Like so many reality show contestants, the human resource profession has gotten an extreme makeover. HR is more hip and exciting than ever before. HR professionals are getting out from behind their desks and into the boardroom, heading up juicier projects, and making decisions that drive business. They're working on cutting-edge assignments, like merger and acquisition planning, product development and design, and espionage. Wait - did I just say espionage?

Okay, I'm not talking about replacing the employee relations manager with James Bond, but "spying" is becoming an increasingly important part of corporate life - and the HR function. While technology has opened up countless opportunities to conduct business better and faster, it has also exposed companies' vulnerabilities. For every website hit, e-mail, or instant message, there could be a virus, security threat, or hacker waiting to pounce, or unintentionally leaked company secrets flying out the door.

Of course there are software suites that make it easy for companies to track who's doing what with whom. And many are doing just that. In fact, according to a recent study by the American Management Association, 60 percent of employers monitor in- and outgoing messages, almost two-thirds track employee web usage, 20% tap into instant messaging (IM), and one-quarter of companies reported firing an employee for violating e-mail policies.

If your company hasn't started tracking employee use of technology and equipment yet, it probably will soon. And while the IT department is definitely involved in the mechanics of the process, the prickly nature of this beast puts the bulk of the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of HR. Like it or not (and for most of us, it's not), HR professionals may be forced to be the new Big Brother.

Looking over employees' shoulders is not a fun job, but it's not about catching employees doing something illicit. HR professionals need to develop a comprehensive and understandable policy (this is not just a matter of blocking porn sites), and then clearly communicate the rules and the rationale. Employees are confused, too. Is checking personal e-mail okay? What about booking a vacation from work? What is acceptable?

It all comes down to productivity. How efficient can an employee really be if he or she is reading e-mails about sales at Pottery Barn and the Gap in between checking the score of the Red Sox game? It also cuts into other employees' time when recycled jokes and chain letters are sent through the office.

Frankly, the IT department has stopped finding these jokes funny. Many of these e-mails contain viruses that can dismantle a company's system and open the organization up to hackers. The first priority of any e-mail or web policy is to protect the integrity of the server and the organization's intellectual property.

It's not just spam that can cause damage. E-mail subscriptions can be dangerous, too. Employees might think that subscribing to travel sites or online magazines is harmless, but these sites can infiltrate the e-mail system and blanket the entire company. Companies are also at risk for lawsuits if employees visit illegal sites or engage in questionable activities, like gambling online or downloading the latest U2 single from a "free" file sharing site.

What makes this murky situation even cloudier is that many people utilize work equipment and e-mail addresses for personal use. Some employees feel entitled to use office equipment because they spend so much of their time at work, and are able to (and have authority to) take equipment like laptops and cell phones home with them.

Also, employees' method of communicating is changing. Instead of meeting by the water cooler, conversations are taking place via IM. This is where it gets even stickier for HR people. They need to strike a balance between people's need for affiliation versus their use of company resources. While it may be tempting to ban all personal use of company equipment, this will impact employee morale, and ultimately, productivity.

Once you and your colleagues develop a policy, it is important to be consistent. Employees who work in the mail room get the same treatment as those in the executive suite. It is also vital to communicate the policy to employees. Don't just circulate a memo; get your policy into the employee manual - pronto! And be sure to include details. If your office decides that "reasonable" personal use is acceptable, define reasonable. Some might think it's okay to tie up the server for five hours trying to get concert tickets. Also, let employees know what's acceptable. What type of e-mail correspondence is permitted? Can they check personal e-mail from office equipment? What are employees allowed to use the web for? Research - yes; shopping - no? Checking out CNN for the day's news - yes; checking Match.com to see if there are any takers for your personal ad - no?

There is one big difference between an HR professional and Agent 007. Unlike James Bond, you are not surreptitiously spying on people. If the rules are plainly written and clearly communicated, it is the employees' responsibility to follow them. You may be Big Brother, but I mean that in a good way.