Keeping up with new technology is a challenge for any business, particularly in knowing what technology is valuable for your business and what technology is detrimental. In some cases a certain technology can be both, containing both positive and negative qualities. Nowhere is the difficulty of this task more challenging than with the Human Resource Department where HR professionals need to sort out how to protect the business from the downsides of technology and yet allow the business to embrace the positives. Make no mistake about it, as good as technology has been for streamlining business productivity, there are downsides that business must contend with. For evidence, simply type in “Lost productivity due to Facebook” in a google search. A New York Times article estimated that businesses are losing $650 billion dollars in lost productivity annually from social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and that a 2008 study.
IT professionals can provide valuable input to HR professionals when it comes time to establish or update company policies. Internet Acceptable Use policies are a must for any business. If your business does not document and notify employees what is acceptable and what is not acceptable when using the Internet, the business will not have the standing needed to successfully defend itself from a wrongful termination suit. If your business already has an Internet Acceptable Use policy, it is important to update it regularly as new technology can have an impact on how employees might act. This, of course, applies to other company policies as well, including security policies.
Colden Company Inc. has helped many of our customers develop the necessary policies to protect their businesses. The next step is enforcement of those policies or alignment of those policies with IT policy. There are many tools available to business to ensure that the specific policies that are dictated by the business are tracked and enforced. No one tool is the solution. An examination of the specific policies, coupled with the examination of the available technology is the course of action that will yield the best results. Aligning the IT security policies with the HR policy is an attainable and virtuous goal.
If your business would like assistance in updating it company policies or in properly aligning those policies, Colden Company can help. Reach us at (888) 600-4560, or on Twitter at @coldenco or contact us via email at support@coldencompany.com .