Despite their best intentions, small business owners often overlook the importance of establishing and enforcing policies. Thinking that informal conversations are sufficient solutions can lead to misunderstandings or worse – costly mistakes down the line. Crafting clear-cut rules helps create a successful work environment where everyone is on the same page.
Small and mid-sized business owners must be mindful of employee misunderstandings; even the most obvious instructions can get lost in translation. Miscommunication may lead to costly mistakes, so clear guidance is essential for optimal success!
Without clear policies, your business can easily find itself in hot water – from a device misuse lawsuit to an employee inappropriately accessing company emails. Make sure you have the right protections for every eventuality!
Employers often don’t realize the time their staff is spending on social media can add up quickly. Shockingly, almost one-fifth of employees are dedicating a full hour each day to scrolling through posts and messaging friends – even when no clear policy against it exists! Thankfully for employers however, 77% percent of personnel still use social media only during break times or lunch hours.
IT policies are a must-have for businesses of any size. A well thought out policy can be the difference between thriving and struggling with technology management. It’s time to get started on having the essential pieces in place – we’ve got you covered!
Does your organization have up-to-date IT policies?
Safeguarding your identity has never been more important
In an alarming 77% of cases, cloud data breaches are the result of stolen or weak passwords. Compromised credentials have become one of the most significant sources of security risks in today’s digital world.
A password security policy will lay out for your team how to handle their login passwords. It should include things like:
How long passwords should be
How to construct passwords (e.g., using at least one number and symbol)
Where and how to store passwords
The use of multi-factor authentication (if it’s required)
How often to change passwords
Let’s make sure we use technology responsibly!
Our Acceptable Use Policy serves as the guiding beacon for how technology and data should be used across our organization. Everyone must take special care to ensure that devices are secure by keeping them updated – this rule is just one of many spelled out in this policy!
It’s important to establish firm guidelines for the use of company devices. AUPs should also consider potential risks that arise when remote employees share work devices with other family members – a decision best left to their employer!
Data security is of utmost importance and the AUP ensures that no digital stone goes unturned when it comes to protecting important information. From encryption requirements to data-handling instructions, this policy provides a comprehensive framework for maintaining confidential records with uncompromising safety protocols.
With the ever-evolving digital landscape
Companies across the globe are facing a growing issue – their own employees using unauthorized cloud applications. An estimated 30-60% of businesses’ cloud usage is due to these mysterious, ‘shadow IT’ solutions popping up all over corporate workspaces.
Employees usually don’t realize the repercussions that come with utilizing personal cloud applications to store company data. However, it creates a massive security vulnerability that puts businesses at risk of suffering serious consequences.
A cloud and app use policy is essential to keep business data secure by restricting the unauthorized usage of apps. It also provides a platform for employees to suggest tools that can help improve productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
Bring modern convenience to the workplace with BYOD!
Companies are quickly discovering that a bring-your-own device approach for employee mobile use is more than just economical; it provides convenience to employees who no longer need worry about juggling two devices. With an impressive 83% of companies now on board with BYOD, this revolutionary trend looks set to stay!
Without a clear policy in place, BYOD can be leaving your business open to dangerous security risks. If personal devices aren’t running the latest version of their operating system, malicious threats may have an opportunity to wreak havoc on company data – not just what’s stored locally on employee machines but potentially even more if those networks are connected with corporate systems. To make sure everyone is compensated fairly for using tablets and phones at work, it’s critical that all employees understand exactly how they should use these tools when representing the organization.
Our Bring-Your-Own Device policy provides clarity on how to securely use personal devices for work. It outlines the installation of an endpoint management app and describes our commitment towards appropriately compensating employees who make this essential contribution to business operations.
Stay connected with our Wi-Fi policy!
With 61% of surveyed companies reporting employees connecting with public Wi-Fi on their devices, staying secure while browsing is a major concern. Companies must ensure they take the right precautions to protect against potential threats related to using public networks.
Employees may be naively putting their company’s cyber security at risk by accessing apps and emails on public networks without any second thought. Such a careless attitude can have dire consequences, potentially leading to the breach of an organization’s network.
Your Wi-Fi use policy ensures that employees securely navigate the web. Protecting their privacy by requiring a company VPN and limiting risky activities like entering passwords or payment info on public networks.
Stay up to date on our policies for social media use
With social media so prevalent in the workplace, it’s crucial to take a proactive stance. If left unchecked, hours of productive time could quickly be lost due to unrestricted scrolling and sharing.
Include details in your social media policy, such as:
Restricting when employees can access personal social media
Restricting what employees can post about the company
Noting “safe selfie zones” or facility areas that are not okay for public images
Need a hand tightening-up your IT policy documents and security?
Your organization could benefit from a customized IT policy and improved security systems. Contact us today for a free consultation, so we can help get your business on the path to success!
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