Search Results for: security

December 6, 2013

Battle lines being drawn as wearable tech raises privacy and security fears

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Legal news, Technology

We are starting to see the first shots fired in the coming war about wearable technology. The most talked about early salvos related to the very recent and highly publicised case of a diner in a Seattle cafe who was ejected when it was discovered he was wearing and using Google Glass despite being asked not to and reminded of the restaurant owner’s policy regarding wearable tech. The ensuing media storm broke on social media first as it does these days, with the Google Glass owner arguing – perhaps unreasonably – they were his glasses and he should be allowed to do what he wanted with them , while the cafe owner argued –perhaps reasonably – that his other customers don’t want to have a meal out while wondering if they are being filmed or recorded by a complete stranger with the ability to upload it all instantaneously.

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November 5, 2013

It’s not all about BYOD; data security also remains a low-tech issue

by Mark Eltringham • Legal news, Technology

While firms worry about the loss of data through the practice of BYOD, employees continue to find low tech ways of breaching security according to a report from Iron Mountain. While under half (42 percent) of employees describe their organisation’s approach to hard copy as secure, one in ten describe it as chaotic. Nearly half claim to have seen confidential information lying around in the usual places such as on desks or photocopiers. The most common types of information exposed in this way are details of salaries and performance reviews as well as commercial and financial data, although many will remember the scandal that broke two years ago when Government minister Oliver Letwin (above) repeatedly dumped classified information in a park bin including some about Al Qaeda, Libya, Afghanistan, the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi.

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September 11, 2013

Three quarters of companies allow BYOD, but most admit data security concerns

by Sara Bean • News, Technology, Workplace

In the same week that Apple launches the iPhone 5S, over half (56%) of CIOs have said they allow employees to use their own smartphones in the workplace, and over three quarters (76%) of staff are allowed to use their own mobile data devices. While the research from Robert Half Technology found the biggest BYOD challenge is security, cited by over half (53%) of respondents, the Verizon 2013 Data Breach Investigations Report into global data breaches provides some reassurance that 86 per cent of cyber-attacks do not knowingly involve insiders. However lax internal practices, like copying data onto a USB drive or leaving a device in a cab does lead to security breaches, accounting for 41 per cent of cases of misuse. (more…)

August 30, 2013

Flexibility doesn’t equal insecurity suggests new report into casual working

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Flexible working and part time working tend to conjure up different images, with the former perceived as the preserve of the professional/management class and the latter associated with administrative/semi-skilled workers. That impression has been reinforced by trade unions’ complaints over the increase in the use of casual or Zero Hour Contracts that allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. Yet new data shows that a significant share of those on casual contracts (43%) are in the top three occupational groups (managers, professionals and associate/technical staff), just a fifth (17%) are in manual skilled or semi-skilled jobs, only one in ten are unskilled and one in ten in administrative; and just 18 per cent are looking for a new job. (more…)

September 17, 2025

People are still powering productivity in the era of AI

by Nick Gold • AI, Comment, Workplace

Employee productivity has been cast into the spotlight in recent months, thanks to the acceleration of AI. Our new research shows that 50 percent of businesses are prioritising employee productivity over the next two years, budgeting for resources that promote individual staff performance and effectiveness. AI’s growing role in the workplace is, of course, a key driver of this trend. But it’s not the only factor. Increased remote work and other operational challenges mean businesses are looking to maximise efficiency and get the best possible return on their investment. (more…)

September 16, 2025

AI, automation anxiety and the future of work: lessons from Daniel Susskind

by Jo Sutherland • AI, Comment, Workplace

When I joined the audience at Gresham College for Professor Daniel Susskind’s inaugural lecture on automation anxiety, I expected the familiar line: AI is coming for our jobs. That’s not what I heard. Instead, Susskind, Professor of Business at Gresham, made a surprisingly nuanced argument, explaining that the real story was less about the number of jobs losses, and more about how the very nature of work is shifting. This piece reports on that event (available to watch below) and reflects on what his ideas mean for workplace leaders – and, from my vantage point as a communications professional working with organisations through workplace and digital transformation, how we talk to and engage our colleagues through the change. (more…)

September 9, 2025

Large companies see slowdown in adoption of AI tools

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

New analysis from Apollo Academy suggests that large organisations may be losing momentum in their use of artificial intelligence tools. Drawing on the US Census Bureau’s fortnightly survey of more than one million firms, the research shows a downward trend in reported adoption among businesses with 250 or more employees. The survey asks firms whether they have used AI tools in the previous two weeks, including machine learning, natural language processing, virtual agents and voice recognition. While overall use of AI across the economy has grown steadily in recent years, the latest figures indicate that the largest companies are no longer leading the charge. Instead, their adoption rates appear to have stalled or declined slightly. (more…)

September 2, 2025

A third of employees are quietly sabotaging workplace AI

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Nearly one in three employees are undermining their organisation’s use of generative AI, according to a new report. A survey by Writer and Workplace Intelligence suggests that 31 percent of staff admitted to behaviour that could be classed as sabotage. of workplace AI. This includes entering sensitive company information into unapproved tools, using software not sanctioned by employers, or failing to report security breaches. Around one in ten said they had gone further, deliberately lowering the quality of their work, tampering with performance metrics, or refusing to use AI altogether. (more…)

August 20, 2025

UK public sector appears to be phasing out remote and hybrid working

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new report suggests the UK public sector is moving sharply away from remote and hybrid working, despite signs that the shift could be undermining recruitment and retention. According to the 2025 State of Digital report by Unit4, just over half of UK public sector organisations now require employees to be fully office-based, compared with only 7 percent in 2023. The proportion operating fully remote models has dropped from 37 percent two years ago to 15 percent, while hybrid arrangements have fallen from 93 percent to 49 percent. (more…)

July 29, 2025

Does your employee benefits package have a marketing problem?

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Wellbeing

Despite many businesses investing heavily in employee benefits, many of these perks fail to deliver their full potential. According to the 2025 Drewberry Employee Benefits and Workplace Satisfaction Survey, just 12 percent of UK employees report being truly satisfied with their benefits package. This gap in satisfaction isn’t always about the benefits themselves, but is often a failure of communication. This latest research shows that while benefits may be in place, just 36 percent of employees fully understand what’s on offer. Even fewer regularly engage with these benefits. (more…)

June 9, 2025

Jobs are getting better, but a quarter of people still think they are bad for their wellbeing

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Although job quality appears to be on the rise, a quarter of UK workers – an estimated 8.5 million people – say their jobs have a negative impact on their mental health (25 percent) or physical health (24 percent), according to the CIPD Good Work Index 2025. The latest poll claims the negative impact of work on wellbeing has remained high for many people for the eight years the survey has been running, despite improvements for some employees on certain areas of job quality. The CIPD Good Work Index, which provides what the troubled trade association claims is the UK’s most in-depth annual survey of job quality, suggests that the strongest factors associated with unhealthy work are excessive workloads, stress, poor relationships with colleagues and the quality of line management. (more…)

May 30, 2025

How BPO enables business flexibility in rapidly changing global markets

by Freddie Steele • Business, Company news

Global markets are changing at an unprecedented rate due to economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behavior, and technological breakthroughs. Businesses must be agile and able to adapt to market changes. This is where Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) comes in. What was once viewed as a cost-cutting tool has evolved into a strategic advantage, providing businesses with the flexibility they require to remain competitive and resilient during volatile periods. (more…)