Office Furtivity: the New Threat?

MEDIA RELEASE

Office Furtivity: the New Threat?

Auckland, 29 November 2001 – Does someone in your office work constantly at their PC but have little to show for it? Do they furtively attempt to cover their screen when you approach? Do they bypass water cooler chat in favour of the online variety?

According to a new website launching today, www.netmisuse.com, these are all warning signs of Internet misuse that managers should be aware of.

“62 percent of employees admit they go online for personal reasons at least once a day,” says Net Misuse web designer Michael Carney. “This is a huge issue for business, and managers need guidance and support in how to handle it.”

“There’s some staggering information available on net misuse,” says Martin Searancke, Product Manager for NetMaster at CommSoft. “For instance, some 70 percent of employees admit to viewing or sending adult email at work. One recent United States survey reported 13 percent of employees spending two hours engaged in personal Internet use each day. The flow-on cost for employers is substantial. A $50,000 employee who spends 15 minutes a day on personal emails and Internet use will cost the organisation $1600 each year.”

“The message for employers is clear: you need to know how your employees are spending their time on the web.”

The major issues for employers include the high cost of Internet access, staff productivity, clogged Internet connections and legal liability.

The website offers:

- A slew of net misuse statistics
- A review of tools available to help organisations manage staff internet use
- Foundation elements for an acceptable use policy
- Free eBooklet: the Warning Signs of Net Misuse

A key element of the NetMisuse.com site is the special report entitled Misuse of the Internet in the Workplace. This report is available free to all qualified business executives. The report examines the issues and recommends steps that organisations can take to protect themselves from Internet misuse and abuse.

Visitors to the NetMisuse.com site can access the latest statistics on what employees are doing on the Internet during work hours as well as getting information on how to detect Internet Misuse and what to do about it.

Ends

About CommSoft Group Limited
CommSoft Group Limited is an international leader in the development of niche software products for the telecommunications industry. CommSoft develops and markets leading edge telecommunications and Customer Relationship Management software to help all kinds of enterprises make better use of their telecommunications equipment through better cost management, increased staff productivity and improved customer service.

Its products are bundled with products and services by some of the world's largest telecommunications suppliers. More information is available at www.commsoftgroup.com

NetMaster won product of the month in UK Integration magazine April.

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