Why Technology can be a Double-Edged Sword

Recently I was reviewing an article about technology in the workplace and how productive laptops and “Blackberrys” made workers. The article was aimed at warning employers that when those technological tools are used could have a significant impact on wage and hour issues. (That is of course a very real issue and one I will comment on at a different time.)

I actually began to think about the danger to an employer such tools can have, when employers permit access to their systems. Traditionally, when the employer assigned a laptop or cell phone to an employee, a policy on appropriate use of device along with notice that the employer could and will monitor use and improper use of the device could lead to discipline.

Last night as I watched a commercial for one of the cell phone companies touting a Blackberry for $99, it occurred to me that more and more employees are buying their own laptop and smartphone and then getting access to the employer’s system. Many employers embrace this because their employees are more productive and accessible and the employer does not have to purchase or provide the asset. It also makes working remotely cost effective and viable.

Then, I heard about the lawsuit!! The wife of a male employee sued her husband’s employer after her husband using his own laptop had posted pictures of their young daughter on a kid porn website through the husband’s employer’s internet connection. The woman sued arguing that the employer had a duty to monitor the usage of its internet connection and its failure to do so damaged their family. (The case is still ongoing, and how it will turn out is anyone’s guess, but you don’t want to be the company who foots the legal bill to defend such a case…particularly when the solution is easy and cost effective.)

If an employer chooses to allow its employees to access its resources and assets, it must establish policies for permissible use and make sure that every employee is aware of the policy and the consequences of ignoring the policy. Then, the employer must actually monitor its employees’ use of the company assets including email and internet use and strongly enforce its established policy.

Allowing employee access to the company’s computer files also raise other privacy questions and hinders the security of your electronic information and trade secrets. Accessing data from an offsite location or an employee’s private electronic computers is risky without adequate measures to control how and when your assets are being used.

Getting increased employee productivity is an admirable goal, but it can come at a significant price if you don’t make sure that you protect your assets, and prevent employee misuse. If you don’t have a policy that clearly spells out your expectations and what is allowed and prohibited, write one, publish it to your workforce and closely monitor who gets access to your email and internet systems and how they use it. HR professionals (such as G & J Consultants) can assist you in reviewing your current equipment/internet usage policies and even draft a new comprehensive policy should you need one. The investment and the protection a well crafted and enforced policy provides is worth it!