Introduction
In today’s fast paced environment, Internet service has become an integral part of an organization. Access to internet is given to all the employees, some use it properly but some try to take advantage of this facility, leading to improper use of internet. Use of Internet by employees is allowed and encouraged where in it supports the goals and objectives of the company.
However, every company has written or unwritten policy for the use of internet and the employees must ensure that they (Sample Internet Policies and Notices, Para 3):
- Comply with the policy.
- Use internet in an acceptable way.
- Do not create unnecessary risk to the company by the improper internet use.
Improper internet use comprises the following (Sample Internet Policies and Notices, Para 4):
- Visiting sites that contain pornographic, obscene or illegal materials.
- Sending offensive or harassing material to other internet users.
- Hacking into restricted areas.
- Unauthorised downloading of copyrighted material or software.
- Uploading any kind of viruses or malicious software into the network.
- Publishing false or defamatory material.
- Borrowing other people’s words and ideas through internet (Plagiarsm and the Internet, n.d., Para 2).
Use of Internet
The internet is an electronic communication which is helpful in connecting computer networks and organizational computer facilities all over the world. The internet has brought important changes in the society. The development of technology has made easy access to unlimited information.
The personal information can be tracked and recorded through internet. (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para 1).Since the beginning of the internet era, there have been concerns that improper internet use would decrease productivity. Internet can be utilised to improve productivity. Some of the benefits are like no time or space limitations, easy and efficient way of finding information, data transfer, etc.
Improper use of Internet
Implementation of internet includes the organisations’ tactics of integrating the internet into its activities. Many companies are concentrating on the technical challenges and sometimes fail to notice the impact of internet on their business processes (Internet Implementation Tips, n.d., Para 1).
On the flip side, the productivity would decrease as the employee may spend a lot of time on surfing non work related sites. Now-a-days companies are dealing with an important issue that is the issue of privacy and one’s right to privacy at work or on internet.
Companies are spending time and money to write policies for solving such issues for their own protection as well as their employees’ welfare. The companies require observing their employees to assure productivity and to check if they are not doing any illegal work, which could be harmful for company’s reputation and progress (Rich & Smith, n.d.,Para 2).
The extent the company’s can go to protect themselves makes it a debatable issue. Companies have started monitoring the employees not only in office but also during his breaks and outside the work, as a result interfering with their right of privacy. (Rich & Smith, n.d.,Para 1).
It is important to conduct business in a fitting mode, monitoring efficiency and, return while maintaining employee contentment. To keep a reliable service a company should keep a sense of comfort (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para 3).
As there is no fundamental law that states one’s right of privacy it has become a controversial issue. There is a fine line between what is deemed acceptable and what can be revealed to public (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para 4 & 5).
Internet has been a major influence in shaping the company’s mode of conducting business, leading to changes within the workplace and responsibilities of employees. Technology has made it easier for the company to check the employee’s productivity. The extensive use of internet has changed the security and supervision of daily business activity.
Electronic communications are getting intercepted and in many cases, employers are using it in their favour. Apart from being a necessity internet has also become a major distraction for the employees. Companies have increased electronic monitoring, to keep a check on personal emailing and illegal internet browsing (Rich & Smith, n.d.,Para 6 & 7).
Electronic monitoring has helped in providing feedback and implementing control. Employees can be monitored to get performance based feedback and improvement suggestions. Many companies are becoming dependant on internet, because of its ease and increased use, in their business activities.
This has led to the excessive electronic monitoring by the employer of the employee. Though it is vital for the security of the company’s business but this has also led to the interfering in the employee’s right of privacy (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para 8 & 9).
In order to protect the right of privacy the companies are installing code of ethics, standard of practise for employee’s internet usage. This can also help in monitoring the staff performance and productivity and thus can be used as a benchmark for evolution. These codes should be followed by both the employees and the employers (Rich & Smith, n.d.,Para10).
Too much, intrusive control by the company can have negative impact on the employee’s personal life, resulting in negative productivity and demoralised behaviour. There should be trusting work culture where in everyone is respected. The employees should be made fully aware of the monitoring and the duties expected from them (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para11).
The company has full right to monitor the internet usage of its employees as internet can be used to access pornography, racist jokes, and sexually explicit material. Inadequate internet monitoring and its abuse can contribute to a hostile environment also (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para 12).
In the beginning, when internet started coming into the main frame of the business. It was fully access able and there was no monitoring or check. No one, neither the company nor the government was interested in putting surveillance on the usage of internet. Now with the use of internet by terrorists in doing their work has forced the government across the world to create policies about monitoring the use of internet (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para13).
The business environment has drastically changed with the advancement of Internet, where in, everything can be traced back to exact date and time of commencement. Still there is no specific law governing the monitoring of internet, privacy and human well being. Every company has its own rules and regulation.
The employees should be monitored to the extent that they are not unhappy to work as they will always be looking over their shoulders instead of concentrating on the work. Excessive monitoring will make the employee feel untrustworthy reducing their productivity and uninterested in the work environment (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para14).
The company should make sure that our privacy is not disturbed by the internet monitoring. The company’s policies governing the Internet should be clearly informed to every user. It should be clearly mentioned what actions will be taken against the improper use of Internet.
This way the employee will also feel safe and trustworthy resulting in high productivity. We need internet monitoring with the regular threats of terror but not at the cost of our rights of privacy. Regular and unbiased policies should be made that safeguards the privacy of the user as well as it saves the business from any kind of loss due to its use (Rich & Smith, n.d., Para 15 & 16).
If the companies are having policies for internet use, which generally many companies do, one must get those hints. According to a survey, 35% of employers think that personal internet use should be restriced foe half an hour only (Mckay, n.d., Para 2).
Keeping aside companies policies, it is not at all suggesting that one must spend a lot of time using internet. One is being paid for his job but at the same time hecan argue that he is accessing internet for non related job or his personal use when he has finished his actual job. Then there will be a question why the people donot have this much ofjob which can fill their whole day (Mckay, n.d., Para 3).
Suggestions
People at work must surf wisely though their bosses care or donot care about what they are surfing (Mckay, n.d., Para 3). There are many sites which may be completely useless.They should stay away from such types of establishments. They should not think, that nobody as their bosses would not catch what sites they are visiting.
Some companies use such kindsof software which can record what sites their employees are visiting. Then there will be very embrassing situation when they are caught ((Mckay, n.d., Para 3). So they must avoid such kinds of situations and must adhere to use of proper use of internet that can increase their productivity at work.
Reference List
Internet Implementation Tips. Web.
Makay, D R. Surfing the Net on your Bosse’s Time. Web.
Plagiarism and the Internet. Web.
Rich, J & Smith, M. Invasion of Privacy through Internet Monitoring. Web.
Sample internet policies and notices. Web.