Reducing Employee Productivity Loss, After Connecting to the Internet BurkeIn Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of MI537Data Communications and NetworksCity UniversityFebruary 16th, 2001 OverviewToday companies continually search for ways to improve efficiency, and Internet e-mail has helped to achieve this goal. One of the problems not foreseen in connecting the office to the Internet is the millions of Web sites that exist. Making it simple for workers to connect to the Internet allows users to waste time, money, and bandwidth, only to return with virus-laden files as souvenirs of their efforts. This report examines corporate need for effective Internet controls, and strong access policies.Topics CoveredWeb Surfing CostsUnauthorized Access, Attacks, and Virus ContaminationNetwork SecurityCreating a Network Use PolicyWeb Surfing CostsCosts are contained if employees use the Internet at work as intended. A “wired” workplace finds its productivity hampered as often as augmented due to employees having Internet access. The Internet is vast; the temptation to Web surf pursuing personal interests at work is hard to resist. United States Department of Labor estimates printed in The Standard.com (2000), are wasted time cost corporations three million dollars a year per each 1000 employees. The article continues: “Where are employees wasting most of their time these days? It is not the water cooler". Companies that want to improve efficiency are looking to rein in Web surfing workers.” In a Christmas 1999 article about electronic greeting cards, ZDNN (1999) reported: “There is rising corporate fervor against opening unnecessary files amid concerns about excessive personal usage among employees.” Unauthorized Access, Attacks, and VirusesWeb sites proliferate as a means of corporate promotion, customer service, and commerce. Unauthorized Internet access in the form of Web site intrusions, breaches an...
