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Casual Articles - Why Your Business Needs an E-Mail Policy
Why not give the following quiz to your management staff. It will give you an idea of their understanding and application of some of the critical issues, concepts and techniques that have an impact on their performance and success as managers. If you feel your team could benefit from an in-depth custom in-house management training program, please give me a call. I will be happy to discuss a custom curriculum for your staff with you.Other quizzes are also available on the following topics: Customer Service, Relationships, Sales, Happiness, Success, MotivationSee the end of this quiz for the answers1. You should always praise in________________________________________________________2. Listening is the most important management skill: True/False.3. Most managers spend too little time planning. True/False.4. You should alwa
=> Increased network traffic. Unnecessary network traffic can cause your entire network to come to a grinding halt if acceptable computer and online usage is not clearly defined.
=> E-mail forgery. I could send an e-mail today appearing to be Bill Gates. Only those with an above average technical knowledge would be able to determine it was a hoax and trace it back to me.
All company e-mails should use your dot com/net/org to identify all employees. E-mail settings should not be tampered with or changed for any reason.
=> Create a negative perception of your business image, legitimacy and level of credibility. One cannot underestimate the power of perception as it relates to your businesss' e-mail activities. Each e-mail should be taken as serio
The success of your next meeting depends upon whom you invite. Here's what to consider.1) Invite only people who can contribute to the meeting. Spectators bog down the process.2) Avoid filling the meeting with allies as a show of force. This intimidates your "opponent," which can result in counter attacks, retaliation, or false cooperation.3) Avoid inviting people because they would feel offended if left out. A meeting is a business activity, not a party. You can always ask the person to choose between watching others work in a meeting or being left to work on tasks that contribute to raises and promotions.4) Be sure to invite the stakeholder (the person who owns the issue). This person is a valuable resource in finding solutions.5) Make sure the opponents to issues attend your meetings. They can help you find equitable solutions that
Even assuming you have the best folks working for you, or on your behalf, does not negate the need for this type of policy to be established. Hopefully, you will never need to refer to your policy statement in regard to an employee's actions or behavior while on company time. However, if you do find yourself in that situation down the road, you will be relieved these terms and conditions are in place for your protection.
With technology now in the workplace and e-mail accessible to more employees than ever, connectivity makes it easy for all employees to surf the Web on company time, circulate unnecessary and/or inappropriate messages and illegally copy content. These activities can lead to:
=> Claims of sexual harassment and discrimination. This occurs when e-mail or information is forwarded to an employee who may not have the same sense of humor as the sender. We all have had our e-mail boxes filled by well intending friends with the latest joke or chain letter, some of which could offend the recipient or are not appropriate in a professional environment.
=> Misaddressed messages that lead to intentional or inadvertent release of corporate trade secrets. One typo, dot, dash or space where it shouldn't be (and folks typo e-mail addresses all the time) and your company information can very easily end up being delivered to another e-mail address outside of the company.
=> Network and spam attacks. Those who do not understand the basics of Online Netiquette, many times put themselves in a situation of having e-mail bombs or repetitive e-mail being sent which can cripple your network due to their actions. Employees who do not market your business within established protocols can cause your server and ISP to cancel your accounts due to spam complaints to your hosting and e-mail providers.
=> Copyright infringement issues and the possible legalities that can ensue. Copyright is one of the most misunderstood issues online. Many believe that information, graphics, etc. are online for the taking. Right click and it is yours! To set the record straight, there is nothing further from the truth. All information and graphic images are protected by the person who created them. To take content or images without the creator's/author's written permission is copyright infringement. It is also copyright infringement to forward or quote another person's private e-mail in a public venue such as mailing lists and discussion groups without their written permission to do so.
Abuse of e-mail may also lead to:
=> Waste of computer resources. Large gratuitous downloads can negatively impact your bandwidth allowances and incur additional charges from your provider not to mention lower employee productivity.
=> Drain on limited storage capabilities. Limits in disk storage space can easily be maxed out incurring additional charges.
=> Slower response times for legitimate business activities. Focus is lost on priorities and customer service. Company e-mail activities should be considered one of the highest priorities that many times will fall by the wayside in lieu of employees becoming sidetracked by these other activities.
=> Increased network traffic. Unnecessary network traffic can cause your entire network to come to a grinding halt if acceptable computer and online usage is not clearly defined.
=> E-mail forgery. I could send an e-mail today appearing to be Bill Gates. Only those with an above average technical knowledge would be able to determine it was a hoax and trace it back to me.
All company e-mails should use your dot com/net/org to identify all employees. E-mail settings should not be tampered with or changed for any reason.
=> Create a negative perception of your business image, legitimacy and level of credibility. One cannot underestimate the power of perception as it relates to your businesss' e-mail activities. Each e-mail should be taken as serio
The conventional definition of printing mainly refers to the reproduction of texts and images, typically with ink on paper with the use of a printing press. The concept facilitates printing on various surfaces, ranging from paper and metal to plastics and fabric. Different techniques are employed for printing on the different substrates. The ink used may also differ from surface to surface.The ink that is used greatly influences the cost of printing. Water-based and oil-based inks were the first types of ink used in the traditional printing processes. However, today, hybrid inks have been developed, which offer a more cost-effective solution to all printing needs.The right printing technique should be chosen, as it not only affects the cost of printing, but also the final output. The main types of printing include flexography, gravure, screen-printing, li
=> Claims of sexual harassment and discrimination. This occurs when e-mail or information is forwarded to an employee who may not have the same sense of humor as the sender. We all have had our e-mail boxes filled by well intending friends with the latest joke or chain letter, some of which could offend the recipient or are not appropriate in a professional environment.
=> Misaddressed messages that lead to intentional or inadvertent release of corporate trade secrets. One typo, dot, dash or space where it shouldn't be (and folks typo e-mail addresses all the time) and your company information can very easily end up being delivered to another e-mail address outside of the company.
=> Network and spam attacks. Those who do not understand the basics of Online Netiquette, many times put themselves in a situation of having e-mail bombs or repetitive e-mail being sent which can cripple your network due to their actions. Employees who do not market your business within established protocols can cause your server and ISP to cancel your accounts due to spam complaints to your hosting and e-mail providers.
=> Copyright infringement issues and the possible legalities that can ensue. Copyright is one of the most misunderstood issues online. Many believe that information, graphics, etc. are online for the taking. Right click and it is yours! To set the record straight, there is nothing further from the truth. All information and graphic images are protected by the person who created them. To take content or images without the creator's/author's written permission is copyright infringement. It is also copyright infringement to forward or quote another person's private e-mail in a public venue such as mailing lists and discussion groups without their written permission to do so.
Abuse of e-mail may also lead to:
=> Waste of computer resources. Large gratuitous downloads can negatively impact your bandwidth allowances and incur additional charges from your provider not to mention lower employee productivity.
=> Drain on limited storage capabilities. Limits in disk storage space can easily be maxed out incurring additional charges.
=> Slower response times for legitimate business activities. Focus is lost on priorities and customer service. Company e-mail activities should be considered one of the highest priorities that many times will fall by the wayside in lieu of employees becoming sidetracked by these other activities.
=> Increased network traffic. Unnecessary network traffic can cause your entire network to come to a grinding halt if acceptable computer and online usage is not clearly defined.
=> E-mail forgery. I could send an e-mail today appearing to be Bill Gates. Only those with an above average technical knowledge would be able to determine it was a hoax and trace it back to me.
All company e-mails should use your dot com/net/org to identify all employees. E-mail settings should not be tampered with or changed for any reason.
=> Create a negative perception of your business image, legitimacy and level of credibility. One cannot underestimate the power of perception as it relates to your businesss' e-mail activities. Each e-mail should be taken as serio
I am often amazed at the efforts that many business leaders put into making themselves and their businesses smaller. Yes. You heard me right—making their businesses smaller. A major challenge threatens them and instead of finding the positive side and seeing the opportunity, they shrink from it and try to find a way to cut back somewhere to fill the gap.Take the current business climate in California. A quick survey of the Chambers of Commerce throughout the state will tell you their major focus is on getting legislators to pass laws to lower the cost for companies to do business. Most of this cost cutting revolves around lowering workers comp benefits, freezing the minimum wage, and stopping legislation that would require more employers to provide health care for their employees. These all focus on making business smaller. In effect, what business members are t
=> Network and spam attacks. Those who do not understand the basics of Online Netiquette, many times put themselves in a situation of having e-mail bombs or repetitive e-mail being sent which can cripple your network due to their actions. Employees who do not market your business within established protocols can cause your server and ISP to cancel your accounts due to spam complaints to your hosting and e-mail providers.
=> Copyright infringement issues and the possible legalities that can ensue. Copyright is one of the most misunderstood issues online. Many believe that information, graphics, etc. are online for the taking. Right click and it is yours! To set the record straight, there is nothing further from the truth. All information and graphic images are protected by the person who created them. To take content or images without the creator's/author's written permission is copyright infringement. It is also copyright infringement to forward or quote another person's private e-mail in a public venue such as mailing lists and discussion groups without their written permission to do so.
Abuse of e-mail may also lead to:
=> Waste of computer resources. Large gratuitous downloads can negatively impact your bandwidth allowances and incur additional charges from your provider not to mention lower employee productivity.
=> Drain on limited storage capabilities. Limits in disk storage space can easily be maxed out incurring additional charges.
=> Slower response times for legitimate business activities. Focus is lost on priorities and customer service. Company e-mail activities should be considered one of the highest priorities that many times will fall by the wayside in lieu of employees becoming sidetracked by these other activities.
=> Increased network traffic. Unnecessary network traffic can cause your entire network to come to a grinding halt if acceptable computer and online usage is not clearly defined.
=> E-mail forgery. I could send an e-mail today appearing to be Bill Gates. Only those with an above average technical knowledge would be able to determine it was a hoax and trace it back to me.
All company e-mails should use your dot com/net/org to identify all employees. E-mail settings should not be tampered with or changed for any reason.
=> Create a negative perception of your business image, legitimacy and level of credibility. One cannot underestimate the power of perception as it relates to your businesss' e-mail activities. Each e-mail should be taken as serio
Some companies track a monthly ‘complaints and compliments ratio’ for each branch, store, department, country or station. This approach has a fundamental flaw. Here’s why:A complaints and compliments ratio encourages staff to actively avoid or suppress written complaints from customers. After all, every written complaint will impact the ratio to their disadvantage.For example, if your station gets 3 compliments and 0 complaints, and my station has 6 compliments and 3 complaints, whose station has a better ratio? Yours has, of course.But which station is gathering more written feedback from customers? Which station is harnessing more input, suggestions, responses and reactions for detailed review? Mine!I agree that staff should do whatever they can to satisfy customers right away, but they should also encourage customers to write down and sub
Abuse of e-mail may also lead to:
=> Waste of computer resources. Large gratuitous downloads can negatively impact your bandwidth allowances and incur additional charges from your provider not to mention lower employee productivity.
=> Drain on limited storage capabilities. Limits in disk storage space can easily be maxed out incurring additional charges.
=> Slower response times for legitimate business activities. Focus is lost on priorities and customer service. Company e-mail activities should be considered one of the highest priorities that many times will fall by the wayside in lieu of employees becoming sidetracked by these other activities.
=> Increased network traffic. Unnecessary network traffic can cause your entire network to come to a grinding halt if acceptable computer and online usage is not clearly defined.
=> E-mail forgery. I could send an e-mail today appearing to be Bill Gates. Only those with an above average technical knowledge would be able to determine it was a hoax and trace it back to me.
All company e-mails should use your dot com/net/org to identify all employees. E-mail settings should not be tampered with or changed for any reason.
=> Create a negative perception of your business image, legitimacy and level of credibility. One cannot underestimate the power of perception as it relates to your businesss' e-mail activities. Each e-mail should be taken as serio
The holidays will soon be here and many retail-based businesses are preparing for the increased sales traffic by using call detail records and a call accounting system to predict staffing needs and to prepare sales reps for the coming profitable season.By monitoring inbound and outbound calling trends, a business can have a clear picture of when peak sales seasons hit and can better anticipate staffing needs to handle the increased flow of holiday sales traffic.The tracking of traffic is made possible by call detail records (CDR) formats. Call detail records, both local and long distance, can be used for usage verification, billing reconciliation, network management and to monitor telephone usage to determine volume of phone usage, as well as abuse of your company's telephone system. CDR's are an asset in managing long distance telephone costs and aid in
=> Increased network traffic. Unnecessary network traffic can cause your entire network to come to a grinding halt if acceptable computer and online usage is not clearly defined.
=> E-mail forgery. I could send an e-mail today appearing to be Bill Gates. Only those with an above average technical knowledge would be able to determine it was a hoax and trace it back to me.
All company e-mails should use your dot com/net/org to identify all employees. E-mail settings should not be tampered with or changed for any reason.
=> Create a negative perception of your business image, legitimacy and level of credibility. One cannot underestimate the power of perception as it relates to your businesss' e-mail activities. Each e-mail should be taken as seriously as though it were written on company letterhead. How it is written, the words used, whether proper Netiquette it practiced or lack there of can have a negative impact on those communicating with your company.
Any e-mail policy should start with the following basics. You will want to review each carefully and then jot down and add the specifics unique to your business environment and culture.
1) Specify that the computer and e-mail system belongs to the business for authorized purposes only. While on company time any use of the Company's equipment (computer) is to be used solely for business activities related to the performance of an employee's job responsibilities.
2) Set clear expectations of employee privacy. What will be private and what won't - if anything. Trends indicate that the majority of e-mail policies currently in place state clearly that while on company time, employees should not expect to have any privacy in regard to their use of company owned equipment and resources.
3) Establish monitoring as a "right" of the employer. It should be expected and acknowledged.
4) Make sure employees understand attention should be taken when addressing e-mail and when drafting them to avoid including copyrighted material. Each e-mail an employee sends utilizing an e-mail address with your dot com/org/net reflects on your business and makes you inevitably liable if another author's information is misused without their permission. Not only are there legal ramifications, but again, do not underestimate how your enterprise will be perceived by virtue of the use of a company e-mail address in communications.
5) Outline specific types of content that should be avoided in e-mail messages. The more detail the better here!
6) Have employees sign and date the e-mail policy. Put a copy in their personnel file and give them a copy to have on hand for reference purposes.
It would also be recommended that each employee be sent to my OnlineNetiquette.com site or given a copy of my soon to be released book: "Because Netiquette Matters! Your comprehensive reference guide on e-mail etiquette and proper technology use." This will ensure they are aware of all the issues and practices they need to integrate when e-mailing on behalf of and using your company's resources to communicate online.
For a sample E-mail Policy that you can use and modify, visit my main consulting site @: http://www.theistudio.com/example_epolicy.html
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