The Lunch That Got Away
(Internet use gone mad at the office)
Are you sure your employees won’t send inappropriate emails that could damage your business?
So was this employer…
Lillian went to the fridge one lunchtime to discover her lunch appeared to be missing. Upon this discovery Lillian decided to send an email to everyone in the office asking if anyone had seen or even taken her lunch. Her colleague Janet replied stating that Lillian’s lunch appeared to be in another office fridge and asked Lillian if she simply misplaced it. Lillian and Janet, having never got along, soon turn their emails into vicious attacks about each other’s personal lives that even included scathing allegations of sexual impropriety. Lillian & Janet not yet satisfied, decide they needed support and proceeded to forward their whole email exchange to their respective circles of workmates.
Their colleague Luke, having been forwarded the information, found the exchange so entertaining that he decided to send it on to all of his friends inside and outside the company. Luke’s friends also found it entertaining so they too forwarded it on to all of their friends. Eventually the dealings of Lillian and Janet came to the attention of the National Press. What should have been dealt with quickly and quietly, and even avoided had they had an IT Policy, was now being played out on a national stage. The damage to the business’ reputation was national, the solution expensive and the man-hours to amend the internal damage to the company extensive.
Prevent it from happening to your business….
No doubt your business has Internet access. It is difficult to monitor every use of your Information Technology or IT system, including email and web browsing. Therefore, it is important for every business to have an IT policy in place.
An IT Policy, when carefully tailored to your business and properly implemented, will guide and direct your staff as to what is and what is not appropriate use of all Internet and computer related tools in your business. In the event that a staff member does abuse their IT access, with illegal consequences, you can then refer to your IT policy as an important mitigating factor for you and your business.
Do you have an IT Policy for your business? We can help you prepare an IT Policy for your business and give guidance on effectively implementing it.
What to do next: For all queries regarding IT Policies and assistance with specialised drafting and implementation for your business please call Joe Kafrouni on 3354 8888 or email
Disclaimer
The information provided by Kafrouni Lawyers is intended to provide general information and is not legal advice or a substitute for it. The parties to an employment relationship should always consult their own legal advisors to discuss their particular circumstances. Kafrouni Lawyers makes no warranties or representations regarding the information and exclude any liability which may arise as a result of the use of this information. This information is the copyright of Kafrouni Lawyers.