M5_A2

M3 Assignment 2

Iram Bautista

B6120: Communication Strategies for Managers

Argosy University

Professor James Pasch

August 11, 2018

Communication Policy on Use of Emails and Internet at Zabco Company

This communication policy is aimed at providing guidance on how the employees within Zabco Company are to use the internet and emails. The assumption is that limited personal use of internet and email is not limited.

1.0 Introduction

The internet and email facilities are provided within the company to ensure that they are used for purposes that benefit the company. All staff members are expected to follow and adhere to the rules set within the policy to ensure that the professional standards are attained, and other challenges that may arise are avoided. Though personal use is permitted the expectation is that individuals must do it responsibly. Failure to adhere to the set rules attract disciplinary action. Severe breaches of the set rules can draw greater penalties including dismissal from Zabco Company.

Communication plays an essential role in ensuring that business activities and operations are conducted smoothly, and productivity remains high. The company has highly invested in IT to ensure that better and more effective communication facilities are put in place. For this reason, therefore the company places a high emphasis on how individuals communicate amongst themselves and another stakeholder within the organization. Employees are encouraged to adopt effective and responsible communication behavior and approaches that create a conducive environment for business to grow.

We trust that every employee will use this policy responsibly. The content in this policy applies to all the employees within Zabco Company. Employees at different management levels are required to adhere to the rules set and stipulated in this policy. This includes the managers, supervisors, contract and full-time employees, trainees and agencies that work with the company. In general, any individual who works directly or indirectly with the customers is expected to adhere to the rules set in this policy. Even though the policy addresses use of email and internet, the overall rule is that same standard must also be observed in use of fax, telephone and other equipment used in communication.

2.0 General principles

I. All information relating to business operations and customers must be treated and handled as confidential. Such information is not to be shared or used without proper authorization.

II. All communication facilities must be used in a respectful, lawful and responsible manner that causes no form of harm on either the employees or any stakeholder.

III. Copying, processing, uploading, downloading and distributing materials that are considered to be confidential is not allowed by the company. Such acts would be deemed to have infringed the copyright or other intellectual property rights.

IV. Employees must take care when sharing or give information either using the email, internet or the company blog. Individuals are personally liable for any errors or miscommunication that may arise from information they have shared over the internet.

V. Though it is easy and fast to send messages and information via the internet, individuals should not send ill-considered information. Every email sent must demonstrate high levels of professionalism and ethical standards. One should not use these media to communicate information that might be later considered as illegal such as discrimination. Discrimination by sex, religion gender, race, sexuality or any other basis is not allowed by the company. Defamatory and unlawful materials should not be shared using these media. Any form of harassment or bullying is equally considered an infringement of this policy and attract disciplinary action. Employees are advised to seek clarification from their immediate supervisors.

VI. Employees are expected to operate by good faith. The assumption is that the employees are trustworthy enough to engage in a responsible manner that leads to the achievement of organizational goals. Individuals are personally liable for lack of adherence to the set rules and regulations within the policy. This, therefore, implies that the employees may not be strictly supervised to ensure that they follow the rules. They are expected to observe the rules with minimal supervision.

3.0 Use of emails

I. The employee is permitted to delete personal emails sent through official work emails. However, a copy of the mail will have been captured and saved in the backup.

II. When an individual accepts to send or receive emails, it implies that they agreed to the terms and conditions set in this policy. Ignorance would not be used as a defense from any breach of this agreement.

III. Use of emails during working hours must also adhere to the same rules as those that apply to the use of the internet. The employee equally implies that they have consented to regular monitoring of personal email as stipulated in this policy.

IV. If an employee sends a personal email from the communication facilities that belong to the company, they must mark them as personal. The IT department will offer guidance to individuals who seek to set up and use personal folder.

V. All information contained in the email including inbox and sent are subject to scrutiny and monitoring by the company.

VI. The email template must include a disclaimer statement. Employees should not amend the disclaimer statement in any way.

VII. Any messages received should not be amended without the authorization of the other person.

VIII. An employee should not access email messages meant for other recipients.

IX. Use of emails should not breach the data protection policy set by the company.

X. If an employee is in doubt on how to use the email, they should consult or ask assistance from the IT manager.

XI. Employees are encouraged to confirm the content of their emails before they send them.

XII. Every email intended for business use must have a business reference

XIII. If an employee sends sensitive information as an attachment, they must make a follow-up call and confirm that the recipient has received the attachment.

XIV. The employees are encouraged to maintain a hard copy of the attachment of an attachment made to the customer. Such attachment includes any information required for accounting purposes among others.

XV. Employees are not allowed to send business documents to personal accounts.

XVI. if one is working in remote areas, they are permitted to save the document in a disk or retrieve it from the internet.

4.0 Use of internet

I. The company trust that you will be responsible for using the internet and intranet. It is crucial for you to note that information identifying your personal computer is captured whenever you visit a website.

II. The company recognizes the need for employees to conduct personal activities during the working hours. The following rule must, therefore, be observed.

III. The activities should not interfere with personal duties

IV. The official duties should be the priority during the working hours

V. It is advisable that the events should take place during the breaks, for example, the tea and lunch breaks.

VI. The activity should lead to in current of cost or liability to Zabco company

VII. The consequences of the activity should not affect Zabco company in any negative way

VIII. The action should be lawful and right according to this policy.

IX. When using public sites employees are discouraged not to use the company’s address detail like email and contacts. This more specifically relates to using for non-business activities. The employee must gain authorization from their immediate supervisors.

X. Employees are not allowed to log in to some websites during the working hours. If one needs to access or login into such sites must gain permission from the IT manager.

XI. The employees must not

a) Attempt to gain access to unauthorized areas of the company’s network.

b) Try to access data that they know is confidential

c) Introduce any form of malware or computer virus that would destroy the computers.

d) Undertake any hacking activities

e) Introduce soft wares that detect passwords

XII. If any employee wants to engage in the online chat room using the company’s facilities must be authorized in writing.

XIII. Breaching of items stated in this policy contradicts the terms of this policy is the following offenses are committed

a) Hacking

b) Unauthorized altering and modification of information or material

c) Authorized access with the intention of committing an offense.

XIV. The employees are warned that their activities over the internet are monitored. They are therefore encouraged to exercise caution with their activities online as well as activities during the working hours.

XV. The company’s emails facilities are supposed to be used for business purpose. However, individual employees are allowed to use them for personal use occasionally. The employee must ensure that they adhere to the rules set in this policy. It is essential for the employee to note that there will be little privacy because the emails will be subject to scrutiny by the company. If one desires to achieve higher levels of privacy, they must then use a personal folder.

XVI. The email facility should not be used for communication between the company and other companies or customers without written consent by the immediate supervisor.

5.0 Misuse of the company’s facilities

I. Misuse of facilities refers to any activity either by use of telephone, emails or internet in a manner that breaches the rules and regulations set in this policy. Any breach is considered to be an offense that is to be dealt with as per the disciplinary procedures.

II. The list below provides acts that will lead to the dismissal of employees. the list is not exhaustive

a) Sharing of material that is sexually offensive, discriminatory or offensive

b) Criminal material that can cause embarrassment to the company, its employees, customers or any stakeholder.

c) Sharing of defamatory information or false information

d) Sharing material with the intention of causing harassment, annoyance or create anxiety in any person.

e) Sharing of information and data that is considered to be confidential

f) Sharing any material that can create a liability to the company

g) Engaging in online gambling activities and games

h) Sending spam emails to customers or employees within the company

III. If the company gains evidence of misuse of email and internet facilities, the management reserves the right to undertake further investigation into the issue and take appropriate measures as provided by the policies within the company.

6.0 System security

I. Every employee is expected to fulfill the duty of handling customers’ data and information with confidentiality. Employees are therefore encouraged to be careful about the security implication of what they do. The overall expectation that facilities and equipment should not be damaged or used in a manner that is likely to slow down or affect its performance.

II. All confidential information should be kept secure and free from access by unauthorized persons

III. The passwords should be kept safe and should not be disclosed to anyone without authorization by the IT manager.

IV. A private document that is shared via the email should be marked as ‘private and confidential,’ and passwords should be used to give the user access

V. Confidential data should be printed only when necessary.

VI. Employees should install software from external sources only when they have gained authorization from the IT manager.

VII. Employees should first get permission from the IT manager before running any external devices like discs on the company equipment.

VIII. Caution should be exercised when opening emails from external sources especially if they look suspicious.

7.0 Working in remote areas

I. The passwords must be protected from access by unauthorized users

II. One must work in a way that prevents others from reading or observing their activities

III. The security of the company equipment must always be a priority to the individual employee.

IV. If one has lost company equipment, they must immediately report to the police

V. Work done in remote areas should be saved and transferred to the company systems soonest possible

VI. Handheld devices that contain confidential information must be protected using passwords.

8.0 Monitoring of communications by the Zabco company

I. The company reserve the rights to monitor connection made using the company facilities. However, this is done concerning employees’ privacy and autonomy. The company may monitor communication for the following reasons:

a) To provide evidence that a business transaction took place

b) To comply with a legal requirement

c) To monitor standards of performance

d) To detect criminal activities or unauthorized access

e) To adhere to the company’s procedures and policies.

f) To ensure that efficiency in business operations is achieved and maintained.

II. The company will monitor details of communication like duration of a telephone call, website visited, non-business activities among others.

III. In some cases, or circumstance the access may be gained in the absence of the employee.

IV. Emails marked ‘Personal’ may be subject to scrutiny especially if it is a legal or mandatory requirement based on the circumstances.

9.0 Compliance with this policy

I. Failure to adhere to this policy will lead to disciplinary action which may lead to financial cost on the employee, dismissal or withdrawal of permission from using durable equipment and facilities.

II. This policy is subject to regular review as the company may deem possible and necessary

References

Anandarajan, M., Simmers, C. A., & Teo, T. S. (2014). The Internet and Workplace Transformation: An Introduction. In The internet and workplace transformation (pp. 13-22). Routledge.

Anandarajan, M., Simmers, C. A., & Teo, T. S. (2014). The Internet and Workplace Transformation: An Introduction. In The internet and workplace transformation (pp. 13-22). Routledge.

Derks, D., & Bakker, A. B. (2010). The impact of e-mail communication on organizational life. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 4(1).

Ruhnka, J., & Loopesko, W. E. (2013). Risk management of email and Internet use in the workplace. Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law, 8(3), 1.

Safa, N. S., Von Solms, R., & Furnell, S. (2016). Information security policy compliance model in organizations. Computers & Security, 56, 70-82.