Instant Messaging Rules: A Business Guide to Managing Policies, Security, and Legal Issues for Safe IM Communication

To be successful, your IM rules and policies must be adopted 100 percent by your employees.

Your employees have the right to work in a work environment free from harassment, discrimination, and hostility—electronic or otherwise.

Notify employees of the organization’s IM rules and policies in person. Follow up with electronic reminders.

Consider retaining an outside IM trainer. Employees often respond better and listen more attentively to an outside expert.

Be sure every employee understands each IM rule and policy and is clear on what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate use of the organization’s computer assets.

Require each employee to sign and date a copy of the IM policy, acknowledging that the employee has read, understands, and will comply with the policy—or accept the consequences, up to and including termination.

Make it easy for employees to access your IM rules and policies. Provide each employee with a signed copy of the organization’s IM rules and policies, keep master copies in the comprehensive employee handbook, and send frequent reminders via e-mail and the Intranet.

Create continuing education activities and tools to reinforce training and ensure IM rule and policy compliance. Consider an annual IM/e-mail risk, rules, and policy seminar for all employees.