Consider the privacy of your users
Many companies today have policies in place to aid management and human resources in the coverage of the corporate behind when it comes to employee privacy. Typically when these policies are produced they remined employees of the following items:
- Data created on computer systems owned by Company X is the property of Company X
- Use of computer systems owned by Company X for non-work related tasks is not allowed without supervisor approval
- Email messages sent using the Information systems of Company X can be retrieved and reviewed as deemed appropriate by Company X.
Things like this exist to ensure the employees of an organization are performing the tasks they are being paid to perform and to keep unrelated Internet and resource use to a minimum. Also, the above list is purely a sampling of items that might appear, I am sure many organizations have lists far bigger than this.
Why are you discussing privacy policy? There is a manual for policy.
When dealing with co-workers within your organization they will expect all kinds of things and probably ask for things that are not supported. This is their right and to be perfectly honest, their role. It keeps IT staffs and managers on their toes.
The written policy that protects the organization is also in place to help the user. The points in a written policy are there to answer questions about what is, and what is not acceptable. Being considerate of the privacy of others is something everyone around you will appreciate, even if they do not notice.
Unless required.
Sometimes an employee will do things that violate some policy or rule. If these involve a computer, the IT Manager and staff will be called upon to assist in finding data that violated the rules and determining all kinds of things. This is something that should fall upon the IT Manager. Take responsibility for finding these things out. Work with your staff to ensure this process goes smoothly, but keep in mind that the IT staff should not dig through all of the files and emails of other workers.
Unless given a reason to look there should be no reason.
Just a reinforcement
The purpose of this post was to reinforce the idea that we as IT staff and Managers should give the users, who are our co-workers the benefit of the doubt. Yes there will be times when upper management or an employees supervisor asks for information, and within reason it should be provided. Care should also be taken when the employee comes to you and asks
“Hey can you get back an email I lost from last week?”
This should be perfectly ok, to look for the missing email. Ask the employee about the email, sent date, received date, etc. Keep in mind that this is not a green light to read all of the email messages the user has ever sent without cause.
Your co-workers will appreciate it if you can give them as much privacy as possible and the benefit of the doubt most of the time.
