{"id":2359,"date":"2022-09-10T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/integritech.io\/?p=2359"},"modified":"2022-10-06T15:39:29","modified_gmt":"2022-10-06T15:39:29","slug":"6-important-it-policies-any-size-company-should-implement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/integritech.io\/6-important-it-policies-any-size-company-should-implement\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Important IT Policies Any Size Company Should Implement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Many small businesses make the mistake of skipping policies. They feel that things don\u2019t need to be so formal. They\u2019ll just tell staff what\u2019s expected when it comes up and think that\u2019s good enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this way of thinking can cause issues for small and mid-sized business owners. Employees aren\u2019t mind readers. Things that you think are obvious, might not be to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not having policies can also leave you in poor legal standing should a problem occur. Such as a lawsuit due to misuse of a company device or email account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalinformationworld.com\/2018\/09\/problems-social-media-workplace.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">77% of<\/a> employees access their social media accounts while at work? Further, 19% of them average 1 full working hour a day spent on social media. In some cases, employees are ignoring a company policy. But in others, there is no specific policy for them to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IT policies are an important part of your IT security and technology management. So, no matter what size your business is, you should have them. We\u2019ll get you started with some of the most important IT policies your company should have in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do You Have These IT Policies? (If Not, You Should)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Password Security Policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>About <a href=\"https:\/\/enterprise.verizon.com\/resources\/reports\/2020-data-breach-investigations-report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">77% of<\/a> all cloud data breaches originate from compromised passwords. Compromised credentials are also now the number one cause of data breaches globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A password security policy will lay out for your team how to handle their login passwords. It should include things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>How long passwords should be<\/li><li>How to construct passwords (e.g., using at least one number and symbol)<\/li><li>Where and how to store passwords<\/li><li>The use of multi-factor authentication (if it\u2019s required)<\/li><li>How often to change passwords<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Acceptable Use Policy is an overarching policy. It includes how to properly use technology and data in your organization. This policy will govern things like device security. For example, you may need employees to keep devices updated. If this is the case, You should include that in this policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing to include in your AUP would be where it is acceptable to use company devices. You may also restrict remote employees from sharing work devices with family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Data is another area of the AUP. It should dictate how to store and handle data. The policy might require an encrypted environment for security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cloud &amp; App Use Policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The use of unauthorized cloud applications by employees has become a big problem. It\u2019s estimated that the use of this \u201cshadow IT\u201d ranges from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudcodes.com\/blog\/what-is-shadow-it-and-its-impacts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">30% to 60%<\/a> of a company\u2019s cloud use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often, employees use cloud apps on their own because they don\u2019t know any better. They don\u2019t realize that using unapproved cloud tools for company data is a major security risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A cloud and app use policy will tell employees what cloud and mobile apps are okay to use for business data. It should restrict the use of unapproved applications. It should also provide a way to suggest apps that would enhance productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Approximately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zippia.com\/advice\/byod-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">83% of<\/a> companies use a BYOD approach for employee mobile use. Allowing employees to use their own smartphones for work saves companies money. It can also be more convenient for employees because they don\u2019t need to carry around a second device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you don\u2019t have a policy that dictates the use of BYOD, there can be security and other issues. Employee devices may be vulnerable to attack if the operating system isn\u2019t updated. There can also be confusion about compensation for the use of personal devices at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The BYOD policy clarifies the use of employee devices for business. Including the required security of those devices. It may also note the required installation of an endpoint management app. It should also cover compensation for business use of personal devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wi-Fi Use Policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Public Wi-Fi is an issue when it comes to cybersecurity. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/neill-feather\/how-to-protect-your-remote-employees-from-cyber-threats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">61% of<\/a> surveyed companies say employees connect to public Wi-Fi from company-owned devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many employees won\u2019t think twice about logging in to a company app or email account. Even when on a public internet connection. This could expose those credentials and lead to a breach of your company network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your Wi-Fi use policy will explain how employees are to ensure they have safe connections. It may dictate the use of a company VPN. Your policy may also restrict the activities employees can do when on public Wi-Fi. Such as not entering passwords or payment card details into a form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social Media Use Policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With social media use at work so common, it\u2019s important to address it. Otherwise, endless scrolling and posting could steal hours of productivity every week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Include details in your social media policy, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Restricting when employees can access personal social media<\/li><li>Restricting what employees can post about the company<\/li><li>Noting \u201csafe selfie zones\u201d or facility areas that are not okay for public images<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get Help Improving Your IT Policy Documentation &amp; Security<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We can help your organization address IT policy deficiencies and security issues. Reach out today to schedule a consultation to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8212;<br><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/5fNmWej4tAA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Featured Image Credit<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p>This Article has been Republished with Permission from <a rel=\"canonical noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/thetechnologypress.com\/6-important-it-policies-any-size-company-should-implement\/\" title=\"6 Important IT Policies Any Size Company Should Implement\" target=\"_blank\">The Technology Press.<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many small businesses make the mistake of skipping policies. They feel that things don\u2019t need to be so formal. They\u2019ll just tell staff what\u2019s expected when it comes up and think that\u2019s good enough. But this way of thinking can cause issues for small and mid-sized business owners. Employees aren\u2019t mind readers. Things that you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":14973,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>6 Important IT Policies Any Size Company Should Implement | IntegriTech<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/integritech.io\/6-important-it-policies-any-size-company-should-implement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6 Important IT Policies Any Size Company Should Implement | IntegriTech\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Many small businesses make the mistake of skipping policies. 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