“Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don’t think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without the talking about the other.” -Bill Gates
All information technology resources and communications are to be used to promote the core mission of Capstone. Capstone’s information technology resources are to be used for their intended purposes and in a manner that protects their integrity and performance. In some circumstances, Capstone may monitor online activity of employees utilizing Capstone’s electronic resources.
Additionally, as with any conduct outside of Capstone, employees can be held accountable for conduct that negatively impacts Capstone’s core mission. This may include, but is not limited to, public internet and online information technology activities where employees represent themselves as Capstone employees, inappropriately share information related to Capstone, and/or make inappropriate/unprofessional statements which may negatively impact Capstone.
Employees should not have an expectation of privacy regarding any information transmitted or stored on Capstone’s systems. To the fullest extent permitted by state and federal law, Capstone reserves the rights to intercept, access, disclose, and use the wire and electronic communications transmitted by company facilities or generated in the conduct of its business.
Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure
“Confidentiality is the essence of being trusted.” Billy Graham
We are committed to protecting confidential information. Our staff has access to various forms of sensitive, confidential, financial, or proprietary information. Federal law and Capstone policies prohibit the unauthorized seeking, disclosing, or giving of such information, including confidential information contained in financial records, background records, and employee records.
We have an obligation to protect the security of private, sensitive, or proprietary information and the respect of others’ intellectual property.
All employees are required to know and comply with laws and Capstone policies related to information privacy and security.
Security of Information
All Capstone employees are expected to follow these guidelines to protect sensitive information:
- Individuals using Capstone’s electronic resources are responsible for maintaining the security of information stored on each system. All computers should be password protected and locked when not in use.
- Confidentiality of systems’ accounts, passwords, personal identification numbers (PINS) and other types of authentication assigned to individual users must be maintained and protected. It should be understood by all employees that assigned passwords and log ins to any software or social platforms are not to be changed.
- Individuals need to be aware of computer malware, such as viruses, spyware, trojans, root kits, and other destructive programs. Individuals should contact the Corporate Office for minimum security recommendations to prevent damage to Capstone’s data, equipment, and systems.
- Capstone resources must not be used by anyone to gain or attempt to gain unauthorized access to or misuse of private information. Employees are entrusted with the responsibility to protect information from disclosure by refraining from accessing private or sensitive information without a legitimate business or educational purpose, by refraining from sharing their system passwords, and by following all other policies relating to protecting the security of information.
- Deliberate destruction of any data relating to Capstone and affiliates or disregard for minimum security recommendations that impact confidentiality, availability, or integrity of Capstone systems and/or data, including but not limited to, viruses, keyboard loggers, packet sniffers, etc., is prohibited and could be punishable by law.
Technology Resources
Technological resources make the process of creating something more effective and efficient. These resources help to grow productivity of businesses. Capstone prohibits the misuse of information technology resources. All network computing and electronic resources, including electronic mail, should be used in a manner consistent with our core mission and may not be used in a manner that violates laws, policies, or principles of integrity.
Employees may not use authentications that are not their own. Employees may not use electronic systems or equipment while signed in under another employee’s account or password unless given express authorization under extraordinary circumstances by their supervisor/manager. Responsibility for activity which occurs under a user-assigned authentication ultimately rests with the user to whom the authentication is assigned.
Social Media
Golden rule of social media, “Tweet others the way you want to be tweeted”.
Social media has changed the way we communicate and interact with each other – both as a company and as individuals. With tools such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and more, anyone has the ability to create a dynamic online presence, update it from wherever they are whenever they want, and share their content instantly with friends and followers around the world. Social media gives us the opportunity to engage in ongoing conversations with our current and prospective residents, staff, colleagues etc. about what is happening with the company and therefore extending the community.
If you manage a social media presence, or are considering starting a social media account, for any of our communities, departments, organizations, or groups, it is your responsibility to do so in a professional manner.
An employee’s comments on social media are generally not protected by federal labor law if they are mere gripes not made in relation to group activity among employees. Threats of violence, harassing behavior and maliciously false statements could be grounds for discipline or dismissal from job.
We ask that you:
- Separate personal from professional. Balancing your professional and personal social media presences can be tricky, particularly if you are an avid user in both arenas. Content that is appropriate and of interest to your personal friends is most likely not appropriate or of interest to the company’s target audience. Keep these two presences as separate as possible by keeping content about your non-work life on your personal page; and make clear that your personal accounts do not represent the company. Once you separate from Capstone, please extend this to social media accounts that you may be linked to and update your job status or title. Also, please keep in mind before adding coworkers any of your social media accounts that your personal or political beliefs may be offensive to some and could potentially cause tension within the workplace.
- Be aware of the world around you. When posting on Capstone social media do not tweet or post anything political, personal opinions or beliefs as they may offend or exclude others. Just keep everything fact based and related to the business.
- Be respectful. Anything you post in your role as a Capstone employee reflects on the company. Be professional and respectful at all times. Do not engage in arguments or extensive debates with naysayers on any industry related pages.
- Be transparent. Make it clear that you are Tweeting / Facebooking, etc. in your role as a staff member for Capstone. One of the great benefits of social media is that the individuals maintaining social media sites personalize the company they represent. Use your own “voice.” Do not ghostwrite posts for supervisors.
- Listen. Being a consumer of social media is essential to your ability to be a successful producer of social media content. “Listen” to online conversations on your preferred tools – be they blogs, Twitter, Facebook, or anything else – to maintain a clear and current understanding of what is relevant and of interest to the community.
- Be active. Social media presences require diligent care and feeding. If you do not have the time or resources to check in on these sites at least a few minutes each day, and to post fresh content several times a week, reconsider jumping in social media at this time. Your site is only as interesting as your last post – if that post is several months old, visitors will consider it -mothballed.
- Be timely. One of the great benefits of social media is the ability to share information almost instantly with a global audience. This timeliness is also one of the expectations of that audience. Be prepared to move quickly in response to new developments, announcements, or emergencies with relevant information on your site. A short amount of accurate information delivered at the time of need can sometimes be more valuable than a full report delivered well after the issue has passed.
- Remember, everything you do online can and will live forever. Think before you post, remembering that anything you share within social media, even within a closed network, is not private. It can and will be shared, stored, and spread globally.
- Have clear goals. Don’t just tweet or post for the fun of it – save that for your personal accounts. A successful social media strategy requires research, clearly outlined goals and objectives, smart tactics, and dedicated effort. All of these should be in support of your area’s communications goals and mission. Just think through why you’re doing what you’re doing and how best to do it before you post anything.
- Comment. As a consumer as well as a producer of social media, offer comments on interesting posts and share the good work of others using your sites. Social media is not (only) about sharing your news and success, it’s about sharing information that is of interest to your readers and viewers. When commenting as part of your job, be sure to indicate who you are and your affiliation with Capstone. If you see a post that you think requires or would benefit from an official Capstone response, please contact your supervisor for direction.
- Accept and monitor comments. A social media site without comments isn’t very social. Be prepared to accept and respond to comments. Understand that not all comments will be positive and respond to negative comments professionally by providing any additional information that may help resolve the issue. Post a disclaimer on your site stating you reserve the right to remove inappropriate comments. Remove those comments containing vulgar language, those that attack any one group or individual and those that are obviously spam.
- Be a valued community member. Don’t just talk about your property or department – share the best information you find from trusted sources outside of Capstone. This will increase the value of your site and will ensure you are a valued member of the community and are not just tooting your own horn.
- Don’t cyber-slack. Endless amounts of time can be spent, and wasted, on social media sites. Limit the amount of time you spend attending to your department’s social media presence to what is needed to post content, evaluate traffic data, review related sites, and monitor comments. Limit your personal use of these sites while at work as directed by company guidelines.
- Promote your accounts. If you tweet, but no one reads it, did you really tweet at all? Make it easy for people to find you on social media. Have links and icons on your website. Include your accounts on everything you send out (think: flyers, post cards, calendar entries, posters, email signatures – you cannot oversaturate promoting your accounts). Make sure you are listed on the official Capstone social media directory (if you’re not, we can fix that).