Chapter 15: Training Is Essential to Instant Messaging Policy Compliance

Overview

Although there is no such thing as an IM environment that is entirely risk free, employers who want to ensure employee IM use is as compliant as possible are urged to adopt the three Es of IM risk management:

1. Establish written instant messaging rules and policies.

2. Educate employees—from summer interns to the CEO—about IM-related risks, rules, rights, regulations, and responsibilities (from the perspective of the organization and the individual employee).

3. Enforce your written rules and policies with a combination of consistent discipline and technology including monitoring and content-filtering software.

Most employers drop the ball when it comes to educating employees about IM (and e-mail) risks and rules. According to the ‘‘2003 E-Mail Rules, Policies, and Practices Survey,’’ 75 percent of organizations have e-mail policies in place, but only 48 percent offer e-policy education to employees. ^[1] On the plus side, e-policy training has doubled since 2001, when just 24 percent of businesses offered e-policy education to employees. ^[2]

The courts and regulators appreciate—and tend to respond favorably to—policy and training consistently applied. Adopt the IM rules outlined in this book, implement an IM policy, and institute a continuing education program, and you may find your employees more compliant and the courts more accepting of the fact that you have made every effort to keep your organization free of inappropriate IM content, including material that is discriminatory, harassing, hostile, or otherwise objectionable.

At the end of the day, written IM rules and policies coupled with an effective employee education program may help your organization deflect workplace lawsuits and other e-disasters. ^[3]

IM Rule # 28: Training, training, and more training.

^[1]‘‘2003 E-Mail Rules, Policies, and Practices Survey,’’ conducted by American Management Association, The ePolicy Institute, and Clearswift. Survey findings available online at www.epolicyinstitute.com.

^[2]‘‘2001 AMA, US News, ePolicy Institute Survey: Electronic Policies and Practices,’’ conducted by the American Management Association, US News & World Report, and The ePolicy Institute. Survey findings available online at www.epolicyinstitute.com.

^[3]Nancy Flynn and Randolph Kahn, Esq., E-Mail Rules, New York, AMACOM, 2003.