Learn how employees avoid company website blocking measures and the tools they use. We explore VPNs and proxies and discuss which is the best tool to use.

How Employees Avoid Company Website Blocking

We all know that period of boredom or procrastination that strikes in the middle of work and how difficult it can be to get out of the slump. That’s why many employees browse online, visit social media sites, and more during work hours. It offers a good distraction, and can provide some new inspiration. However, it can also cause drops in productivity and cause delays.

However, many companies block particular sites to keep work efficiency as high as possible. Yet, that’s not the only reason employees are online. They can also gather information using a Google Shopping API or web scraping to improve marketing strategies for the business. So how can you block distracting websites, while still allowing employees to use the internet for their work?

Measures Used to Block Employee Online Activity

Many companies use tools and programs to monitor employee online activity or block it completely. Some of these measures will allow employees to request access to specific sites, which is beneficial as they can use that function for an official company or market research. Others restrict particular IP addresses or devices on the network from accessing online sites. Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly used practices to ban websites in the workplace.

Keyword Blocking

There’s also the measure of blocking keywords or implementing content filtering. Keyword blocking means if an employee searches the keyword, say Amazon, any sites that contain that keyword in their name will be inaccessible. It includes limiting users to certain websites, like those ending in .gov or .edu to ensure only official or government or educational sites are available.

Bandwidth Management

The amount of bandwidth you have determines how fast your upload and download speed is for everyone. Watching videos and playing games can drastically slow down the bandwidth, which is why employers might want to prohibit such activities. Employers can install a bandwidth manager, which monitors all the devices on the network, see how much bandwidth they use, and identify devices that use more than average.

Company Policies

A complete ban might not always be the best company policy, as it can breed employee discontent. While we’re not saying anything goes, there are some ways you can compromise. One includes easing up on the restrictions during holidays like Christmas, while another allows an allotted period for employees to use these sites – like during their lunch breaks.

Should Employees Access Blocked Sites?

You might need a slight break and want to check your social media or your favorite shopping page. Taking a minor break is often an excellent way to restart your brain and become more efficient at work. However, we know that’s not always the case, as sometimes employees are simply easily distracted. This is when a small break might turn into hours of unproductive social media scrolling. Before trying to access sites your company blocks, consider why you want to access them and how long you’re accessing them. Also, it’s important that you’re aware of any company policies regarding the use of certain sites so that you don’t break the policy.

Available Tools

There are several ways employees can access blocked sites, which we explore below.

VPNs

A VPN is a tool that disguises your IP address and creates a private network between two networks. This network is encrypted, which means others can’t access it, and hackers can’t track your IP address. However, your device still connects with the online site, even though it’s an encrypted network.

Proxies

Proxies act as an intermediary between you and the site you’re accessing. Proxy tools mean you don’t directly connect with the online site, and it can’t access your device or IP address. There are various types of proxies, some more secure than others, and you can access geo-restricted websites and company-blocked sites.

Best Proxies

If you’re accessing blocked sites on your company network, you must use premium proxies, as free proxy tools aren’t safe and can damage the company network. It can introduce vulnerabilities into the system and affect all the devices connected to that network. As such, we looked at the safe proxies available below.

Residential

After choosing a reliable proxy provider, it’s vital you use a suitable proxy. Residential ones use IP addresses connected to home devices, which means you look like an actual person accessing the site. Some sites are sensitive to proxies or similar tools, so you must use a realistic and reliable one.

Advanced API

Other options are also available, especially if you need proxies to access information or web scraping. While the company might block Amazon to keep employees on track, sometimes you need to access the site for research purposes. 

You might need to look for market trends or consumer needs, and a Google Shopping API is the best option. It uses 40m+ proxies to ensure your network and your company’s system remain safe.

Keep the Company Network Safe

It’s crucial you use reliable proxy providers offering safe proxies and APIs. In this way, you can keep your network safe without introducing vulnerabilities that can mean a hacker gains access to the company’s database. Ensure you use the latest Google Shopping API and proxies to access the sites you want while keeping your coworkers and employers safe.