Conflict of Interest

You should not directly or indirectly, engage in, or have any interest, financial or otherwise, in any other business enterprise which interferes or is likely to interfere with your independent exercise of judgement in ABS IT Services Service’s best interest.

Generally, a conflict of interests exists when an employee is involved in an activity:

• Which provides products or services directly to, or purchase products or services from ABS IT Services.
• Which subjects the employee to unreasonable time demands that prevent the employee form devoting proper attention to his or her responsibilities to ABS IT Services.
• Which is so operated that the employee’s involvement with the outside business activity will reflect adversely on ABS IT Services.

You must devote the whole of your time, attention and abilities, during your hours of work for ABS IT Services to your duties and responsibilities. You may not, under any circumstances, whether directly or indirectly, under-take any other duties, of whatever kind, during your hours of work for the Company.

You may not without the prior written consent of the Head of HR engage, whether directly or indirectly, in any business or employment (which is similar or in any way connected to or competitive with the business of ABS IT Services or which could reasonably be considered by others to impair your abilities to act at all times in the best interests of ABS IT Services) outside your hours of work for ABS IT Services.

Should you be in doubt as to whether an activity involves a conflict, you should discuss the situation with the Head of HR or Managing Director.

Appearance

ABS IT Services does not seek to inhibit individual choice in relation to your appearance. However, you are expected to always dress appropriately in relation to your role, and to ensure that your personal hygiene and grooming are properly attended to prior to presenting yourself for work.

If we have supplied you with a uniform or other apparel, then you must wear this at all times when required to do so; it is your responsibility to ensure that this is clean and presentable.

If your work brings you into contact with the public then you must remove all visible piercings with the exception of a single set of earrings (or one single earring), and you must ensure your dress and grooming standards reflect the values of the company.

If you have any queries about what is appropriate, these should be directed to your Team Lead or Head of HR.

Company Premises

Due to the nature of the business, ABS IT Services’ premises have controlled access for all that enter the confines of the office buildings. In the event that an employee invites friends, relatives, customers, suppliers or members of the public to the office, they must ensure that the logbook is completed and that the Managing Director and the Head of HR are made aware of who is on the premises.

You will be issued with an identity badge and access card and in some cases keys to access your workplace. These remain the property of ABS IT Services, and must be returned upon termination of employment.

Access cards and / or keys are issued on the strict trust that proper measures will be taken to ensure their safekeeping. If you have an access card and office front door keys, they must not be kept together.

Entrances must not be left unattended during deliveries and collections.

Entrances must be secured when leaving and entering the building, to prevent unauthorised access.

You must not remove Company property from the company’s premises unless prior authority from the Head of HR or Managing Director has been given.

You must not bring any unauthorised person onto ABS IT Services property without prior agreement from HR, unless you are authorised to do so as part of your job. In these circumstances you are responsible for ensuring that your visitors are appropriately monitored during their stay, and that they do not access areas or company property inappropriately.

Access and ID Cards

All employees will be issued with a photo ID and door access card(s). These must be worn at all times including when visiting customer or supplier sites. Employees must remember to swipe your cards upon every entry and exit of the building for the purposes of safety and security. Under no circumstances shall an employee allow a colleague or any other person to use their photo ID access card.

Lost Access, ID Cards and Keys

All ABS IT Services buildings must be kept secure at all times.

For UK employees any lost or misplaced keys and access cards must be reported immediately to your Team Lead and the Head of HR.

For employees in Goa, the loss must be reported immediately to your Team Lead, to the Operations Manager and the Head of HR.

It is the responsibility of the employee who gives you access into the office to also report this to the Head of HR.

If you have misplaced your access card and or keys for the first time you will be given 5 days to find it, you must report back to your Team Lead and Head of HR once it has been found.

If still not found they will be considered lost and ABS will accept the costs in replacing locks, keys and or access cards.

Thereafter, if you lose your keys and/or your access card again, you will have to bear the cost of the replacement of the lock, keys and/or access cards and will be issued with a verbal warning.

Further occurrences of losing your keys and/or access cards will result in disciplinary action.

Duplication of a key and/or access card, or the possession of a duplicate key /and or access card, will result in disciplinary action.

Clear Desk Policy (CDP)

ABS IT Services strives to be professional in all areas of its business, including the working environment. Compliance with ISO 27001, Data Protection Act, SyOPs and basic privacy controls allows ABS IT Services to protect sensitive and critical information about its employees, intellectual property rights, the customers and suppliers and to preserve the confidentiality and integrity of the data. It also makes the office look professional for both employees and visitors and reduces stress by allowing the employee to focus on work better, instead of becoming frustrated when they are not able to find things.

The aim is to leave the office in a clean and useable manner at the end of each day. Nothing should be left out on the desks apart for your monitor, telephone handset, keyboard and mouse. Everything else should be stored away, unless you are working on a device that requires it to be left out.

CDP Guidance

• At the end of each working day, all documents and media must be secured away in a desk drawer, pedestal unit, filling cabinet/cupboard and locked where possible.
• Personal belongings should be stored away.
• Dishes should be washed and stored in the kitchen at the end of the day.
• Windows should be closed if the office is unattended and at the end of the working day.
• On the ground floor the window blinds must be closed at the end of each day.
• Monitors and other devices must be either switched off or locked if you are still working on it at the end of each day.
• All cabinets must be closed and locked where possible at the end of each day.
• All unwanted, expired or scrap documents are to be shredded.
• Login details such as username and passwords must not be left out and should be secured or shredded when no longer required.
• All printers should be cleared of paper as soon as they are printed.
• The Finance and HR office must be locked if unattended at any given time.
• The stock room must be kept locked, unless in use.

There will be scheduled and unscheduled inspections of the premises.

Any employee who violates this policy maybe subject to disciplinary action.

The kitchen and bathrooms must be left clean and fresh after use.

Personal Property

Employees are responsible for their own property at work and are advised not to bring valuable possessions or large sums of money to work. ABS IT Services cannot accept responsibility in the event of any loss, damage or theft of personal property on ABS IT Services premises or in or from the company vehicles. However, ABS IT Services have taken some security measures to safeguard employee property by installing CCTV around the buildings and providing lockable draws under the employee’s desk.

If there is an incident where an employee loses any property, they should inform their Team Lead and the Head of HR immediately, who will ensure that the property is returned to the individual should it be found.

If an employee finds any lost property, they are obliged to hand it in to the Head of HR. Under no circumstances will ABS IT Services tolerate theft. Any incidence involving theft will be deemed to be a dismissible offence.

Telephones & Correspondence

Company telephone / mobile phone or postal facilities must not be used for private purposes without prior permission from the Managing Director or Head of HR. If for any reason, personal use is made of these items then arrangements must be made to pay the cost price of all services used. Abuse of these facilities will be considered a potential disciplinary matter.

Video Surveillance (CCTV)

CCTV has been installed in multiple locations across all offices in the UK and Goa for the following purposes:

• For prevention, detection and investigation of crime against:
• Security of property.
• Theft or incident identification.
• Protect the safety of employees and visitors.
• Assist in investigation of suspected security breaches.
• The CCTV system will also be used to connect the UK office to the Goa Office for work purposes.

Monitoring and Recording

• Cameras are monitors by the Managing Director.
• Recording are retained for a 30-day period.
• Request for recordings of yourself can be made and must be given within 30 days, however if the circumstance that other people are in the record, a freedom of information form must be completed and submitted.

ABS IT Services complies with the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Smoking and Other Substances at Work

Legislation exists which makes it illegal to smoke in enclosed public spaces. Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is therefore strictly prohibited on all Company premises (including entrances and exits) and vehicles.

Outside areas have been identified for those who wish to smoke during their break-time e.g. the smokers hut.

Bringing unlawful substances to the workplace, and/or taking them is strictly prohibited both during work time or during a period prior to work where the effects may carry over to the workplace. Any such instances will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure and may lead to your dismissal.

Confidentiality

It is a condition of your employment that you have a duty of confidentiality with regards to ABS IT Services.

During your employment you may find yourself in possession of sensitive information, the disclosure of which could be construed as a breach of confidentiality. It is a condition of your employment that you have a duty of confidentiality to the company and you must not discuss any company sensitive or confidential matter whatsoever with any outside organisation including the media.

You must not disclose any information of a confidential nature relating to ABS IT Services, its business or to whom ABS IT Services owes an obligation of confidence, such as any third party and its business, during or after your employment expected in the proper course of your employment or as required by law.

You must not remove any documents or tangible items which belong to ABS IT Services or which contain any confidential information from any ABS IT Services or customer premises at any time without proper advance authorisation.

You must return to ABS IT Services upon request and in any event, upon the termination of your employment, all documents and tangible items which belong to ABS IT Services or which contain or refer to any confidential information which are in your possession or under your control.

You must, if requested by ABS IT Services, delete all confidential information from any reusable material and destroy all other documents and tangible items which contain or refer to any confidential information which are in your possession or under our control.

Any such breach of confidentiality would be deemed as gross misconduct except as otherwise provided or as permitted by any current legislation (e.g. the UK Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998) and could lead to your dismissal.

Computer, E-mail and Internet Use

In compliance with the Communications Act 2003, Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Malicious Communications Act 1998, ABS IT Services has detailed the obligations and expectations in policies and guidelines for employees and contractors to follow.

Due to the nature of ABS IT Services’ business there is a high level of security rules pertaining to what an employee can or cannot do on our networks.

If you have access to the company’s computers including e-mail and access to the internet as part of your job, you must not abuse this by using these facilities for purposes unrelated to company business.

Limited personal use of the internet is permitted during your formal breaks. All internet use is monitored and accessing pornographic or other unsuitable material, including auction or certain social networking sites is strictly prohibited and would be considered a serious disciplinary offence which may result in dismissal.

Only software packages properly authorised and installed by ABS IT Services may be used on company equipment, you must therefore not load any unauthorised software onto company devices.

If you have a company email address, this is provided for responsible use on company business and should not be used in any other way whatsoever.

You must not refer to ABS IT Services or its services or represent yourself on behalf of the company on social media without formal permission from the ABS IT Services to do so.

All employees must make themselves familiar with the company’s Internet & Email Policy