Summer Worker Security

Temporary and summer workers offer the chance to increase production -- and increase your security risks. But taking on summer help also offers the opportunity to review, refresh and enhance your security policies and practices.Even in tight economic times, taking on temporary workers is an occasional (and welcome) necessity. Summers especially see small and midsized business employment ranks swell with workers on break from college and high school.

These workers are an important part of the labor pool, and as anyone who's run a business knows, summer workers most often make fine additions to the staff, and sometimes forge longlasting business and personal relationships.

Indeed, a study by security firm Actimize revealed that employers felt far more distrust of full-time workers than of temporary and part-time help.

A few steps taken before the summer staff reports to work can help ensure that they don't bring security risks or introduce security concerns into your business.

Don't grant network access to temporary workers unless their job specifically requires it. If you grant employees access to the Internet for personal use, consider a waiting period before extending the privilege to summer workers (or any new employee for that matter). Especially for short-term employees, access to the Internet may be an unnecessary perk. Make clear upfront exactly what your policies are regarding personal devices brought into the workplace. Smartphones, music players and USB drives can bring viruses and other malware into the workplace; be sure your summer employees understand your rules about such devices and adhere to them.

Summers end, of course, and with their end comes the departure of those now-familiar workers. Before you send them on their way, you should:

Check to be sure that any network log-ins and passwords, if granted, have been disabled. Discontinue any company e-mail or other accounts issued to summer workers. Don't forget to collect other security and access related tools, including badges and swipe cards.

These are, clearly, basic security issues and considerations, applicable to all employees. Just don't forget to apply them to summer and temporary workers as well.

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