World Cup fevor reaching businesses?

While the biggest football tournament on earth is great news for me, and for football fans all over the world, business’s may be less excited. With matches readily available to watch over the internet and times clashing with working hours, the number of unaffected businesses will be very small indeed.

Effective internet management plays a large part in negating this but the approach taken will very much vary from business to business. Some will opt to block their staff from websites they feel will be counter productive while others will allow full access and just keep track of how much time (and bandwidth) is spent following the World Cup. Then, of course, there is everything inbetween.

Naturally, the approach to take depends entirely on the type of company, the workplace environment, and the damage that following personal interests during working hours could have on the business.

Personally, I’m an advocate of the middle ground in most cases. If employees work hard and put in the extra mile, they should be rewarded and given an element of freedom to manage their personal lives at work. However, with a large proportaion of websites designed to immerse the viewer and keep them browsing, there is a fine line to be drawn. 

The internet allows for the work/home lives to merge considerably and this flexibility can enhance the morale of the staff and actually increase productivity. On the other hand, it can (and often will) impair productivity and very quickly contribute to an office environment operating far below it’s potential.

Suprisingly, bandwidth use is something often overlooked when it comes to web restriction or monitoring and is a key element. Streaming or downloading video places a considerable strain on company networks as corporate bandwidth limits are met or exceeded. Internet access across the business will slow down, emails will take longer to send and recieve, and vital day to day process will be affected as a result.

What I am in no doubt of is that internet activity needs to be monitored and (in most companies) some websites need to be blocked. Employers and managers need to be aware when someone is taking advantage of resources to quickly prevent the problem becoming more of an issue.

Web Policies: Everyone needs to Know!

It is increasingly important for companies to effectively communicate their web at work policy to everyone in the organisation to ensure safe and productive browsing and to avoid confusion.

Firms have generally become more relaxed about the personal use of IT at work, as the costs of supplying internet and PCs have come down. They should be reasonable in setting rules and communicate them effectively to employees, Netsafe executive director Martin Cocker says.

“Many companies are saying, `Yes, you can use Trade Me, but only in your lunch break’.”

However, Sarah Trotman, managing director of business network Bizzone, says businesses have become stricter about employees using social networking sites at work.

Firms are often finding that employees are “twittering” or blogging on behalf of the business without their knowledge, and employees are often more clued up about social networking sites and the web than business owners.

“It has become more challenging to control the amount of information going out about their own business.”

Mr Cocker says surveys have shown small and medium-sized businesses often have incomplete IT policies and security.

This was highlighted by the Safe Air email controversy. An employee at the Woodbourne aviation engineering firm was dismissed for sending 425 lewd emails at work over a six-month period, but the Employment Relations Authority ordered Safe Air to reinstate the worker, since he was unclear about acceptable standards for IT use.  

Web socialising at work reduces output

Facebook at work amounts to social “not-working”, according to a new survey that shows employee productivity is hit by people socialising on the internet during office hours.

A new study by Boston IT advisory firm, Nucleus Research found that, companies that allow users to access Facebook in the workplace lose an average 1.5% in total worker productivity.

Nearly half of employees in the recent social net-working study use Facebook during work hours some as much as two hours per day. The average worker uses it for 15 minutes a day, and most couldn’t come up with a legitimate “business reason” for logging on.

The survey of 237 employees also showed that 77% of workers who have a Facebook account use it during work hours. And “some” employees use the social networking site as much as two hours a day at work, the study found.

Do you think blocking social networking sites is a good idea?

To restrict Facebook access at work see BrowseControl. Click here for a free trial or feel free to contact us to discuss your requirements.

10% of Harmful Media Undetected in Schools

New research reveals that approximately ten percent of harmful multimedia content on school computers remains undetected by reactive systems relying on keyword or phrase-based monitoring to protect children. Conducted by forensic experts and ex-police this research underpins a need for more effective e-safety guidance and advice for young people both within and outside of schools.

Based upon data from over 30,000 students, content identified includes pornographic or highly inappropriate imagery originating from cameras and mobile phones, the internet, video media such as CDs or DVDs and images downloaded from unmonitored devices.

This new research highlights the need for secure systems in place that schools need to protect students against serious issues, from cyber-bullying, racism and radicalisation to drugs, gambling and even more serious concerns.

What’s your opinion on the internet in schools? 

Read how BrowseControl can restrict inappropriate web browsing here.

Find out how AccessPatrol can prevent images and video being downloaded to schools systems through camera’s and mobile phones, USB pens, CD’s/DVD’s, and any other portable media device here.  

Alternatively, to discuss your requirements please feel free to contact us.