Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Employees, Get Used to Working under Surveillance
Let's face it. Monitoring employees' e-mail, tracking their Internet use, logging everything done at keyboards has become the norm in Corporate America. With computer monitoring software so cheap and easy-to-apply it's no wonder that workplace surveillance becomes more and more widespread. Here are some figures from the 2005 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey made by American Management Association and the consulting firm ePolicy Institute: 76% of companies monitor websites their employees visit, and 65% use software to block connections to certain websites. 36% use software to log keystrokes and keep track of the time spent at keyboards. 50% store and review computer files. 55% store and review employees' email messages. So, wherever you work, the odds of your company's keeping a keen technology-aided eye on you are pretty high. There is no such thing as privacy at the workplace, experts say. Let's not have any illusions about it. Even if you are allowed to use workplace computer at lunchtime or after work, the policy covering the use of computers and the Internet applies as well. According to the same study, 84% companies surveyed do have rules covering personal use of email, 81% have established policies governing the Internet use. So, majority of organizations at least have set up rules for everybody to observe. 80% of organizations that monitor keystrokes and time spent at keyboards let employees know about that. 86% notify staff about email monitoring, and 89% alert workers that their Web activities are tracked. These figures show that for vast majority of employers the aim is to make workforce to comply with the rules rather than to catch somebody red-handed. The remaining 20%, 16% and 11% probably carry out clandestine monitoring. Too bad, but there is little employees can do in most such cases. It seems odd, but under the law, in many states employers aren't obliged to warn employees about computer and /or email monitoring. We may grumble it's not fair, we might protest, but that's that. At least in the vast majority of organizations monitoring is not surreptitious. If the rules are set, the only option is to conform to them. And try not to take offense, though it is not easy. Though employers sometimes are carrying it too far, in most cases they aren't doing it out of pure malice. Company owners are protecting themselves from reputation-damaging scandals, costly workplace harassment lawsuits and data leakage. Employers are expected to protect employees from hostility at workplaces, and they monitor, say, email messages to spot those who are sending obscene or hateful emails. Software for email monitoring costs far less than a single compensation payment in case the victim sues the firm. Lots of companies can't afford litigation; those who can, don't want it. Even logging every keystroke can be justified if the employees are dealing with trade secrets or some other highly valuable (in a direct sense of this word) information. It doesn't necessarily imply distrust -- some companies just won't survive if some confidential information is lost. If the employer doesn't allow staff to surf a bit during lunch breaks, it doesn't at all mean the boss is a petty tyrant or just greedy. There is another reason for these restrictions. Unrestricted Web surfing from workplace computers leads to corporate PCs swarming with malicious software. In fact, lots of these computers already are choke full of various unwanted programs, some of them extremely dangerous. Last October, America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance examined the computers of 329 randomly selected Internet users and found that 85 percent of them contained some form of spyware. The average "infected" computer had more than 90 spyware and adware programs. The State of Spyware Report, made by Webroot Software released on May 3, says: During Q1, 2005, 87% of scans made with Webroot's SpyAudit software found some form of unwanted program (Trojan, system monitor, cookie or adware) on corporate PCs. Excluding cookies, which are not such a serious problem as key logger programs or Trojan horses, more than 55% of corporate PCs contained unwanted programs. There were an average of 7.2 non-cookie infections per PC. Now consider the fact that no single anti-virus or anti-spyware product protects against all the crap that might land in workplace computers. You are lucky if it's just irritating adware. But in case of programs capable of stealing information, like keyloggers or keylogging-containing Trojans, a single "overlooked" program may mean lost valuable data. Of course, no regulation is perfect. Everywhere where there are rules, policies and regulations there is always room for abuse or misunderstanding. It seems that the human factor is the weakest link here. Ancient Romans used to say "Dura lex sed lex" (the law is harsh but it is a law). Present-day computerized workforce can paraphrase it "the policy is strict but it's a policy". Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at Raytown Corporation, LLC -- an independent software developing company that provides various solutions for information security. Learn more -- visit the company's website http://www.softsecurity.com
MORE RESOURCES: Supply Chain Lowe's Careers Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Working for ICE ice.gov Careers University of Northern Colorado How to use AI to get a job interview and nail it – along with the salary you deserve | Job hunting The Guardian Careers City of Ontario, California (.gov) Meet a millennial who quit her tech job, temporarily moved to Paris, and started a baking business in NYC Business Insider Careers at Prairie View A&M University PVAMU Home Careers | Home USDA (.gov) Jobs Multnomah County Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Compensation & Benefits Lowe's Careers Job Loss Is a Kind of Grief The Atlantic Careers - MDOT Maryland.gov Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Careers Baxter Store Hourly Job Areas Target Corporate Career Job Areas Target Employment Opportunities | Game Commission Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Careers at USCIS USCIS (.gov) Improve Your Chances of Landing That Job Interview IEEE Spectrum Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs and Training at FDA fda.gov Work at Butler Butler University Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shares his top tips for a successful career: ‘Don’t be afraid to fail’ AboutAmazon.com Water Services Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Careers Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Employment | Department of Corrections Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov) Career Opportunities UMHB Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers Johnson & Johnson Finding Your New Career at the City of Phoenix City of Phoenix (.gov) Careers at Willamette Willamette University IOM career gateways International Organization for Migration Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers Washington State University Careers BASF Jobs at Liberty University Liberty University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Jobs And Careers | VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Student internships at J&J Johnson & Johnson Careers Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them The World Economic Forum Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis, MO (.gov) Career Comeback UBS Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP) Wisconsin Department of Health Services (.gov) Jobs & Employment Monmouthshire County Council Ready for your next great job? ADP Careers Careers WV Department of Education Our Hiring Process Target Careers The Ocean Cleanup UF Health Careers UF Health Careers Job Seekers Illinois Human Resources Careers CrowdStrike EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts Colorado Public Radio Careers at Union Union College KPMG Careers KPMG March 2025 Preview: What to Expect in the Jobs Report Center for Economic and Policy Research Why hasn’t AI taken your job yet? Financial Times Matching Talent to the Jobs of Tomorrow: A Guidebook for Public Employment Services 2025 The World Economic Forum Jobs for Veterans and transitioning military VA Careers (.gov) Human Resources Department City of Phoenix (.gov) DOE Report Shows Clean Energy Jobs Grew at More Than Twice the Rate of Overall U.S. Employment Department of Energy (.gov) Provincial Government Job Opportunities Government of Prince Edward Island Current opportunities Turner & Townsend 60+ Stats On AI Replacing Jobs (2024) Exploding Topics Talent Solutions CBIZ Careers Euromonitor Job Opportunities Bellevue School District As Layoffs Continue, Federal Workers Face Sluggish Job Market The New York Times 20 Careers With the Most Job Security in 2025 US News Money Careers El Dorado County (.gov) The Job Market Is Frozen The Atlantic 15 jobs that work with wild animals International Fund for Animal Welfare | IFAW Recorded Video Interviews Target 15 Most Stressful Jobs for 2025 US News Money RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY TO POLICY-INFLUENCING POSITIONS WITHIN THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE The White House (.gov) |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Perfect Fit: Women & Franchising An interesting combination of factors at this time in history may be the reason so many women are turning to franchising to fulfill their entrepreneurial desires. Women's increased financial power, better education, and corporate experience, combined with their desire for more autonomy and desire to connect with others who share their values make franchising a great fit for many women. Work Is A Four-Letter Word I can hear the jokes already and most of them are not politically correct. Let me throw out a word that we often don't attach to work and yet I think it is a word of redemption, of contribution, of achievement, of community, and ultimately, of legacy. Are You Eking Out a Living, and Cant Get What You Want from a Job? Many people are working at jobs they don't wantand they hate to go there every day. Are you oneof them?Let's start by examining how you got into this kindof "pickle" to begin with. Be Prepared for the Unexpected How long has it been since you last had to search for a new job? These days it's not at all unusual to change careers or jobs several times in a lifetime. The idea of retiring from the same company after a lifetime of service is much less a reality in today's world than it was a couple of decades ago. How to Work Effectively With Recruiters "R-E-S-P-E-C-T / find out what it means to me" is a line made famous by Aretha Franklin, and one that recruiters have adopted as their mantra. This is probably because there is a love-hate relationship between candidates and recruiters. Create a Network and Catapult Your Job Search Networking is still known as a great job-search strategy, yet it eludes some individuals simply because they don't know how to go about it. Individuals also tend to shy away from networking because it's time consuming. Words. Words. Words. They're only words. Some believe the school-yard taunt: "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me. How to Terminate an Employee and Live to Tell the Tale 1. Employee Backdrop in AustraliaThe whole arena of Industrial Relations and the interaction between employer and employee is conducted within the complex framework of various statutes, state and federal, regulations and rulings and common law. Is Pursuing a Career in Patent Law the Right Move for You? What's It All About?The field of patent law is wide open to Biologists, Chemists, Engineers, Computer Scientists, and many other science and technology professionals. And it's true; individuals with the proper science or engineering degree need only pass the Patent Bar to become registered Patent Agents. Resurgence of the Time Sheet: Why You Should Write Down Your Workday Activities One day I walked into my boss's office and said, " I think all staff should do a time sheet, including you, from now on." I definitely surprised her but the results of thisrequest certainly got the attention of all of our staff. Career Change - Is Your Career A Good Fit Or Is It Causing Pain? Do you leap out of bed in the morning looking forward to the day ahead?Do you love your job and find that your working day goes past in the blink of an eye?Are you a solicitor, secretary, scientist or social worker because your parents or your careers teacher thought it was a good idea?Would you choose to do your job, even if you were not being paid? No?Well, take heart because the same goes for others! So many individuals are working in jobs which they find unfulfilling and meaningless. Many work in jobs which are inappropriate for them, simply because the pay is good. Resumes That Rock (16 Expert Tips) It's never too early to update your resume, even if you're not searching for a new job. Why? Updating your resume is a valuable reminder to yourself of your practical value to employers. Create Your Plan B Before the Layoff Axe Falls In one short week, the axe fell at a number of companies and thousands of employees were without jobs. Hewlett Packard, Kodak, Ford Motor Company of Canada, PNC Financial and Kimberley Clark each had to make critical business decisions and lay off large numbers of employees. 10 Tips For Writing A Professional Résumé 1. Start with an attractive layout. Job Search: Age-Proofing Your Resume Older job hunters fear interviews where their age cannot be concealed and where an initial response of dismay on an interviewer's face, quickly hidden, confirms their anticipation of discrimination. The mature job seeker often prefers the anonymity of mailed resumes, e-mailed inquiries, internet applications, and telephone contacts. Job Search Blurts I coined this word to draw attention tothe nervous and apprehensive way ofsaying something in the job search thatmakes you feel like a buffoon. A "blurt"is a catchy way of saying: Gaffe. Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow This article relates to the Job Security competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. After a large scale cut in personnel, this particular group of employees needed some extra support. How to Recoup From Missing the Most Important Meeting of the Year Sometimes missing a critical meeting just can't be helped. Despite the advance planning, you just cannot make it to the meeting. The Inevitable Job Interview Question: "Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position This is a question that you can almost count on being asked at your next interview What the interviewer wants to know is, "Why are you available?"The answer you give could set the tone for the rest of the interview. For instance, if you were to indicate that you were bored or burned out at your last job, the interviewer would quickly become concerned about your performance at this company. 9 Tips on Creating a Professional Emailed Job Application With the advent of the Internet, many of us have the opportunity to apply for work through email.However, just because this is the Internet and email is so fast and convenient, that does NOT mean you should give up professionalism and polish!FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|