Poll: One In 10 Employees Knowingly Violate Company IT Policy

  • Mar 16, 2010

A new Fiberlink Poll published recently showed that more than one in 10 U.S. workers admit to knowingly violating the policies put in place by their companies' IT departments in order to get their work done.

Harris Interactive conducted the study for Fiberlink. The survey of 1,347 employed adults ages 18+ showed that 12 percent admitted to breaking policy. It was conducted online by Harris Interactive February 2-4.

"We see this as a mobility wake-up call for all IT managers," said Jim Sheward, CEO of Fiberlink. "IT departments nationwide spend a lot of time and money on their compliance, usage, and access policies, but they only work if people follow the rules. Without extensive and effective compliance tools that ensure that IT policies are being followed, companies could face dangerous breaches that include the loss of sensitive data, competitive intelligence, or customers' private information."

In early 2008, AMR forecast that spending on governance, risk, and compliance would hit $33.5 billion in 2009. Instead, it reached only $28.7 billion, or 14 percent less than predicted. According to AMR analyst John Hagarty, this spending suffered because "this stuff is often considered discretionary -- a good business practice, but not essential."

Fiberlink suggests the following tips to help ensure compliance with IT policies:

  • Have a good inventory management system in place for your mobile assets so you know where and with whom they are at all times.
  • Regularly communicate policies to users through different media -- in-person meetings, e-mail updates, and verbal reiteration.
  • Make compliance a priority -- both in terms of IT spend and job performance.

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