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Employee Privacy Report

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Employee Privacy Report The need for businesses and organizations to access the internet has brought about several concerns regarding employee privacy while emailing and surfing the internet at the workplace. Each employee is given access to company issued computers and equipment, and consider his individual email messages and internet browsing to be private. In most organizations, security controls, such as passwords, are used to ensure privacy; however, the internet systems managers still have access to employees’ activities. Employees usually do not realize that these security measures are intended to prevent unauthorized access to his computer and files, not to invoke control over the employees.
POLICY IMPLIMENTATION Organizations can review the following guidelines when developing or improving the company’s existing policies:
• Policies should be properly discussed and reviewed with management and employees.
• Policies should specify what activities will not be tolerated within the workplace.
• Policies should specify what accessed information is kept in a log and who in the chain of command will have access to this log.
• Proper computer and internet security policies should be set in place and reviewed with all employees and management.
• Policies should address how the organization will be monitoring employee compliance with these policies.
• Regular review of stated policies will allow the organization to make the necessary changes to keep pace with our quickly evolving technology. CONSULTATION AND APPROPRIATE USE Consultation with employees and staff may be useful in developing privacy policies; encouraging an understanding of what information employees may need to search the internet for. This should decrease the chances of a misunderstanding between employees and management on what is legitimate use of email and the internet.

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