Email and internet abuse costing €300m: SFA

Employees who abuse email and internet facilities for 10 minutes every day are costing Irish firms over €300m a year in productivity terms.

This is according to the Small Firms Association who said that Irish employers need to wake up to the scope, extent and impact which this abuse can have on their businesses.

Its Assistant Director, Patricia Callan, called for vigilance after figures show that 57% of small businesses have no e-mail & internet abuse policy in place, despite the fact that they will be held legally liable if their employees misuse their IT systems.

This can leave an employer open to even greater costs, such as libel actions, inadvertent entry into binding contracts, breaches of copyright legislation and exposure to sexual harassment and bullying claims, said the business lobby group..

The Business Software Alliance had estimated that the Irish software industry was losing €40m per annum as a result of software piracy and companies downloading material from the internet.

While welcoming the part small businesses played in information provision, Callan warned of the associated dangers.

"This empowerment brings with it a risk that many companies do not anticipate, particularly in lost output and increased cost," Callan said.

"Owner-managers face a 'duty of care' to staff, customers and the general public, in protecting these from unsolicited information or advice that may emanate from their company," she added.