The internet has changed the way we communicate, learn, and entertain ourselves. But along with the good always comes some bad, and in all that internet use there lies some potential danger and hassle with employees. If you are an employer, it’s a good idea to review your company protocols for internet use with your employees.
Here are a few issues to be aware of:
Prevent damage to your computers. Employees may unwittingly download viruses or harmful content to your computer. Educate them on safe internet use, remind them not to click suspicious links in emails, and instruct them not to download anything without permission.
Set up an ad blocking program. Block third-party advertisements, so that employees are less likely to follow dubious links to websites that appear legitimate. Doing this will also eliminate a good portion of “adult themed” ads, which you don’t need to pop up on company computers.
Block adult websites. Set up a Unified Threat Management (UTM) firewall that has the capability to block certain categories of web traffic. This will protect your computer from viruses and spam, block access to certain types of websites, and provide you with the ability to monitor internet use.
Keep anti-virus subscriptions up to date. At some point, an employee will probably make a mistake. Keep your anti-virus subscriptions active, and run virus scans once a week to remove threats to your computer.
Supervise. Review your employees’ web browsing history often, and don’t allow anyone to lock their computer with a password you don’t know.
Talk to your employees about social media. Remember, anything employees post publicly can reflect upon your company as a whole. Talk to them about your company’s values and how remarks made online can be damaging to your reputation. Make sure your workers understand that posting their thoughts online is akin to publishing them in the newspaper for the whole world to see.
Enforce consequences. Make sure your employees know what will happen if they violate any rules regarding internet use, and enforce the consequences so that they take these boundaries seriously.
If you have questions about the security of your network or computers, feel free to give us a call for a review of your system.
