Cyber security

1. MONITORING EMPLOYEES ON
NETWORKS:
UNETHICAL OR GOOD BUSINESS
By,
Alan Anto
Athul K Shanmughan

2. Summary
• Internet has become extremely valuable business tool, but it’s
also a huge distraction for workers on the job. Employees are
wasting valuable business time surfing inappropriate web site.
• Many companies began monitoring their employee’s internet
usage without their knowledge. They cam monitor online
search file downloads and uploads etc. Although it is legal for
U.S companies to monitor their employees at work is such
monitoring unethical or is it good business?
• From the business point of view it leads to loss in revenue
when employees use the company resources for personal
usage.

3. • Most organizations have placed bans on the private usage of
internet because any non-legal activity or offensive material
sent or received using firm network can be proven adversely
for the firm.
• Leak of confidential information or other secrets about the
company can occur due to inappropriate use of internet.
• Some companies ban all personal activities on corporate
networks. Others ban access to specific websites or social
sites closely monitor e-mails or set time limit on internet. For
example P&G blocks Netflix and ask employees limit in usage
of Pandora but still allow access to social networking because
employees use them for social campaigns.

4. • Many numbers of firms have fired employees who have
stepped out of bounds. Most of them was because the e-
mails contained sensitive, confidential or embarrassing
information.
• many companies believe that companies should write
corporate policies in employee e-mail, social media and web
use which include explicit ground rules that state, by position
or level, under what circumstances can employees use
company facilities like e-mail, blogging or web surfing.
• They should also inform employees whether these activities
are monitored and explain why. The rules should be tailored
to specific business needs and organizational cultures.

5. Questions
• Should managers monitor employee email and internet usage? Why or why not?
Ans. Yes managers should monitor employee email and internet usage, because a
vital part of an organisation the employees have to perform consistently to ensure
the success of the organisation. so it is important that the employees should not
waste much time on non productive activities and also they also has sensitive
information about the company so the managers need to make sure that they dint
get stolen by others so the managers need to monitor his employees.
• Describe effective email and web usage policy for a company?
Ans. The email and web usage policy of the company should be written according
to the type of job and the level of employees. The employees should not be
allowed to browse in entertainment sites such as YouTube, Netflix etc. as they may
lose a lot of time unknowingly in that. The amount of time the worker spends on
non productive browsing should also be regulated his completion of work should
be evaluated and effective actions should be taken if he is not meeting his mark.
The supervision duty should be given to the immediate managers.

6. • Should managers inform employees that their web
behaviour is being monitored? Or should managers
monitor secretly? Why or why not?
• Ans. Yes, employees should be aware of the fact that
they are being monitored apart from the moral issue that
they should be aware that they are being monitored this
would create a sense of fear that would make them avoid
wasting much time in internet and being more
productive. This would also reduce the trust issue the
workers face when they know that they are being
monitored.