Do Your Employees Choose Data Protection or Productivity?

The Ponemon Institute recently conducted a survey to determine if employees choose data protection over productivity, and Larry Ponemon analyzes the findings in this article on CSO.

Employees at 5 companies were each set up at a computer, half of which were equipped with 3M™ Privacy Filters. They were told the survey was going to be delayed 30 minutes and they could either get some work done or take a break. Employees who worked at a computer with a privacy filter were twice as productive as those without a privacy filter. However, of those employees without a filter, some chose productivity over privacy.

Whether millennials are feeling the pressure of the job market or senior-level supervisors feel the demand to be more productive, both groups of workers chose productivity over privacy. On the other hand, most women chose privacy. Female employees tended to be more conscientious about data protection, and they worked harder and longer than male workers. When given the opportunity, more women chose to take the time to work.

When it comes to addressing the weak links, there are variances across gender, age, and seniority. First, identify the employees that have a higher risk of exposing sensitive information in public, such as business travelers, and employees under 35. Equip these workers with privacy filters to help prevent data loss while encouraging productivity. It’s also important to create clear policies on working in public or on mobile devices. Nearly half of those surveyed were unsure or did not think their company had a policy on protecting sensitive information in public. Putting these measures in place can help protect company data against serious threats from its employees.