Electronic Auditing Procedures to Monitor the Computer Use of Employees Essay

Imagining weight on a scale, when one goes up, the other one goes down. The natural order of life is the balance signaling there is always a price to pay for an achievement. In line with the explosion of the information and technology development, the quality of life has been literally perceived as jumping onto a higher level of realm. But on the other side of the scale is the humanity, the price to pay for such an advance achievement. Consequently there is the need to look into the matter on whether the technology should advance the humanity or it should be the otherwise. Therefore, this report will focus on the causes and the effects of the problems arisen, thus outlined few suggestions to overcome the issue before the spark triggered the fire. This report has been designed structurally from identifying the problem, the effect and subsequently discuss on the measurements to balance the order. There are lots of companies have run the electronic auditing procedures to monitor the computer use of the employees. They perceived this matter seriously because the future achievement is their priority. But is the implementation of the employee monitoring system is necessary is still under a heat debate because it deals with their privacy and individual right. We should make a clear statement that company computing systems are provided as tools for business and all information created, accessed, or stored using these systems are the property of the company and are subject to monitoring, auditing, or review. Even though the management has the authority to do so as the management is their source of income, but it is appropriate for the management to also look into their welfare as equal priority. Therefore, this report will focus on both side of the scale and dwell into both the benefits and the harms on implementing such a major monitoring system. Below (Diagram 1. 0) is the finding of a research conducted by The American Management Association as published in the Business Week, December 2012 edition. Before we dealt with the issue, it is best for us to understand on how does the system works. Then only we will proceed on the why should we or should not we implement such system. First off, the system enable the administrator to overlook or monitor the employees screen using his/her own computer, to be exact, we can know what the employees are viewing or doing with their computer. This gives the advantage for the administrator to save a screen shot of the employee’s computer to be kept as evidence in the time to come. Next, the administrator can also access in to the employees computer at any time, any will, as if we are using the employees’ mouse and keyboard. With that, the administrator can turn off or terminate the non-work related program accessed by the employees. On the other hand, the administrator can as well have access into all of the documents, folders and the program installed or downloaded into the computer, even without the employees’ consent. Diagram 2. 0 can best summarize the whole idea of the employees monitoring system. A drop of water can spoil the whole pot of milk. Sometimes precautions are essential to make sure things are in order. In nowadays life, the world is but at the fingertips. Most of the information is accessible anywhere anytime with the internet network so well established. It is no doubt the digital world evolves and still evolving in a drastic manner that brings the world into the greater level of live. But ironically, the money value for the technology drops steadily compare to the drastic development of the cyber world. We are getting a first class infrastructure development with an increasing transferring speed into the cyber world yet the subscription fee does not increase as much in parallel. The end result is the technology is now affordable even to the lowest hierarchy of the society. This easy-accessed phenomenon created another easy-influenced phenomenon where the cyber space has been widely used in reverse quality achievement so known as the cyber abuse. Cyber abuse has also become an infectious viral hit other than the gangnam style and the Harlem shake. The first and foremost situation to draw a frown on the face is the frequent visit to indecent websites, or pornography to be frank. Psychologically, such an act can retard the brain development yet catalyst sexual sensation. Though it is sensual to the eyes and the lust, but it will draw the vision into the dust. This situation also encourages sexual harassment among the colleague which will later on put a flame onto the company’s fame. Not to be pessimist, but this is what really happen in the world of reality. Though it goes mutual but a lot of families are in serious crisis because the authority put the hand on the elbow and let the spark burns the oil. The affairs among the colleague will definitely fuel up the existing official internal affairs, not to mention in depth in the report. Next is the overused of the social hub. When a thousand miles of distance only separated by an inch of screen, the company’s achievement will be a thousand light years behind the mission. Such scenario shifted the working focus to series of pointless communication resulting in miscommunication and lack of communication situation among the subordinates thus creating a plosive conversation here and there with huge blows, reaching no common goals, drowning further away against the stream. Good communications skills will no longer go verbally but upon a long sour facial expression, or even in written form. Verbal communication has always been the best medium in delivering day to day conversation, sharing thoughts and ideologies, thus nurturing a good social responsibility among the society. With verbal communication at stake, the social responsibility has also being driven onto the cliff, just a step towards rolling down the hill. We can no longer practice good discussions skills, daily conversations are no longer moderate. There is a call to climb back the cliff to rectify the problems. It is belief the implementation of the employee monitoring system can enhance the information transferring system thus improving the communication system. With the widespread of such working environment, next comes the misused of the communication and information technology. Blackmail and poison pen letter have since become threats. Dissatisfaction now leads to direct complaint to the superior without direct confrontation or discussion; even a compliment can turn into a complaint with such scenario growing firm affectively in the habit formation. Lot of reports has been lodged without thorough investigation, even worse when it is a blind accusation where the innocents have to take on the blame. A bunch of ants can also be a disaster; the growing numbers of complaints also bring chaos to the management. Worse still, most of the complaints have to be left unattended without resolution. This will also tainted our reputation and credibility as the top management because of our failure in resolving all the complaints. Another less concern issue is the online games addiction. Though such matter seems to leave no major effect but it still leaves a black dot on the blank slate. Employees with such addiction set aside practically all other activities in favor of playing computer games almost endlessly. Gamers who engage with extremely excessive daily gaming routines can find it difficult to make room for much else in the office. Some addicts allow jobs and careers to collapse in order to spend more time playing their favorite games. Furthermore, online games are not merely games, to a larger extend, they deal with gambling. With financial issue at stake, the focus is now on winning the jack pot like an ant in the hot pot. The company’s economy status is no longer the major concern as long as it does not effecting the payrolls. All of the above mentioned situations subsequently lead to the climate changes of the working environment. Workers are building and living in the virtual world of their own, reflecting the world of reality at the other side of the mirror, turning everything upside down. Another minor issue not to be missed out is the waste of time and energy. In the name of time, verily, man is in loss. The company’s performance is greatly affected when most of the task are not submitted in due time. Even when it is, the quality and the outcome do not get the end meet. Worse still when we have to bare all of the cost of the energy wasted for each and every workers’ entertainment. Based on the research conducted by The American Management Association, every company loses quit an amount of budget due to non-work related browsing. Somehow, it is understandable that the entire act can created a stress free working environment where they can channel the tense into the cyber space. Looking at the positive side, the use of the cyber space is actually one of the most powerful and effective information transferring and sharing method. The continuous development of the cyber technology has proved that the digital networking chain is indeed the key towards ultimate success if being use in proper management. Another major issue to look into is the misused of the confidential information of the company. Again, based on the finding, most of the employees confessed of leaking the confidential information to third parties, non-related to the company, or even to the archrivals of the company. It implies the information security breach where the employees can easily access and leak the information to the outsider. Nonetheless, this has also caused quite a few billions loss to the company income. Such scenario reflected on the management failure in preserving it confidentiality and information security system. Here comes the call to put all of the employees’ communication system inclusive of e-mail to be put under strict surveillance. However, it should be noted that enraged employees can cause an organization legal problems and liability in other methods such as by writing a letter, having a conversation, sending a fax or making a phone call just as easily as by sending an e-mail or misusing the Internet. So much so, we must recognize that some activities have a limited investment return. For example, with the exception of support center telephone operators, few telephone conversations are monitored because some casual or personal usage is expected and tolerated. Though the implementation of the electronic auditing procedure can benefit the company in almost every aspect but the invasion of the individual right and the employees’ privacy are the aspects not to be neglected. Ensuring proper use of organizational technology begins with outlining what is proper and what is not. Looking from the angle of an outsider, the welfare of the workers is not taken care of and it can cause a serious morale problem. Still, monitoring can be controversial because employees often view it as invasive, distracting, and stressful However, precaution steps need to be outlined to curb the problems mentioned. It can be considered as a system upgrading process to improve the company’s achievement. Our view is that we are showing a great concern towards the workers progression from time to time. There’s no doubt that the employee monitoring has become more common nowadays. However, overly intrusive practices can create the negative perception that the boss is watching. The solution, therefore, is to balance your need for protection with your employees’ desire for as much privacy as possible. So the idea is to implement the system with a little modification where the management can still monitor the employees’ computer yet the employees are still comfortable with such implementation. As the years roll by, workers can develop self awareness thus nurturing a great self discipline in carrying out the tasks assigned. In the case of e-mail, we should only use the company’s local area network emails outlook system to oversee the whole information transferring system. In a way, there is no other email service provider to be use in the office. The implementation of the system can be carried out in a specified timeframe so the employees still have the key to hold onto their privacy life. Yet the management should also take into consideration to block the access into certain website and IE download as a mean to overcome the individual morale issue while in the office. Workplaces subjected to high security surveillance basically are culturally troubled where trust is missing. Data collected during monitoring is subject to misuse in ways that could result the organization to liability. Our concern is that without proper handling and adequate corporate governance, employers may abuse the monitoring system. Human resource department should take the initiative to development a better programmer team under the management surveillance to take care of the system or it might become an individual right violation if the teams themselves misused the authority to oversee the system. It is utmost important now to develop a highly skilled, knowledgeable and professionally high etiquette team to encourage employee loyalty and lead to more satisfied employees. Managers and technology professionals must take steps to ensure the negative impact is minimized. With consideration from every point of view, it is utmost important to highlight there is a need for a change of wind. Given the risk of legal liability, productivity loss, and drain on bandwidth, it is clear why we must implement a blended and acceptable use policies and monitor resource usage. To qualify, the consent can be expressed in the written form with the business related reasons stated clearly on why it is being implemented. A great start is a good jump towards success, the best starting point for any organization should be the consultation with their legal counsel and other relevant parties to determine what type and scope of policy would be best suited for the organization. There should also be a defensive wall from accessing into improper website. Other than that, employees should also know that the monitoring system will only being carried out during the working hours. They still have their right into their own privacy life during the lunch hour and after the office hour. Therefore they can still maintain the stress free environment at the office. Again, the implementation of such system must be within the employees consent so they are aware of the situation that they are being watch at certain timeframe. The company policy should also embrace that the computer system and communications services are the property of the employer as well as include the penalties for policy violations, up to service termination. To show our concern towards both the company’s prospect and the employees privacy right, the approach to create the balance is neither the management is doing nothing nor monitor everything, but overseeing something yet the employees can still do their things at their own pace and comfort. With the implementation of this blended and modified monitoring system, let us put forth the hope of bringing the company into a greater level in the economy world.