Businesses are becoming increasingly sophisticated about managing employee Internet use at work, a new survey shows. More than three-quarters (78 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) polled recently said their company has either installed content-filtering or blocking software, instituted policies that detail acceptable web browsing, or done a combination of both.



The national poll includes responses from more than 1,400 CIOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis.

CIOs were asked, "Which of the following best describes your company's policy regarding employee access to the Web?"



CIOs also were asked, "Which of the following are reasons for your company's policies limiting employees' web browsing?" Their responses*:



"All companies should have a corporate policy in place that outlines acceptable web use by employees," said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Communicating and explaining web access policies, along with the risks associated with web browsing, helps employees understand why these guidelines are in place."

Lee noted that it is crucial to inform new staff of expectations from day one. "Including web access policies in new-hire training and restating the information on the company intranet or in internal newsletters, for example, reinforces this message."