6 Important IT Policies Any Company Should Implement

6 Important IT Policies Any Company Should Implement

Many small businesses leave out policies these days, considering them an unnecessary hassle. Usually, they will just informally inform the staff what to expect.

This way of thinking can cause issues because employees cannot guess what is on the employer’s mind. This usually occurs for small and midsized business owners who rely on common sense without explicitly spelling it out in policies. To sum it up, just because you think something is obvious to your employees, that does not mean it will be obvious to them.

It is important not to leave yourself vulnerable to legal repercussions when you employ a policy-free work environment. For example, you could be sued due to misuse of a company device or email.

According to a survey by Digital Information World, 77% of employed workers access their accounts on social media at work. In some cases, employees are ignoring a company policy while in others there is no specific policy to follow.

IT policies play a significant role in your IT security and technology management. You should have an IT policy irrespective of company size. Here are some key factors you should consider in your IT policies.

Do you have these in your IT policies? (You should!)

#1 Password Security Policy

Compromised passwords are one of the most common reasons for data breaches globally. A password security policy outlines how your employees should handle their login passwords. Among them:

• Password length
• Suggestions to construct passwords (e.g. not to use names and numbers that are easily identifiable, including symbols and characters etc)
• Storing passwords – where and how
• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) where required
• Changing passwords periodically

#2 Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Develop a company-wide Acceptable Use Policy that will govern the proper use of devices and data in your organisation. Examples of things the policy should cover include ensuring that updates are performed regularly on all work devices.

An area to include in your AUP would be where the acceptable use of company equipment/devices. You can disallow remote employees from sharing their work devices with other family members.

Data is yet another region of the AUP. It should determine how to store and manage data. The policy could consist of an encrypted environment to secure information.

#3 Cloud & App Use Policy

Using unauthorised applications can be a major security risk to a company. Employees may use apps that are malicious or potentially open the company’s network to vulnerabilities.

A cloud and app use policy will let the employees know which apps are okay to use for business purposes. It can also restrict the use of unapproved applications.

#4 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy

It is common for companies to allow employees to use their own mobile phones or tablets for work purposes. It is a cost-saving move for the company, and convenient for the employees. Carrying multiple devices for personal and work purposes can be cumbersome.

BYOD policies are important to prevent vulnerabilities that may arise from mixing personal and company usage. The policy should clarify the use of employee devices for business which may include periodic updates, security measures, and endpoint management apps. All these are preventive measures to make sure that these devices are not vulnerable to attacks.

#5 Wi-Fi Use Policy

It is easy to connect to public Wi-Fi from company-issued devices when you are outdoors. Most employees will not hesitate to log into a company app or email account when using a public internet connection. This can easily expose credentials and lead to a breach of the company network.

In your Wi-Fi use policy, you can outline steps for employees to ensure that they have a safe connection. It can dictate the use of company VPN, restrict activities when on public Wi-Fi, and require the use of secure internet connectivity when on the move.

#6 Use of social media

With the popularity of social media, companies need to address the proper use of social media on company devices. It may not be ideal to completely block social media as it can also be used to facilitate work or may be required for work purposes.

Key areas to include in your social media policy:

• Restricting when employees can access their personal social media accounts
• Restricting what employees can post about the company
• Restricting what images can be shared in public, e.g., exposing a company’s trade secrets, premises, intellectual property, research and more

Improve Your IT Policy (We can help you!)

Do not leave security to chance. Start today by addressing all the key areas in your IT policy. A well thought out IT policy can protect you and your company from vulnerabilities and attacks.

Reach out to us today to schedule a consultation.