UK employers are increasingly clamping down on employee internet and email misuse, with over half meting out disciplinary action over the past year, according to new research.
The study, carried out by IRS Employment Review, found that nearly a third of British businesses had taken formal action against up to five workers, while 21 per cent dealt with one disciplinary case in the last 12 months.
Although just five per cent of UK businesses punished over six employees for sending inappropriate emails or looking at unsuitable websites, IRS said that firms are beginning to severely clamp down on internet misuse and predicted that the number of workers disciplined for such transgressions will increase over the next few years.
All employers questioned said that accessing pornography was banned in their workplace, while 96 per cent also frowned upon sending obscene emails.
Other activities forbidden by respondents included emails that denigrate colleagues, online gambling, sending non-work related emails and internet shopping.
The survey found that many bosses are keen to restrict internet access, with just half allowing all employees to go online when they wished.
Other findings in the study include:
- Nearly a third of employers insisted on formal business language in emails.
- Over a quarter of firms encouraged staff to clearly label non-work related emails.
- Email and training was compulsory in 28 per cent of companies.
- Just under half of employers had a standalone policy on email and internet use, while less than 10 per cent had formal, written procedures.
As reported by Startups.co.uk, previous research has found that the average UK employee spends over an hour a day surfing the internet and sending personal emails, costing small firms millions of pounds in lost productivity a year.
Mark Crail, managing editor of IRS Employment Review, said that employers are increasingly concerned at the many different ways people can abuse work access to email and the internet.
“But our research shows that they may be concentrating on the wrong issues.
“Companies can block access to inappropriate websites using sophisticated screening software, but many try to address this issue through employment practices instead.
“At the same time, they are neglecting some of the good practice approaches that will address other dangers to their business – such as insisting that employees use the same level of formality in external emails as they would use in a letter,” he said.
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