| Acceptable Use Policy: A Roadmap, Not A Penal Code
Clearly Defined AUP Garners Increased Participation |
 In today’s business environment, coping with the influx
of new technology brings challenges that require forethought and good judgment. Nowhere is this more
important than with a company’s Acceptable Use Policy. A well-crafted and maintained AUP is essential in
both protecting your company and reducing friction between employees and management over technology use.
To help your company get the most benefit from its AUP, we’ll give you tips and insights to help you keep your AUP from being just another form HR hands out. For tips on creating an AUP, see “ Create An Acceptable Computer-Use Policy ” in the March 25 issue. To read this article, go to www.processor.com and browse the past issues to find the March 25 issue. Additional help for drafting Internet policies is available in the “Education Key To Secure Internet Usage” article on page XX of this issue.  The Heart Of Your AUP: Clear
Definitions In many ways AUPs reflect the personality of a company’s management. Some companies don’t even bother with an AUP, relying instead on either employee common sense or vague notions of what’s appropriate for the workplace. However, in situations like this, there’s a risk of having employees misunderstand what’s acceptable or permissible. As new technologies and social forces change the workplace, this confusion can cause untold problems. This is where a clearly defined AUP can help ameliorate any confusion. “Clearly defined” doesn’t mean you have to spell out each and every use of a computer, network, or phone system. Many managers make this mistake when drafting their AUP. Instead, think of your AUP as a guide for employees, not a penal code. Many employees bristle at being micromanaged, and a carefully crafted AUP will give them the guidelines they need to do their jobs. For example, if your goal is to restrict employees from storing MP3 files on the network, don’t hamstring yourself by including a section in your AUP specifically prohibiting MP3 files. Instead, specify that personal files are not to be kept on the network, regardless of format. Not only does this “future-proof” you against changes in music file formats, it also protects you against someone keeping his video collection on your company network. Avoid Boilerplate Creating an AUP can be a daunting task, especially when you are gathering input from HR, IT, and legal departments. With so many cooks in the kitchen, it’s easy to pull out an AUP template and just start filling in the blanks. Unfortunately, you’ll end up with a stale document that satisfies no one. AUP examples are just that: examples to guide you in creating your own unique policies that match your company work environment. Seek Employee Input If you think about your company’s AUP as a contract between the company and its employees, you’ll understand why employees would want to be involved in its creation. Getting employee buy-in is essential to a successful AUP. This doesn’t mean that employee desires trump management concerns, but if employees have a say in the development of policies that directly affect them, they’re much more likely to comply and support those policies. Communicate Your AUP It’s the unfortunate fate of many AUPs to sit in an employee folder, signed and tucked away where no one sees it. AUPs need to be easily accessible to everyone so that when questions arise, management and employees can easily agree on answers. Your company’s intranet is the logical location for your AUP and your employee handbook. In addition to having easy access to your current AUP, managers need to reinforce both proscribed and permitted use of company resources. This can be an informal policy of addressing AUP issues as they arise or formal meetings conducted on a routine schedule. A combination of these two methods will usually generate the best results. Keep It Relevant Another key to a successful AUP is keeping it relevant. As new technologies are introduced both inside and outside the workplace, you will need to adapt your AUP. Fifteen years ago the idea that most people would own a cell phone was wishful thinking on the part of telecom companies. Yet today, it’s the norm. If your AUP restricted use of company phones to business use, you’d have no recourse if your employees began placing numerous personal calls on their own cell phones. At the same time, if your AUP isn’t updated periodically, no one will pay attention to it. Archaic references to teletype systems and linefeed printers will only encourage employees to view the AUP as just another HR form to sign and forget. Review and update your company’s AUP on an annual basis to keep it fresh and pertinent. Don’t forget to include employee input when revising your AUP. The last thing any company needs is an AUP created by an isolated manager ensconced in an ivory tower. The Line Between Work & Play For many companies the line between work and home has become blurred with pagers, cell phones, notebook computers, IM, and email. We expect our employees to be reachable at all hours and locations yet are surprised when their personal lives “intrude” on the workplace. The price we pay for these productivity-enhancing tools is a need for more deliberate communication in the workplace. And one of the best tools is a soundly devised and maintained AUP.  by Chris Jackson
|