To monitor email or not?

You're a business owner. You've hired a few employees. Your business is picking up, and your ability to supervise your employees wanes. What is happening when your back is turned? For the most part, you hope nothing. But, being one filled with experience-based cynicism, I doubt it.

Several years ago, our company implemented an email policy that basically put our employees on notice that we can/will monitor emails. This practice felt very invasive at first until I found an employee who was trashing my partner to another employee. The individual in question was unhappy at our firm, and was actively looking for another job. Well, that's fine, not every employee is going to like their bosses (you can only hope they will!), but the problem I was having was that this employee was "infecting" another employee. That cycle, uncontrolled, can create a hellstorm for a small business, and frankly, I couldn't let it pass.

I called the employee in and asked if she was unhappy and if she was looking to leave our firm. After her shock passed, she came across with a level of venom typically reserved for those acrimonious partings where tit-for-tat is the norm.  After some discussion, it was unanimously agreed this employee should move on immediately.

The fallout was contained. Why? Because I knew what was happening before the venom had metastasized. I spoke to the employee who had been receiving the emails from the now-departed employee, and let her know that she had every right to her opinion of her bosses and the firm, but that I would like to try to resolve any problems that existed. While this employee ensured me she was "good to go" and was "glad she didn't have to listen to [the departed employee]'s gripes," I was dubious. Regardless, this particular employee remained with us and was a solid performer until she decided to stay home and raise her family.

The net sum of this situation is simply this: while you may feel like "Big Brother," as an employer, you'd better know what is going on in your firm, period! And, securing the ability to monitor email within your company has become a protective device beyond simple employee disgruntlement. You'll never have an environment of total bliss and happy campers one-and-all, but you can definitely keep any growing cancers under control before they reach critical mass.

-go figure-