As the internet becomes more and more a part of our everyday lives increasing our communication and productivity, it also comes with an increase in risks. Whether its employees using personal computers at work, bashing the company in online forums, or viewing non-work related sites on the clock, the internet provides a myriad of problems for HR.

There are a number of simple, cost effective steps one can take to greatly decrease the odds of falling victim to some sort of internet abuse. The following article from HRTechNews discusses several of these practices:

Protect your reputation

The lesson for companies: Once something negative appears online, it’s tough — if not impossible — to make it go away. In this day and age, any disgruntled employee, former employee or customer can do a fair amount of damage with a few keystrokes and a click of the mouse.

The best solution, of course, is to never give anyone a reason to complain — but anyone in HR knows that’s impossible. Here are some more realistic ways to prevent serious damage:

* Work to maintain a positive Web presence (for example, by having employees contribute to blogs and discussion forums).
* Encourage managers to listen to complaints and seek out constructive criticism. Often, employees seek alternate ways to complain because they feel they have no other place to go.
* Write computer policies that prohibit employees from writing derogatory comments about the company and its employees.
* Consider having some or all employees sign confidentiality agreements that ban defamation, or include non-defamation provisions in separation agreements.

By following the above guidelines consistently you will create a culture of responsible computer use that will lead to a more positive brand image online.  Looking where to begin?  Grab computer use policies, waivers, and codes of conduct from the HR Made Simple Libraries.