Creating a Policy for Technology Use

Businesses undoubtedly benefit from the ever-growing list of technology tools -- email, the Internet, consumer electronics, a host of software applications and more. But technology has its share of risks, too. These range from actual crimes (such as software piracy) to minor misconduct (such as texting friends during a business meeting).

"Companies introduce a new technology for a specific purpose and tell employees, 'Here's what we're going to get out of it.' But they don't pause to recognize what the technology does to you as well as for you," says Al Erisman of Ethix magazine, a bi-monthly publication of the Center for Integrity in Business at Seattle Pacific University.

Erisman recommends that companies form an employee committee to develop guidelines surrounding technology. The task is not simple because there are no easy answers: Will you completely ban the use of computers for personal purposes or allow limited activity each day? Will you install filtering software to block employee access to particular Web sites? Are you going to monitor employees' emails?

Corporate technology guidelines can be lengthy and detailed. But establishing rules sends a message to your staff that adhering to business ethics is important. A few basic areas you should cover include emails, the Internet and software.

Email policy ideas

  • Provide employees corporate protocol for emails: What should their electronic signature include, which emails should receive priority, how quickly are they expected to answer emails, how should they handle forwarded emails, etc. See more email tips.
  • Clearly define what is considered inappropriate email content to minimize your risk of lawsuits and liability: Employees may not send anything that is libelous, defamatory, profane, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive.
  • Set out productivity rules indicating to what extent your staff may send and receive personal emails and whether they can subscribe to newsletters and newsgroups.
  • State whether or not you will monitor email content.

Internet policy ideas

  • Ban or block unsuitable web sites, such as those depicting pornographic material.
  • Prohibit the use of the company's Internet system to intentionally propagate any virus, worm, Trojan horse or other disruptive code or file.
  • Forbid the downloading and use of bootlegged photos, sound clips, images and other material. Employees must pay for the rights or ask permission to use such materials for promotions, sales or other business activities.
  • Decide whether or not employees may engage in social networking. Your first reaction may be to forbid it. But consider this: If you allow people to check Facebook or twitter during lunch and breaks, they'll become savvy with the technology. Those employees may then engage in social networking to market your company.
  • Explain that the company owns the rights to all data and files in any information system.

Software policy ideas

  • Dictate that software must be purchased for every workstation: It is unethical and illegal to download the same piece of software on multiple computers without paying for the right to do so in order to save money.
  • Establish that any necessary software must be authorized by a supervisor and downloaded by your IT department.