Monitering Internet Service – Yes
When an employee reports to work, they are no longer on their own time. That's not to say that they lose all their rights and should submit to forced labor. But have we come that far toward craziness that the Internet is now considered a right. I would suggest that if an employee wants privacy, then they should surf the net in the privacy of their home. At the workplace, an employer has so much liability for what happens there that they have to keep an eye on every aspect of their business, including what goes out on the Internet.
Of course, there are always two sides to every coin. Employees, especially ones in important positions, have to have a certain level of freedom to be effective. Trust is extremely important in these relationships. Without it, an employee can feel suffocated or under-appreciated. This situation will keep the employee from doing their job the way it should be done.
Policy has to be clear from the beginning of the employee's job. I come down on the side of the employer having the right to monitor Internet activity .But only if it's being done with the full knowledge of the employee. The employer should never go snooping around in an underhanded way. But, if the policy states that there will be random Internet inspections then that is about as fair as you can get.
An employee should feel comforted with the knowledge that Internet traffic is being monitored. Often, employee's that have been hostile to each other will air their grievances over the net. This causes even more trouble obviously. Problems have often escalated to violence especially if something detrimental has been posted on the Internet. If the traffic is being monitored, although it may not stop the violence from happening, it will help keep people accountable for what occurs.
An employer should also put forth every effort to show an employee that they ate trusted. Even when they are being monitored. The employee has to be made to understand that the company's policy is for the benefit of the entire employee's and good for the long-term welfare of the company itself. If they can be shown that they have a personal stake in the success of the policy, then they will be more approving of what has to be done.
When an employee feels invested then their performance will reflect that. Wonderful things happen when an employer and an employee are on the same page. Hopefully these wonderful things can be profitable for everyone concerned.
