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magazine
05
Businesses under five years old are twice as
likely to compromise the confidentiality of
sensitive information as more established
rivals, claims Iron Mountain.
Almost half (48%) of employees in recently
established organisations surveyed by the storage
and information management services company
say they have left sensitive documents lying about
the office, have mislaid them completely or have
left them in a public place.
This is twice as many as staff in more
established firms, where fewer than one in four
(23%) have made similar errors.
Younger businesses are also less clear on how
long they are legally required to retain documents
such as tax records, contracts and customer data.
More than half (59%) of respondents from
companies that have been in existence for one to
five years admit they could be keeping sensitive
human resource records beyond retention
deadlines, potentially exposing the business to
reputational damage and fines. This compares to
just 20% in firms that have been in business for
more than 25 years.
Iron Mountain director Elizabeth Bramwell said:
“The first five years of a business’s life are often
dedicated to rapid growth as the organisation
establishes itself in the market. The start-up phase
is a busy one, so it’s perhaps understandable that
information management mistakes are more likely
to happen during this time. However, whether
you’re a new or an established business the law is
the law, so it’s vital that confidential information
is protected.
“If bad information habits are left unchecked
and effective processes aren’t put in place, young
businesses face severe legal and reputational
consequences that could fast erode customer
confidence and threaten the very survival of the
business.”
AGENDA
Confidential information at greatest
risk in new businesses
Lack of BYOD policies puts data at risk
Managed Services Provider (MSP) Annodata is warning the public sector that they could be
putting confidential data at risk after a Freedom of Information request revealed that
42% of local authorities in England have yet to implement a Bring Your Own
Device (BYOD) policy.
Joe Doyle, marketing director at Annodata, said: “BYOD can bring
clear benefits in the form of greater flexibility and increased productivity.
However, any gains will be null and void if there is not a clear policy to
accompany this. Not giving BYOD appropriate consideration can result
in increased risk of data leakage and make it difficult to determine which
devices are accessing which systems and data.”
He added: “The public sector needs to approach BYOD with due
diligence and special emphasis needs to be placed on security when
employees are using their own devices to access an organisation’s data.”
Flexible working provides
escape from co-workers
Forget increased productivity or a
better work:life balance; for many,
the main benefit of flexible working
is reduced exposure to boring or
irritating co-workers.
In a study by workspace provider
Regus, 35% of UK professionals agreed
with the statement that ‘flexible working
means I don’t have to put up with
colleagues’ unpleasant personal habits’;
31% agreed that ‘flexible working allows
me to avoid boring colleagues’.
Flexible working was also seen to have
lifestyle advantages, with 71% saying
it gives them more time to go out and
meet people and 41% claiming it helps
them to eat more healthily.
Commenting on these findings, Regus
UK CEO Richard Morris said: “Under
traditional working structures people
spend more time with colleagues than
they do with their own family. Such
an environment will always result in
mismatches of personality and behaviour,
which over time can potentially hamper
workplace harmony and productivity.
Clearly, the freedom to work flexibly is
providing professionals with an escape
from everyday routines and the chance
to focus on their own performance and
wellbeing.”
Regus’s research also suggests
that flexible working can improve
performance levels by giving workers a
change of scene. In a survey of 2,000
business people across the globe, 56%
said that it improved their concentration
levels. More than half (53%) of those
showing symptoms of cabin fever
find it a relief to change their working
environment.
Other benefits include reduced
commuting time (55%) and having more
time to spend with loved ones at the end
of the day (46%).
Richard Morris,
UK CEO,
Regus
Employers underprepared for maturing workforce
Older workers aged 55 and above are bracing
themselves to continue working until they are
70 years old, according to recent research by
the CIPD.
In a survey of more than 1,600 UK employees,
more than a third (37%) of all workers believe
they will have to work past the widely accepted
retirement age of 65. This figure jumps to 49% of
workers over 55 years old.
Among those who expect to work past 65, the
average age they believe they will retire is 70.
The most common reasons for working past 65
are to keep mentally fit (32%) and to earn enough
money to enjoy a good standard of living including
holidays (27%).
The research suggests employers aren’t doing
enough to support older workers, with just 25% of
respondents believing their employer is prepared
to meet the needs of workers aged 65 and over.
Charles Cotton, pay and reward adviser at
the CIPD, said: “It’s shocking that despite a large
proportion of UK workers planning to work past
the age of 65, employers are so under-prepared
to meet the needs of a maturing workforce. Older
workers offer vast experience and knowledge and
can also act as mentors to young people in the
workplace. To reap those opportunities, employers
need to start reviewing and adapting their people
practices, as well as the design of the organisation,
jobs and work, to ensure they are fit for the new
purpose.”
