use by employees, I hope this article has helped you in some way.
Until next time!
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