Employers concerned employees not doing enough

The MTSG View

On business, the workplace
and employee relations

November, 2007

"Phishing" for Your Data

If you receive an email from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) with the subject header "Harassment Complaint Update For," delete it The EEOC has issued a notice warning the business sector and the general public about this "phishing" email, which contains a Trojan horse virus that may infect your computer if you click on its referenced links or download its attachments



The phony email also may contain the fake header "Employer Liability for Harassment" In a recently issued press release, the EEOC stressed that it does not send notification of employment discrimination complaints via the Internet Rather, it uses the US Postal Service If you receive an email notice with either of these headings, or a similar heading that purports to be from the EEOC, delete it immediately



Phishing can result in stolen personal and confidential information, including employees' Social Security numbers Recently, some states have passed legislation requiring employers to safeguard their computer systems so Social Security numbers aren't stolen That means in the event that such information is stolen, an employer may be liable for violating the worker's privacy The National Conference of State Legislatures posts and updates legislation related to Social Security numbers To view the updates, visit http://wwwncslorg/programs/lis/privacy/SSN2007_Pendinghtm



Also, Network Security Journal has published a list of ways to protect yourself against phishing Among its top suggestions:

• Don't trust emails from unknown email addresses


• If you open spam by accident, don't link on any of its embedded links


• If "spear phishing" occurs - when a corporate account is compromised and the recipient gets an email seeking to solicit private information from someone within their organization, - verify the genuineness of the email with the person who supposedly sent it-

For more tips on how to protect your organization against cyber threats, visit http://wwwnetworksecurityjournalcom/features/44-ways-protect-phishing/

Inspire Your Personnel, Boost Their Commitment

A new study from Towers Perrin, the global consulting group, shows that many employees don't believe their employers are doing enough to keep them "engaged" at work and thus contributing to their organization's success Towers Perrin's Global Workforce Study, which surveyed nearly 90,000 employees across 18 countries, revealed that only 20 percent of the respondents felt they were engaged in their work, meaning that "they're willing to go the extra mile to help their companies succeed" Another 38 percent reported that they are not fully engaged in work This has resulted in a gap between organizations' discretionary efforts to engage their workers and the workers' desire to invest in the organizations' efforts



Other key findings indicate that organizations with higher employee-engagement rates are more successful financially and retain more of their workforce than those companies with poorer engagement scores In addition, the findings reveal that employers are a top influence on employees' engagement and that workers' personal values and work experience have less to do with their motivation than the extent to which they believe that upper management has a genuine interest in their well being



What should you do if you're looking for ways to boost engagement? Try focusing on three key areas

• Establish a corporate environment that revolves around inspiration, vision, and commitment That means making sure that your employees feel valued


• Set clearly defined goals for employees and give them a way to achieve them The study reveals that more than 80 percent of the respondents want to develop new skills and gain knowledge, and that they enjoy being challenged in roles that allow them to hone new skills So, promote from within!


• Establish your organization as a leader in your respective industry Strive for excellence in job performance and in the delivery of your company's message and its mission For example, by getting involved in community-based initiatives you can promote your organization's commitment to corporate social responsibility and hopefully increase your workers' morale

For more on the study, visit http://wwwtowersperrincom/gws

Workplace Privacy: Does It Exist?

If an employee uses your organization's email system to disseminate personal emails, does the company have a legal right to view those messages? Generally, the answer is yes since the firm owns and maintains the system on which the messages have been created and sent But, is it practical, or in most cases necessary, to monitor all emails sent and received from a corporate server? Probably not



That said, where employees have unlimited and unrestricted access to the Internet and email, employers should institute a workplace privacy policy to ensure that they aren't using the system to publish, view, or download illegal materials, such as pornography or copyright-protected materials, including audio and video files The reason: If an employee is using the company's system to engage in an illegal activity, the firm could be on the hook for their violation



In addition, you should have a policy in place to curb the abuse of Internet- and email-use privileges If you allow employees to check personal email during their workday, let them know that if they abuse the policy and their work suffers because of their need to chat online, you may take disciplinary action, including termination As with any policy, make sure you disseminate your policy to all workers, and ask them to sign a notice acknowledging their receipt and understanding of the policy And, most importantly, apply all policies evenhandedly



Also, it's a good idea to inform workers if you've installed computer software that allows the company to monitor their web-surfing practices and email communications By letting employees know that you could be watching and letting them know that you intend to enforce your policy fairly if infractions occur, there's a better chance they won't abuse the privileges you've given them



If you want to learn more about the issues associated with workplace privacy, which also encompasses drug testing, phone monitoring, instant messaging, keystroke logging, psychological testing, and other types of monitoring, visit the Electronic Privacy Information Center's (EPIC) website at http://wwwepicorg/ EPIC provides answers to frequently asked questions related to electronic privacy and regularly posts updates concerning legislation on this issue

Migrant College Professors

Remember the old days when everyone envied the job security held by tenured professors? Job security ain't what it used to be inside the ivy walls The use of adjunct professors in the nation's institutions of higher learning is on the rise A 2006 report of the American Association of University Professors showed that the number of part-time faculty at US colleges and universities rose to roughly 46 percent in 2003, compared to 30 percent in 1975 The good news is that, in many cases, students are attending classes taught by professionals who work full-time in their field of concentration Those adjuncts spend their days in court rooms, design shops or newsrooms, among other places and then share their practical experiences with the class The down side is that not all adjuncts have day jobs Many are educators trying to build a career by cobbling together part-time jobs at different schools

HR Blog Watch

HR Wench (http://hrwenchblogspotcom/) An HR generalist with a mere six years on the job brings her POV five days a week