Appropriate Internet Use
Without a doubt, the Internet has revolutionized the workplace. According to the Pew Research Center, 62% of American employees now use the Internet for their work, with 27% reporting "constant" use. With an Internet connection, a laptop or netbook, and a cell phone or PDA, many employees are fully equipped for their work wherever they are. Indeed, nearly half of employed Americans now work from home at least some of the time — and 18% do so every day or almost every day.
But with all of the potentially positive uses of the Internet come potential abuses, as well. Of 1,200 companies surveyed about Internet usage, 54% reported that they had caught employees browsing Web sites that were unrelated to their work — some up to eight hours per day! Another survey found that of the 30% of employers who fire employees for web-related violations, 84% cited the reason as the viewing or uploading of inappropriate material.
In addition, improper or indiscriminate use of e-mail, text- or instant-messaging, postings to blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc., can lead to issues of workplace discrimination (including sexual harassment), copyright infringement, securities-law violations, antitrust violations, the loss of company trade secrets, and many other legal and practical problems.
Course Summary
This 30-minute course explains the basic rules and common-sense guidelines for appropriate use of the organization's electronic-communication systems. The topics covered in the course include —
- Overview
- E-communications
- Monitoring and access
- Personal use
- Social networking
- Inappropriate communications
- Prohibited Internet use
- Passwords
- Working remotely
- Violations
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