Monitoring Employees on

Networks:Unethical or

Good Business?

Summary

Businesses are often asked to make difficult decisions when deciding whether to “trust” employees or provide them

protections under well defined rules and guidelines. With well defined and

communicated processes in place, the employee should understand their

responsibilities in using company tools to perform company business only.

Risks of Monitoring Employees

• E-Mail• Employers can be liable for employees’ misuse

of company e-mail• Forms of harassment can be done by e-mail• Threats of violence via e-mail• Theft or unauthorized disclosure of company

information via e-mail• E-mail spreads viruses very well

Risks of Monitoring Employees

• Internet• Unauthorized access into for-pay sites• Harassment charges from display of

pornographic or obscene materials found on some sites

• Trademark and copyright infringement problems from improper use or dissemination of materials owned by an outside party

• Too much time wasted surfing the Web• Viruses in downloads of software and other

materials from Web sites

Risks of Monitoring Employees

• Company Computers• Software piracy-employees making

unauthorized copies of company-provided software

• Unauthorized access into company databases• Use of unauthorized software from home on

company computers• Sabotage of company files and records• Excessive time spent on computer games• Employees using company computers to

produce materials for their own personal businesses or private use

Policy IssuesBasic issues revolve around letting

employees know that as far as work is concerned, they have no expectation of

privacy in their use of company premises, facilities, or resources and they are subject to monitoring at all

times. Every employer needs to have a detailed policy regarding use of company computers and resources accessed with computers, such as e-mail, Internet, and

the company intranet, if one exists.

Costs to CompaniesAt least 25 percent of employee on-line

time is spent on nonwork-related surfing and 27 percent of large U.S.

companies are now monitoring employee e-mail in some way

compared to only 15 percent in 1997 • loss of time and employee productivity• availability of company’s network bandwidth • anything an employee does on the Web carries

the company’s name

Good Business?• Security of the infrastructure • Assist in the education of employees

ConclusionBy monitoring the employee use of company assets for personal use, the

employee is less prone to perform personal business on company time

and company equipment.