E-Safety Staff Training
23 August 2022
Why Every Employee Should Undergo E-Safety Staff Training
In the modern world, e-safety staff training is a new necessity in the business sector. A large number of businesses conduct at least a portion of their work on a computer. Digital media is an important element of business today, and it comes with many advantages and disadvantages. Working online has become an integral part of business that is relied on for many processes and duties. However, there are also many risks to working online. That is where e-safety comes in. It is essential to understand the risks of being online and how to avoid them. In this article, you will learn about e-safety, the common risks of online business, as well as the importance of e-safety in the workplace.
What is E-Safety?
E-safety is exactly what it sounds like – online safety. Since most of our lives happen online nowadays, it’s essential to take e-safety as seriously as we take physical safety. This is important in the workplace, but it is equally important in our personal lives. E-safety staff training can help avoid any data breaches or significant dangers like hacking that may take place online. The definition of e-safety risks includes three areas. Let’s take a look at the three C’s of e-safety:
Content: Content refers to any form of illegal, dangerous, harmful or inappropriate content that is accessed digitally. In the context of the workplace, this can refer to employees using work computers to access inappropriate or illegal sites or content. It can also simply refer to the misuse of company equipment, even using work time and the internet to do personal things like check social media.
Contact: Contact is mainly an e-safety issue when it comes to children, but it is an issue that also affects adults quite often. This has to do with any communication that is happening online. While online, there is the risk of coming into contact with a stranger or a person who is posing as another person.
Conduct: Conduct refers to the nature of the exchanges happening online during contact. Bullying and harassment can take place online, especially with the ease of anonymity. This is a serious issue, and if it takes place in the workplace, it becomes a business issue that must be addressed.
E-safety may not seem like a real threat, but it is very important to take online safety seriously. Another issue that businesses may encounter is the risk of being hacked or encountering a data breach. This is a very serious offence under the GDPR, and it is also a risk for employees and customers who may have their personal information stolen. At times, data breaches can happen accidentally simply due to staff not being well-versed in e-safety. That is why this type of training must be prioritised and taken seriously in the workplace.
Why Is E-Safety Important in The Workplace?
Nearly every business has some form of computer or digital media involvement. This means that e-safety staff training is no longer a rare necessity. Instead, it is actually something that applies to all industries and all types of employees. Having access to the internet and the digital world is a huge benefit in the workplace. It is the reason that most businesses are able to be so fast-paced and advanced nowadays. However, it is also the source of a whole new set of risks. E-safety in the workplace not only protects employees’ personal data from being breached, but it also protects employees and customers from getting access to illegal, dangerous or inappropriate content in the workplace.
All the dangers of being online still exist at work, and if any of them come into fruition from a work computer, it becomes the business’ issue. This is why it’s essential to make sure that all your employees understand the risks of being online. There are so many easy ways to protect yourself from data breaches or dangerous contacts online. Make sure that these strategies are addressed in your e-safety training. Put a focus on specific situations that may occur in the workplace. Some of the most important e-safety topics to cover in the workplace are related to data breaches, loss of information, confidentiality, as well as the misuse of company equipment. The line between electronics for personal use and for professional use can be difficult to single out, so it’s important that training is provided to explain to staff exactly what is expected of them.
Why Should E-Safety Staff Training Be Focused On?
It may seem difficult to envision the real danger that the online world poses. Things like hacking or illegal activities online may seem few and far between, but the truth is that they are common, and businesses are often the targets. This means that putting a focus on e-safety staff training is vital to protect employees, customers and the business as a whole from being breached. E-safety in the workplace mainly focuses on internet access at work as well as the risk of data breaches.
Accessing the internet at work is usually necessary, and it provides so many opportunities for employees. However, it also opens up the business to liability depending on what employees choose to do online. There is even the basic risk of getting a computer virus or malicious spyware being accidentally downloaded onto a company computer. Awareness is the first step to solving and addressing all of these problems. Ensure that your employees understand the risks involved with being online at work, as well as the dangers of not focusing on e-safety.
In conclusion, e-safety training is a necessary element for any business that works with computers or does business online in any way. There are so many ways that working online can have a negative impact on staff or on the business. By choosing a good e-safety training programme for your staff, your business can avoid any liability and reduce the risks of online mistakes taking place.
