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ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE SFTC IT and communications SYSTEMS – Employees' private/personal use

As a concession, employees’ limited and reasonable personal use of the SFTC IT and communications facilities is permitted provided that such use:

• does not interfere with their (or others’) work; and
• does not incur any significant expense for the SFTC and/or tie up a significant amount of resource.

Personal use should normally be undertaken in non-working time e.g. at lunchtime or before/after normal working hours. Very limited, occasional personal use during normal working time will be tolerated - e.g. to respond briefly to an incoming personal e-mail or telephone call. However, spending significant amounts of work time making personal use of the internet, e-mail, telephone, etc is not acceptable and may lead to disciplinary action. This applies particularly to employees who are members of flexi schemes, where the SFTC is entitled to expect that when the employee is “clocked in” he/she will be working.

Before undertaking personal use, all staff should ask themselves the following questions.

• Would my actions be considered unacceptable if viewed by a member of the public?
• Would managers, auditors or others in similar positions call into question the cost effectiveness of either my use of work time or my use of the SFTC IT and communications facilities if they knew about it?
• Will my personal use have a negative impact upon the work of my colleagues or their morale?
• Could my personal use bring the SFTC into disrepute?

Personal use should not be undertaken if the answer to any of these questions is yes.

Responsibility for ensuring that any personal use is acceptable rests with the individual. Staff should seek guidance from their line manager if they have any doubts concerning the acceptability of their personal use. If any doubt still remains, then that form of personal use should not be undertaken.