Rulebook for web surfing at work

Help is at hand for small businesses trying to curb staff surfing Facebook and Trade Me during working hours.

Cyber watchdog Netsafe has launched a website to help small and medium-sized businesses form policies to promote the "sensible and safe" use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the workplace.

Netsafe executive director Martin Cocker says businesses can view 17 policy options on the personal use of workplace information technology on its website, thewhatsit.org.nz, and choose how strict they want their rules to be.

"Businesses can decide how much they want to allow ICT to be used. Policies range from a stringent position of IT lockdown to a flexible position."

Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly says companies without such policies can get into hot water.

"The manager might be able to jump on to a cricket website to check the score in a New Zealand test match, but when Dave does it, Dave's in trouble. It's those inconsistencies that are a recipe for disaster."

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, he says.

"Smart companies are saying, `Yes, you can use Trade Me, but only in your lunch break'."

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."

The website will let businesses use "credible" templates to form policy and procedures without having to reinvent the wheel, she says.

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.

- © Fairfax NZ News