Work email guidelines must be flexible

A 'one size fits all' policy for employees' use of the internet is too restrictive and affects their ability to conduct business efficiently.

Companies should instead create departmental, workgroup or even individual policies, considering whether tools like the internet, email, instant messaging and peer-to-peer applications are relevant, according to web and email filtering company SurfControl.

To help set these policies the vendor is offering a free Filtering Audit, a downloadable document that asks heads of departments to stipulate which tools staff can use when, and for how long.

Results can be communicated to the relevant HR and IT functions to help draft an acceptable use policy, or update existing policies to reflect the specific requirements and rules for the filtering tools required.

The launch of Filtering Audit comes just a week after mobile phone retailer Phones4U banned staff from using email in the workplace.

John Caudwell, co-founder of Phones4U, expressed concerns that his 2,500 staff were spending too much time sending and receiving emails and not enough time dealing with customers.

He claimed that the ban will save staff up to three hours a day, which translates to a saving of £1m a month.

But SurfControl believes that Caudwell's email ban is an overreaction.

"The message to employees is a slap on the wrist and treating them like children," said Martino Corbelli, marketing director at SurfControl.

"It's really about taking a common sense approach. Blanket banning is restrictive. It should be about making the hard and fast rules more granular.".

The audit is available for free download here.