Tags: email and internet usage at work, regulation of interception and communications act, discipline employee email usage, employee email abuse, email communications policy

Now you've got proof he's spending too much time on personal emails: Here's what you should do...

Last week I gave you the three checks to find out if your employee Willem is spending too much time on his personal emails. Today, I'm going to share the four steps you can take if you have proof he's spending too much time on his personal emails.

Now you've got proof he's spending too much time on personal emails: Here's what you should do

1. Set up a meeting with him – Remind him about your email communication policy which limits him from using your company's resources for personal use. Make sure he signed this policy when he began working with you. Show him your report of how many emails he's sent over the past weeks. Explain why it's important he doesn't use company resources for his personal use. If you don't have this policy, here's a sample you can use. And make sure you tell him you'll continue to monitor how he uses the internet. Make sure you confirm this conversation on email. Print a copy of this email and keep it in his file.

2. Watch how he uses the internet over a period of time – Over the next four weeks, keep monitoring how he uses the internet. Has he stopped? Has the number of emails he sends lowered, or is he still sending many personal emails?

 Keep reading to find out what's next.



Two more steps you must follow to discipline him

1. If he continues set up another meeting – Remind him about the talk you had in your first meeting. This time explain how you'll follow your policy's disciplinary process and give him a written warning.
2. Follow your email communication's disciplinary process – Your email communications policy should tell you clearly what to do if your employee is abusing company resources. Make it clear to him that he hasn't followed instruction and hasn't complied with his verbal warnings.

If you follow these steps, you'll protect yourself from a dispute with the CCMA because you have an email communications policy which Willem signed. And remember, when you monitor his email usage, make sure you don't read what's inside the email because you'll invade his privacy.
 
Until next time,
 
Miriro Matema
Product Manager: Practical Guide to Human Resources Management
 
P.S. Remember, you can get your Electronic Communications Policy and 49 other important policies here so you never have to worry about your employees taking you to the CCMA!
 

Author: Miriro Matema