Easynet Connect reveals that businesses need to manage their internet usage

A large number of small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) are failing to implement any policies to manage personal, non-essential internet use at work, it has been revealed by on Easynet Connect commissioned study.

Broadband Internet bandwidth is now becoming more and more of a precious business commodity as SMBs use increasingly bandwidth hungry applications like salesforce.com or Google Docs. Available resources to core systems can be severely limited when they are most needed without a personal internet usage at work policy that restricts web-browsing and non-work related applications.
Easynet Connect was looking to understand better the difference in usage of the internet by SMBs throughout the UK in its new research ‘soaring across the regions’ The attitude of SMBs towards employee using internet at work for personal use is, overall, quite relaxed. A complete ban was only imposed by 18 percent and formal internet policy (break or lunch time limitations for example) being employed by around 49 percent of SMBs. It was found, however, that an incredible 32 percent of SMBs allowed employees totally unrestricted use of the internet, greatly compromising their all-important broadband bandwidth because there was no formal internet policy.

The internet and connectivity provider found that throughout the country there was a considerable variation in attitude when observing personal use of the internet at work. In the North West 33 percent of SMB were most likely to completely ban personal use of the internet, whereas in Wales on 6 percent would be so. When it came to a collaborative policy being instigated, however, 63 percent of Welsh SMBs worked with employee to provider a formal internet policy where access to the internet for personal use was limited to particular times of the day, which makes them the most pragmatic region. The South East and South West were considered to provide the most freedom for employees with no form of internet policy being implemented by 42 percent and 41 percent respectively.

The managing director of Easy Connect, Chris Stenning said “As a rising number of core business applications become web-based, it is important that personal internet use does not compromise the performance of these applications. However, it is also important for SMBs to strike a balance with their employees. A complete ban is not the answer, because while some internet users can consume a lot of resources (by downloading movies or engaging in IP telephony), most simply wish to check their emails or do some online banking, which consumes less bandwidth. Businesses must analyse their internet connectivity requirements and develop a policy that doesn’t compromise their business’ core online applications, while accommodating for their employees legitimate internet needs.”

The author of the report and principle analyst at Quorcirca, Rob Bamforth advised “Most small and medium businesses do not measure personal use of the internet at work, potentially compromising their internet connection. As the internet has become a strategic business resource, companies need to identify suitable policy controls and protective measures to ensure they have sufficient bandwidth to cope with business needs. Those allowing personal use of the corporate internet connection by employees must understand its impact and plan their capacity and services to accommodate these requirements.”