Advice for drafting an internet acceptable use policy

Advice for drafting an internet acceptable use policy

Drafting an internet acceptable use policy needs to be an inclusive and carefully considered process.

IT systems have become an intrinsic part of business processes. If they go down, your company could lose millions. But if they don’t allow employees to do their jobs more easily they may as well not be there. Here are some tips on producing an effective agreement.

  • ‘When you set any rule, almost inevitably you create loopholes,’ says Colin Rose of network management solutions company Actis. ‘Your policy must be carefully worded.’ Seeking legal help is a must.
  • It’s easy to be too restrictive, Rose advises. ‘The last thing you want to do is stop people doing their jobs,’ he says.
  • Ensuring the policy accounts properly for the function of the company is often overlooked. ‘Ask what are your business requirements from the internet and draft the policy accordingly,’ says Rose.
  • ‘Everyone has to be party to an acceptable use policy. People should be involved at all levels – they are the people who must buy in to the agreement,’ says Rose. Obviously this is going to be difficult in a larger organisation, but employers should consider using any staff council or employee forum that exists.
Share

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Resources & Whitepapers

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata
Professional Services

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata

3y

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folde...

In the past decade, the professional services industry has transformed significantly. Digital disruptions, increased competition, and changing market ...

View resource
2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

3y

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professi...

In recent months, professional services firms are facing more pressure than ever to deliver value to clients. Often, clients look at the firms own inf...

View resource
Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine
Accounting Firms

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

3y

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

In a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...

View resource
Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021
Making Tax Digital

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

3y

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

The first phase of Making Tax Digital (MTD) saw the requirement for the digital submission of the VAT Return using compliant software. That’s now behi...

View resource