A new report has found that 67% of remote workers are using faulty tech when they are working remotely.
This is often because they have accidentally damaged the tech themselves and don’t want to admit it to their boss in case they get into trouble.
A company that sells refurbished technology carried out the survey on 2,500 UKK employees.
It found that laptops were the most likely to be broken, followed by keyboards, monitors and PCs.
The majority of the damage was done by spilled food and drink, other causes of damage included other people on the house – such as a partner or housemates – and of course, pets.
We have all watched in horror as a cat brushes itself against a full glass of water next to a laptop ….. or a dog pulling on the charger of a laptop that is sat close to the edge of the table …
The survey showed that whilst more than half of people try to fix the damage, and 81% of people continue to use their faulty device with limited features, a third of workers switch tot heir personal devices instead.
Not only is this causing a loss of productivity, it could also be a huge data security risk for your business. Because it is possible their personal laptop doesn’t have as much security protection as their work laptop does, such as:
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Security software
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Data encryption
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Enhanced password protection such as multi-factor authentication
Their personal devices also aren’t being monitored by your IT support partner.
When an attacker gains access to an unmanaged device, if it is connected to your network, it is possible they can get access to the wider network, and ultimately all of your business’s data.
You can only imagine the potential consequences of this Not only can this result in your data being stolen and sold, but your data could be encrypted so it is then useless to you – and you must pay for its return. This is called a ransomware attack and it is the greatest cyber security threat to your business right now.
The headache caused by a ransomware attack doesn’t end there. After a ransomware attack, there is a colossal time and financial cost involved in making sure your network is clean, protected, and secured.
Our advice is to make sure that everyone in your business understands the risks involved with using personal devices for work purposes, whether they work remotely or not.
A golden rule for this would be that all work must be done on business devices.
It could also be beneficial to create a culture where it is okay if a device gets damaged, as long as it is reported quickly.
If you need help choosing the right technology or cyber security approach for your team, or creating new policies to help your staff choose to do the right thing, book your 15 minute initial consultation.
